AVP - Referral & Partnerships

Job Role : Referrals & Partnerships Location : Mumbai

About the Role :

We are seeking a strategic, well-connected, and growth-oriented Head of Partnerships & Referral Growth to drive new customer acquisition through ecosystem alliances and referral programs.

This role will lead end-to-end partnership development with e-commerce, fintech, wealth-tech, and consumer internet players, while also building and scaling referral and ambassador programs that turn users and partners into acquisition engines.

The ideal candidate combines relationship-building skills, growth mindset, and business understanding — capable of unlocking scalable, measurable growth through collaborations and community-led referrals.

Key Responsibilities

1. Partnership Strategy & Execution

Develop and own the strategic roadmap for partnerships — identifying, negotiating, and activating alliances across e-commerce, consumer apps, fintechs, and other relevant ecosystems.

Drive co-branded, cross-sell, and integration-based partnerships to generate leads, customers, and brand visibility.

Build a steady acquisition pipeline through corporate alliances, loyalty programs, reward platforms, and digital ecosystems.

2. Referral Marketing & Community Growth

Design and scale the referral and ambassador marketing program to drive organic user acquisition.

Build reward structures, communication journeys, and tracking frameworks to encourage user-led referrals.

Partner with product, tech, and CRM teams to integrate referral flows seamlessly within the product experience.

Run experiments on referral incentives, viral loops, and partner-led micro campaigns to maximize growth efficiency.

3. Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work closely with marketing, product, and analytics teams to align partnerships and referral programs with overall growth objectives.

Co-create campaigns that leverage joint audiences, shared insights, and creative assets.

Use data to measure and improve conversion, engagement, and retention from each channel.

4. Analytics & Optimization

Set up dashboards to monitor acquisition, activation, and ROI from partnership and referral channels.

Continuously optimize initiatives based on data-driven insights.

Report on performance metrics and recommend actions to leadership.

Key Skills & Competencies

Deep understanding of growth levers — partnerships, referrals, and ecosystem marketing.

Strong business network across e-commerce, fintech, BFSI, and consumer internet sectors.

Proven ability to structure and execute partnerships that deliver tangible acquisition or revenue outcomes.

Experience in designing and scaling referral or influencer-led growth programs.

Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship management skills.

Entrepreneurial mindset with strong ownership and bias for action.

Qualifications

7–12 years of experience in partnerships, business development, referral growth, or ecosystem marketing within digital-first industries (fintech, e-commerce, consumer internet, etc.).

Demonstrated success in building scalable partnership or referral programs.

MBA or equivalent degree from a Tier 1 / 2 institution preferred.

Success Metrics

Number and quality of partnerships activated and scaled.

User acquisition and revenue contribution from partnerships & referrals.

ROI and CAC reduction from referral-driven channels.

Partner satisfaction and retention metrics.