Vice President, Corporate Development

Mission Lane is combining the power of data, technology, and exceptional service to pave a clear way forward for millions of people on the path to financial success. By attracting top talent and leveraging cutting-edge technology, we’re enabling people to unlock real financial progress. Sound like a mission you can get behind?

We're looking for a Vice President, Corporate Development to shape our M&A and partnership strategy, as well as ensure that Mission Lane is poised to take advantage of potential exit paths including potential acquisitions and / or IPO.  This position reports to the Chief Strategy Officer.

The impact you'll make:

Mission Lane is focused on providing consumers with lower cost access to credit.  Continuing to do this for an increasing number of customers and in a more impactful way requires capital, strategic bets, and disciplined execution.  This role impacts all three: leading public market readiness efforts, developing the company's narrative and strategic positioning for external stakeholders, building an M&A and partnerships strategy, and advising our card business.

What You'll Own:

• M&A and partnership strategy: Lead Mission Lane's M&A and partnership strategy. Continually assess the market to decide which businesses are worth acquiring, partnering with, or building in-house, direct the outside advisors and bankers who support that work, and lead execution end to end when an opportunity moves forward, from diligence through negotiation. 
• Exit readiness and coordination: Support Mission Lane's path toward a potential exit, which may include an IPO, an acquisition, or another outcome, by acting as the internal aggregator across partners engaged in that work, keeping efforts coordinated and nothing duplicated.
• Card business advisory: Serve as a senior advisor to parts of the core credit card business, helping identify gaps and opportunities, shape long-term strategy, and support the team directly when needed.
• Readiness to step into a leadership role over any new product, business line, or acquisition that grows out of this work, bringing the operating credibility of someone who has actually run a credit business.
• Executive and Board communication: prepare the materials and recommendations senior leadership relies on for major strategic decisions.

You'll thrive in this role if:

• You've spent time inside a PE firm, strategy firm, investment bank, or financial markets role, and you're just as comfortable directing an outside advisor as you are doing the analysis yourself.
• You can walk into a room with the Board or the executive team and leave them with more clarity than they walked in with.
• You get results in a matrixed organization of consultants and stakeholders who don't report to you.
• You get energized by an open-ended problem that doesn't come with an existing playbook.
• You've built a track record of landing in unfamiliar situations, ramping up fast, and shipping real outcomes.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience in strategy consulting, investment banking, or financial markets.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to present to and inspire confidence among senior leaders and Boards of Directors.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and deliver results through influence in a matrixed organization, without direct authority over every stakeholder.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively amid ambiguity and structure open-ended, white-space problems.
• A track record of stepping into unfamiliar situations, ramping up quickly, and driving measurable impact.
• Experience directing the work of outside consultants and advisors.
• A demonstrated willingness to execute directly, taking initiatives through to implementation rather than stopping at a recommendation.
• Based remotely, with the flexibility to travel ~6-8+ times per year for high quality in-person collaboration with the executive team, Board, and outside advisors.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Leadership experience in a credit or lending business, especially one serving a subprime or near-prime customer base.
• Experience working within a private equity firm, including preparing portfolio companies for exit.
• Direct experience supporting a company through IPO readiness or another public-offering process.
• Experience leading or directly executing M&A transactions from origination through post-close integration in a lending or financial services business.
• Established relationships across the credit card, consumer lending, or broader fintech industry.
• Experience operating in a regulated financial services environment.

Compensation:

Annual full-time starting base salary range: $247,000 - $292,000

This role is eligible for additional compensation in the forms of participation in our annual incentive and equity programs.

Pay is based on factors such as work experience, education, certification(s), training, skills, and competencies related to the role. Mission Lane also offers a comprehensive benefits plan, which includes paid time off, 401(k) match, a monthly wellness stipend, health/dental/vision insurance options, disability coverage, paid parental leave, flexible spending account (for childcare and healthcare), life insurance, and a remote-first work environment.

About Mission Lane:

Founded in December 2018, Mission Lane is a purpose-driven fintech company based in the U.S., with headquarters in Richmond, Virginia. 

It all started with a realization:  nearly fifty percent of the adult population in the U.S. doesn’t have access to a clear line of credit. Most traditional credit card companies either overlook or overcharge this group because they have less-than-perfect credit scores or no scores at all. We decided this just wouldn’t do.

In partnership with our sponsor banks, we offer credit cards under the Mission Lane brand name, with better, clearer terms, and a more refined customer experience than the alternatives available to people working hard to improve their credit. To date, over four million consumers have chosen Mission Lane, earning high customer ratings on Credit Karma for its market segment and industry leading Net Promoter scores. 

Mission Lane has cumulatively raised over $600 million of equity from leading investors, including Invus Opportunities, QED Investors, LL Funds, funds affiliated with Oaktree Capital Management, and other leading investors.

Our commitment to a workplace built on respect and dignity is guided by our core value of Unity. We believe that everyone plays a vital role in our shared purpose, and we actively cultivate an environment where all individuals have the opportunity to do their best work. By fostering a culture of empathy and collaboration, we create a strong sense of belonging and support for every team member.

Mission Lane is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other protected status. 

Mission Lane provides reasonable accommodations to applicants who need them for medical or religious reasons, as required by law.  Applicants can initiate an accommodation request by contacting [email protected].

Mission Lane is not sponsoring new applicant employment authorization and please, no third-party recruiters.

Application Integrity:

Our cardholders trust us with their financial well-being, and this trust starts with the integrity of the people on our team. We're looking for team members who share our dedication to transparency and truth. Please verify that the information in your application is accurate and complete. 

_{Providing any information to Mission Lane that is not completely truthful at any point during the application or hiring process may result in removal from the hiring process, disqualification from future opportunities, withdrawal of an offer or other sanctions for candidates and, in addition for employees, disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.}