Principal, FinTech

The Company

Star is a global consultancy that connects strategy, design and engineering services to help companies accelerate product innovation. With over a decade of constant annual growth, we’re rapidly expanding our consulting services, geographic footprint and industry expertise. We’re on the cusp of further growth as we become a household name in consulting. The role of Principal, FinTech, will be instrumental in getting us there.

Star works for businesses in a variety of industries, including Automotive & Mobility, HealthTech, FinTech and AdTech. Our clients include BMW Group, SAIC, Lufthansa, Denso, NIO, Panasonic, AppyWay, Zeiss, Walmart, Dolby, and many more.

We support our clients at every step of their digital journey. Through co-creation, we guide them from ideation and concept crafting to full-stack development. We always remain focused on helping our clients win the hearts and minds of their customers.

At Star, we connect strategy, insights, design and engineering into a seamless workflow devised to support our clients every step of the way - no matter how long or complex their journey. We anchor everything we do in clear and compelling endgames, which in turn enable our multidisciplinary teams to create superior solutions and impressive commercial returns for our clients. 

Star is truly global. That is why we are the first major consulting company that does not have a headquarters. Instead, we have many front doors, spanning Silicon Valley, Tokyo, London, Munich, Copenhagen, Kyiv, Wroclaw, and other vibrant design, technology and creative nuclei of the world.  Our spirited and growing strong Star Crew takes great pride in working side by side with their trailblazing counterparts at some of the world's most disruptive "unicorn" startups and iconic global brands.

Our passion is to make every great person, every great idea and every great company shine. That's why we're called Star. 

The Opportunity 

Working directly for the CEO as acting Global Head of FinTech, you are an energetic, empathetic, and sales & execution-oriented Principal who will lead ​our business development & sales growth ​in​ ​Europe and potentially other regions, with a clear focus on revenue generation and associated profitability, (with other assignments as may be required and agreed). This is a strategically important role in one of our ​most​ ​important markets, and the successful applicant will be a critical contributor to our FinTech revenue and profitability growth. As our new Principal, FinTech, you will focus on acquiring new logos for Star, building the client base across the FinTech vertical (specifically card issuing or processing, payment solutions, mobile banking, embedded finance, BaaS, digital currencies, alternative lending))  and expanding existing FinTech client revenues further.

You will feel passionate about introducing the Star Way - a unique and organic blend of strategy, design, and engineering - to companies that embark on transformational business journeys or complex roadmap implementations, blending a mix of business development and sales orientation, client problem-solving skills and pragmatic, hard-headed sales execution, delivering on clear revenue goals.

You will have a wide network of relevant contacts and know how to open new doors that may seem closed and build connections with all manner of decision-makers from C-level/executive level downwards, as well as with corporate intrapreneurs. You are well-versed in FinTech market trends and dynamics and have worked with major FinTech clients over a number of years. You are a true challenger of conventions who knows customers’ value drivers and can confidently take control of the customer conversation while offering a unique perspective and recommending solutions to client problems, leading to increased Star revenues.

As a Principal at Star, you will define, create, sell, and run (as well as own) initiatives that will expand FinTech revenues, increase margins and add to Star’s market share through our ability to attract, retain, and grow our customers via impactful, high-value-adding offerings. 

Responsibilities 

• Report to the CEO as acting Global Head of FinTech on all business development, sales and project-related activities based upon clear business development and sales targets;
• Be a Star leader in client relationship development, client management/business development & sales and become recognised as such by clients in the region for FinTech;
• Lead FinTech sales growth for Star, with a focus on new logo acquisition and growing revenue with existing clients;
• Manage the entire sales cycle from research, identification, qualification to closing deals, overseeing successful delivery, and client satisfaction;
• Take responsibility for identifying and defining a sales plan;
• Identify opportunities, both with existing and with prospective new clients
• Execute the sales plan and close projects with well-funded startups, scale-ups and  large enterprises within the financial services sector as well as cross-industry (eg within our Automotive & Mobility sector);
• Work closely with our strategy team, our European-based design team, our wider engineering teams and our regulatory consulting team to generate a pipeline of high-potential projects in strategy and business operations, design (including consumer, industrial, and digital design) engineering, and sell these/close the deals;
• Spend a significant amount of time in the field developing and leveraging relationships through personal meetings, presentations, and networking;
• ​Work​ ​with clients​ ​and​ ​a local Star ​team​ ​to​ ​determine​ project ​requirements​ ​and​ ​specifications;
• Build​ a unique​ ​​value​ ​proposition​ for each client, ​​shape​ ​and​ ​close​ ​new​ ​projects​ ​with​ ​customers; 
• Own​ ​the​ ​commercial​ ​funnel,​ ​ensuring​ ​that ​there​ ​are high​-potential ​clients​ ​at​ ​each​ ​stage​​ ​and​​ ​a continuous​ ​and​ ​growing​ ​flow​ ​of​ ​new​ ​relationships,​ ​new​ ​deals​, ​and​ ​repeat​ ​customers;
• Drive operational efficiency and effectiveness by optimizing organizational processes, implementing best practices, and streamlining cross-functional collaboration;
• Influence junior team members  and act as a mentor in their development, as well as taking ownership of projects with internal functional departments;
• Foster a culture of empowerment, providing opportunities for growth and professional development;
• Develop a high level of confidence, trust and credibility with clients based on the quality of work delivered by the team;
• Provide concise, mature and constructive feedback.

Qualifications: 

Must have:

• Have a background in management consulting (strategy and operations), and/or technology consulting, and/or IT consulting, with a clear client sales and delivery focus;
• Have significant experience in strategy, design, technology, and IT consulting services and in working in financial services. This should be either:
  • in the financial service team of a top management consulting firm;
  • in technology and solution arm of a bank or a major FinTech firm ; and/or
  • in a service provider to the Financial Services  sector.

• Provide thought leadership and specific knowledge of key topics, including emerging technology trends and cutting-edge developments within the FinTech Industry
• Demonstrate a proven ability to understand the challenges facing a typical enterprise client in the FinTech sector, as well as other actors in the sector;
• Have an ability to consistently meet and over-achieve sales targets;
• Demonstrate the​ ability to​ ​manage​ ​all​ ​phases​ ​of​ ​the​ ​customer​ ​engagement​ ​and​ ​sales process, including but not limited to customer acquisition, sales, customer management, account management, and client development (both “hunting and farming”);
• Possess a strategic mindset and experience using consultative​ ​approaches​ ​to​ ​bring​ ​new​ ​clients​ ​on​​ board​ ​through​ ​a​ ​disarming and empathetic​ ​attitude;
• Demonstrate exposure to the technology startup and corporate innovation ecosystems and experience engaging with C-level leaders and the management layers below, as well as with start-ups; 
• Have experience with software platforms and technologies (Open Banking, virtual cards, crypto, mobile apps,, embedded finance) and an early adopter mindset with a passion for the latest technology trends, apps, gadgets, and companies in Europe and globally;
• Demonstrate the ability to balance a self-starter mentality with the need to adhere to agreed processes; 
• Have the ability to lead and influence people by example, even those you are not reporting directly to, and you should:
  • mentor on both a formal basis (with assigned mentees) and on an informal basis;
  • encourage collaborative feedback interactions with all team members;
  • have advanced proficiency in the English language (being a native speaker or possessing near-native fluency).

Should have:

• A high-growth company mentality and willingness to challenge convention;
• A clear focus  on clients and solving their problems and succeed in bringing short, medium and longer-term revenues to Star;
• Leadership skills;
• A clear understanding of design thinking & software development and engineering processes;
• A demonstrated ability to deal with differing customer groups across Financial Services enterprise clients, start-ups and others within the region;
• A willingness to ‘go the extra mile’ and seek to build longer-lasting client relationships. 

What will you get

We offer a rewarding compensation and benefits package, an intellectually and creatively stimulating environment, professional flexibility and unique international travel opportunities. 

Star is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that equity, diversity and inclusion are key to our ability to provide our clients and crew members with unique business and career outcomes. Your race, color, ancestry, religion, gender, identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability have no effect on our hiring decisions. If you have a special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.