Head of Partnerships

Square is seeking a Head of Square Partnerships, APAC to define and lead the strategic partnerships vision across Australia and Japan. This leader will build and scale partnerships that accelerate Square Seller acquisition, product adoption, ecosystem expansion, and long-term business growth throughout the region.

Partners span referral networks, distributors, financial institutions, technology platforms, service providers, commerce ecosystems, and other strategic partners where there is mutual value through lead generation, co-selling, co-marketing, product enablement, and selective product integrations.

This is one of Square's most senior partnerships leadership roles, operating at the intersection of business development, growth, product, and go-to-market strategy. You will own the APAC partnerships strategy, lead a high-performing regional organization, influence product and commercial direction, and represent Square externally with senior executives across the region.

This role is based in Australia and leads partnerships across both Australia and Japan. Regular travel throughout APAC, including Japan, and to the United States is expected to build executive relationships, support strategic partners, and collaborate closely with Sales, Account Management, Marketing, Product, Strategy and executive leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Regional Strategy & Vision
  Define and execute the long-term partnerships strategy for Australia and Japan, aligning investment priorities with Square's regional growth strategy, product roadmap, and commercial objectives. Identify emerging ecosystem opportunities that strengthen Square's competitive position and accelerate sustainable business growth.
• Strategic Partner Development
  Identify, evaluate, negotiate, and scale high-impact partnerships across key industries and ecosystems. Build a diversified portfolio of partners that expands Square's distribution, enhances our product capabilities, and creates differentiated value for sellers.
• Executive Relationship Management
  Develop trusted relationships with C-level executives and senior decision-makers across strategic partners. Lead complex commercial negotiations and structure partnerships that deliver long-term value for Square, our partners, and our sellers.
• Business Growth & Commercial Accountability
  Own measurable partnership outcomes across seller acquisition, pipeline generation, revenue growth, product adoption, ecosystem expansion, and strategic market development. Establish clear business objectives and ensure partnerships deliver meaningful commercial impact.
• Partnership Activation & Scale
  Lead the successful launch and scaling of strategic partnerships through coordinated go-to-market execution, co-selling, co-marketing, product enablement, partner success programs, and selective product integrations. Drive ongoing optimization through executive business reviews and operational rigor.
• Cross-Functional Leadership
  Partner closely with Sales, Account Management, Strategy, Marketing, Product, Engineering, Finance, Legal, Operations, Compliance, and regional leadership to prioritize investments, influence product roadmaps, remove execution barriers, and maximize partnership impact.
• Portfolio Strategy & Performance
  Continuously evaluate the regional partnership portfolio, balancing strategic investments with measurable business outcomes. Allocate resources toward the highest-impact opportunities while evolving strategy based on market trends, competitive dynamics, customer needs, and business performance.
• Organizational Leadership
  Build, lead, and develop a world-class partnerships organization across Australia and Japan. Develop exceptional talent, coach future leaders, establish operating rhythms, and foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and customer obsession.
• Executive Influence
  Serve as the senior partnerships leader for APAC, representing the region with Square and Block executives. Provide strategic recommendations informed by market insights, competitive intelligence, and partner feedback while influencing global partnerships, product, and go-to-market strategy.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in strategic partnerships, business development, growth, product partnerships, or related leadership roles, including 8+ years leading senior teams and organizations.
• Proven track record of developing and scaling regional or global partnership strategies that drive measurable business outcomes.
• Extensive experience negotiating complex commercial agreements that drive mutual growth, and managing executive-level strategic relationships.
• Demonstrated success influencing senior executives and cross-functional stakeholders without direct authority.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including experience evaluating partnership investments, structuring business models, and managing portfolio performance.
• Experience leading and developing geographically distributed teams while fostering strong collaboration across markets and functions.
• Experience partnering closely with Product, Engineering and Strategy to influence product strategy, integrations, and ecosystem development.
• SaaS, fintech, payments, commerce, or financial services experience strongly preferred.
• Deep understanding of both the Australian business landscape required; experience working across Japan or broader APAC markets strongly preferred.
• Based in Australia (Sydney preferred), with the ability to travel regularly throughout APAC, including Japan, and to the United States to support executive engagement, strategic partner development, and cross-functional collaboration.

What You'll Bring

• A strategic, commercial mindset with the ability to translate long-term vision into measurable business outcomes.
• Exceptional executive presence and relationship-building skills, with a track record of influencing senior leaders both internally and externally.
• Strong commercial judgment and the ability to structure partnerships that create sustainable value for all parties.
• An ability to turn a strong commercial deal into a growth machine with clear KPIs, enablement, operational rigor, and optimization levers.
• Outstanding leadership skills with experience building high-performing, globally distributed teams.
• The ability to thrive in ambiguity, prioritize effectively, and lead through change in a fast-moving environment.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills, capable of influencing audiences ranging from partner executives to Square's senior leadership.
• A passion for building enduring partnerships that create meaningful value for sellers and strengthen Square's position across the APAC ecosystem.

Why This Role

This is a rare opportunity to define the future of Square's partnerships strategy across two of our most important international markets. As the senior partnerships leader for APAC, you will shape how Square expands its ecosystem, accelerates growth, influences product strategy, and delivers greater value to sellers through world-class strategic partnerships.

You'll join a global Partnerships organization that works across Product, Engineering, Sales, Marketing, and executive leadership to build relationships that create lasting competitive advantage for Square and Block.

Application Guidelines

Candidates may submit up to 9 active applications within a 60-day period. Reapplications to the same role are accepted 90 days after a previous application has been reviewed.

Use of AI in Our Hiring Process

We may use automated AI tools to evaluate job applications for efficiency and consistency. These tools comply with local regulations, including bias audits, and we handle all personal data in accordance with state and local privacy laws. 

Contact us here with hiring practice or data usage questions.

Every benefit we offer is designed with one goal: empowering you to do the best work of your career while building the life you want. Remote work, medical insurance, flexible time off, retirement savings plans, and modern family planning are just some of our offering. Check out our other benefits at Block.

Block, Inc. (NYSE: XYZ) builds technology to increase access to the global economy. Each of our brands unlocks different aspects of the economy for more people. Square makes commerce and financial services accessible to sellers. Cash App is the easy way to spend, send, and store money. Afterpay is transforming the way customers manage their spending over time. TIDAL is a music platform that empowers artists to thrive as entrepreneurs. Bitkey is a simple self-custody wallet built for bitcoin. Proto is a suite of bitcoin mining products and services. Together, we’re helping build a financial system that is open to everyone.