Director of Business Development & Partnerships

<h2><strong>Role Overview</strong></h2> <p>Piston Pay is seeking an energetic <strong>Director of Business Development &amp; Partnerships</strong> to spearhead our expansion across the U.S. retail fuel market. In this high-impact, startup-savvy role, you will drive <strong>strategic partnerships</strong> with major oil companies and fuel retailers, closing enterprise deals that fuel Piston Pay’s growth. You’ll own the entire enterprise sales cycle – from prospecting and relationship building through negotiation and closing – with a focus on <strong>landing large-scale deals</strong> with national fuel brands. As a key leader in our team, you will also collaborate cross-functionally to align product and engineering efforts with partner needs, ensuring seamless integrations and mutual success. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape our go-to-market strategy and will be instrumental in establishing Piston Pay’s presence and partnerships in the $250B+ fleet fuel industry .</p> <h2><strong>Key Responsibilities</strong></h2> <ul> <li><strong>Drive Strategic Partnerships:</strong> Identify, target, and <strong>forge partnerships</strong> with fuel retailers and major oil brands. Develop joint value propositions that align Piston Pay’s cardless payment solutions with partners’ business goals, accelerating market penetration.<br><br></li> <li><strong>Lead Enterprise Sales Cycles:</strong> Own and lead enterprise sales engagements end-to-end – from initial outreach, pitching, and solution scoping, to <strong>negotiating contracts and closing deals</strong> with large fuel retail networks. Maintain a robust pipeline and <strong>consistently close high-value deals</strong> that contribute to revenue growth.<br><br></li> <li><strong>Channel &amp; Relationship Development:</strong> Build and nurture long-term <strong>channel relationships</strong> that expand Piston Pay’s reach. This includes managing alliances with technology providers, fuel card networks, and other strategic partners, ensuring mutual success and ongoing collaboration.<br><br></li> <li><strong>Industry Representation:</strong> Serve as the face of Piston Pay at key industry conferences, trade shows, and partner meetings. <strong>Represent Piston Pay</strong> with credibility and passion – delivering presentations, product demos, and thought leadership that elevate our profile in the fuel/payments space.<br><br></li> <li><strong>Cross-Functional Leadership:</strong> Work closely with Product, Engineering, and Operations teams to guide partner integration requirements and timelines. Provide market and partner feedback to inform product roadmaps, ensuring Piston Pay’s offering remains <strong>aligned with industry needs</strong> and partner expectations.<br><br></li> </ul> <h2><strong>Key Qualifications</strong></h2> <ul> <li><strong>Experience in Fuel/Payments Industry:</strong> 7+ years of success in business development or enterprise sales roles within the <strong>fuel retail or payments technology sector</strong>.<br><br></li> <li><strong>Proven Enterprise Deal Closer:</strong> Demonstrated track record of <strong>closing large-scale deals</strong> with retail fuel networks or major oil brands. You have navigated complex sales cycles and can point to significant partnerships or contracts you’ve secured in the industry.<br><br></li> <li><strong>Domain Knowledge:</strong> Deep understanding of the retail fuel industry’s tech stack and economics. This includes familiarity with fuel POS systems, fleet payment solutions, loyalty programs, and the financial <strong>drivers of gas station operations</strong> (pricing, margins, etc.).<br><br></li> <li><strong>Strategic &amp; Analytical Mindset:</strong> Strong strategic thinking and business acumen, with the ability to identify win-win partnership structures. Comfortable analyzing data and market trends to inform decisions, and <strong>creative in structuring deals</strong> that maximize long-term value.<br><br></li> <li><strong>Communication &amp; Negotiation:</strong> Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills. Adept at <strong>negotiation and relationship-building</strong>, with the credibility to engage C-suite executives at major oil companies and the savvy to influence stakeholders both internally and externally.<br><br></li> <li><strong>Entrepreneurial Drive:</strong> Self-starter attitude with a <strong>bias for action</strong>. Thrives in a fast-paced startup environment – able to wear many hats, adapt quickly, and drive initiatives forward with limited resources. Passion for transforming legacy industries with innovative tech solutions.<br><br></li> </ul> <h2><strong>Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)</strong></h2> <ul> <li><strong>Enterprise Deals Closed:</strong> Number of new enterprise-level partnership deals closed with fuel retailers or oil brands (e.g. annual volume commitments, network partnerships signed). Success in this role is first and foremost measured by <strong>closing high-impact deals</strong> that drive revenue and adoption.<br><br></li> <li><strong>Strategic Partnerships Launched:</strong> Count of new strategic partnership initiatives launched (e.g. co-branded programs, channel partner agreements) and their outcomes. This includes establishing <strong>long-term partnerships</strong> that contribute to transaction volume, user growth, or market expansion for Piston Pay.<br><br></li> <li><strong>Pipeline Growth &amp; Velocity:</strong> Growth of qualified pipeline opportunities and reduction of sales cycle time for enterprise deals. Ensuring a healthy, progressing pipeline of major accounts is critical.<br><br></li> <li><strong>Partner Integration Success:</strong> Successful rollout of partner integrations and joint solutions (in coordination with Product/Engineering) within planned timelines. Measured by the <strong>number of partner launches</strong> and the performance of those partnerships (transaction volumes, user uptake).<br><br></li> <li><strong>Market Expansion Impact:</strong> Contribution to Piston Pay’s geographic and market expansion goals. This can include metrics like <strong>fuel volume processed via Piston Pay</strong> in new regions or increases in fleet user adoption through partnership channels, reflecting the director’s role in shaping Piston’s market footprint.<br><br></li> </ul> <h2><strong>About Piston Pay</strong></h2> <p><strong>Piston Pay</strong> is a <strong>cardless, closed-loop payments network</strong> revolutionizing how fleets pay for fuel . We are tackling the massive $250B+ fleet fuel market by providing a secure, flexible alternative to legacy fuel cards and credit networks. Founded by logistics industry veterans, Piston Pay enables trucking fleets and fuel retailers to <strong>connect directly</strong> through a purpose-built payment platform – unlocking substantial fuel discounts for fleets and driving higher, more predictable sales for fuel merchants. Our mission is to bring modern fintech innovation to the fuel pump, delivering seamless, fraud-resistant transactions and empowering fleet operators with greater control over fuel spend. Join us as we scale across the U.S., backed by industry expertise and a passion for transforming fleet payments!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>