Business Development Director, Ecosystem

Circle is a financial technology company at the epicenter of the emerging internet of money, where value can finally travel like other digital data - globally, nearly instantly and less expensively than legacy settlement systems. This ground-breaking new internet layer opens up previously unimaginable possibilities for payments, commerce and markets that can help raise global economic prosperity and enhance inclusion. Our infrastructure - including USDC, a blockchain-based dollar - helps businesses, institutions and developers harness these breakthroughs and capitalize on this major turning point in the evolution of money and technology.
What you'll be part of:
Circle is committed to visibility and stability in everything we do. As we grow as an organization, we're expanding into some of the world's strongest jurisdictions. Speed and efficiency are motivators for our success and our employees live by our company values : High Integrity, Future Forward, Multistakeholder, Mindful, and Driven by Excellence. We have built a flexible and diverse work environment where new ideas are encouraged and everyone is a stakeholder.
What you'll work on:
We're hiring a Business Development Director to lead ecosystem development and business partnerships for a major, unannounced strategic initiative. This is a foundational role on a small, high-performing team building a new onchain ecosystem within a leading crypto organization. You'll be responsible for driving strategy, sourcing and executing critical deals, and shaping product direction in close collaboration with senior leadership.
This role is ideal for a crypto-native business leader with strong product instincts, a bias toward action, and the ability to influence cross-functional teams while executing independently.
What you'll be responsible for:

• Own and lead strategic partnerships across DeFi and core onchain use cases including Borrow & Lend, Bridge, Earn, Trade & Swap, Move/Send/Pay, and Stake.
• Serve as a thought partner to Product-contributing to roadmap discussions, use case design, and product requirement documents.
• Navigate and lead high-stakes conversations with protocol leaders, founders, and C-level stakeholders.
  Identify, structure, and close deals that drive measurable ecosystem growth and unlock new product opportunities.
• Operate as an owner: run end-to-end workstreams, manage internal stakeholders, and take full accountability for execution.
• Move fast, test hypotheses, and push forward despite ambiguity-failing fast when needed, and iterating with speed.
• Represent the project externally at key ecosystem forums, conferences, and partner events.

What you'll bring to Circle:
Core Requirements:

• 12+ years in business development, strategic partnerships, or ecosystem roles
• 3+ years in a crypto-native environment.
• Proven track record of structuring and executing high-impact deals in DeFi or related verticals.
• Deep understanding of onchain economies, builder incentives, and protocol mechanics.
• Excellent communicator-comfortable having direct, constructive conversations at the C-suite level.
• Product-oriented mindset with experience influencing roadmap, writing, or contributing to PRDs.
• High-agency operator who executes independently and thrives in a zero-to-one environment.
• Embraces iteration and experimentation-willing to take calculated risks and move quickly through uncertainty.
• Willingness to travel up to 30%

Preferred Requirements:

• Experience scaling an onchain ecosystems or protocol GTM strategy.
• Familiarity with builder enablement tools (e.g., grants, dev onboarding, liquidity incentives).
• Prior startup experience, particularly in early-stage web3 environments.

Additional Information:

• This position is eligible for day-one PERM sponsorship for qualified candidates

Circle is on a mission to create an inclusive financial future, with transparency at our core. We consider a wide variety of elements when crafting our compensation ranges and total compensation packages.
Starting pay is determined by various factors, including but not limited to: relevant experience, skill set, qualifications, and other business and organizational needs. Please note that compensation ranges may differ for candidates in other locations.
Base Pay Range:
$195,000 - $252,500
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at Circle. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Additionally, Circle participates in the E-Verify Program in certain locations, as required by law.
Should you require accommodations or assistance in our interview process because of a disability, please reach out to [email protected] for support. We respect your privacy and will connect with you separately from our interview process to accommodate your needs.
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