Operations and Partnerships Manager

The Role

The Financial Operations (FinOPs) team enables Square to move money. From developing infrastructure to working with external partners, we find the best ways to move money across different networks and markets in a way that is cost-effective, available, scalable, secure, and forward-looking. As Manager, Fin Ops you will support one of Square's most important assets in delivering meaningful and unique value to our Sellers - our strategic operations and the industry relationships with payment networks, bank acquirers, card issuers and an ecosystem critical to Square's money movement and new product development.

From commercial relationships and agreements to program management and operations, your role will be to support Square's Fin Ops agenda and help Square grow and adapt in the dynamic landscape of the industry in which we operate. This role will report to the EU/UK Chief Operating Officer.

• Support the Fin Ops team in establishing and strengthening strategic partnerships and vendor relationships in the deployment of new products and infrastructure. Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to scope requirements, define success criteria, and execute implementation plans on schedule
• Facilitate Cross-Functional delivery by serving as a central hub that connects Counsel, Developers, Finance, Hardware, Marketing, Partnerships, Product, Sales, and external stakeholders, including vendors and industry leaders, to support Square's go-to-market delivery and strategy.
• Manage banking and vendor relationships by monitoring and challenging service delivery to ensure Square provides a resilient and reliable service to our Sellers. This includes establishing and tracking service level agreements (SLAs), handling incident management, and conducting monthly service meetings.
• Navigate complex vendor relationships and competing interests through strong collaboration and clear communication
• Build and maintain strong relationships with account managers at banks, network and payment partners. Balance relationship management, program management, and analytics to drive mutual value creation and long-term partnerships
• Act as an expert voice on payment regulatory requirements and payment network scheme rules (Visa, Mastercard, etc.). Interrogate new network rules, regulatory updates, and contract changes to ensure Square's initiatives remain compliant. Proactively communicate regulatory implications to cross-functional teams and guide decision-making
• Program manage externally with card networks, banks, and industry partners, driving analysis and discussion to maximize benefits to Square and our customers while reducing inefficiencies and cost. Balance commercial objectives with regulatory and scheme compliance requirements

• Bachelor's degree and/or demonstrated experience working within Financial Technology or Payments (issuing and acceptance) with high-growth technology and small businesses
• Experience working with important payments industry partners such as global card networks, acquirers, payment facilitators and issuers, appreciating the complexity of the vendor relationships that enable electronic payments and card processing
• Deep, practical knowledge of payment and operational regulatory frameworks (PSD2, Operational Resilience, Outsourcing)
• Comprehensive understanding of incident management practices from both regulatory and operational viewpoints, with a keen awareness of the complexities involved in vendor relationships.
• Strong command of payment network scheme rules and operating guidelines (Visa, Mastercard, and other networks). Ability to navigate scheme rule changes, compliance requirements, and their business implications
• Demonstrated excellence working across diverse teams (legal, product, finance, technical, commercial) and external partners. Proven track record of building consensus, aligning stakeholders with different priorities, and driving outcomes through collaboration rather than authority
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives with competing timelines and priorities. Strong project and program management skills with a track record of delivering complex…