AVP, Fintech Program Management

At Stearns Bank, we’re helping people, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and local communities nationwide reach their full financial potential. Sound like something you want to be a part of? If so, we’re currently looking for an AVP, Fintech Program Management to join our team! This is a fully remote position. 

Come see how we’re doing business unusual and charting our own path to reimagine a more inclusive financial services and banking ecosystem for all.

Benefits

Stearns Bank understands and respects that everyone is managing unique career, family, and wellness needs. That’s why we offer industry-leading benefits to employees to help them live healthy lives and bring their full selves to work every day. Benefits may vary for part-time positions. Some of those benefits include:

• Employee Stock Ownership Plan & 401k Plan with Employer Match
• Healthcare (Medical, Dental, Vision, Telehealth, Life insurance)
• 12-week Paid Medical Leave
• Paid Parental Leave: 21-weeks Primary Care Parent, 14-weeks Secondary Care Parent
• $5,000 Family Care Reimbursement: Childcare, Elder Care, Student Loan Debt, Pet expenses, down payment assistance
• PTO from 13 to 23 days depending on tenure. Cashout and Carryover options.
• 10 Days Sick Time
• 11 Paid Holidays
• 4 Days Volunteer Time
• 2 Days Self Allowance Time
• Tuition Assistance

For this position, we anticipate an annual salary between $100,000 - $120,000. Final employment offers will be dependent upon the selected candidate’s relevant qualifications and experience.

Job Summary 

Stearns Bank, N.A. is seeking an experienced AVP, Fintech Program Management to mature the partnership management segment within the Fintech & Partnership Banking vertical at the organization. This individual will be responsible for collaborative fintech and partner management, execution of effective oversight of fintech programs and collaborating with the teams responsible for the delivery of fintech and partnership banking solutions.

The AVP will partner with fintechs not only to support their market objectives but also to advance Stearns Bank’s portfolio of products and deliver innovative financial products to underserved markets. This newly created role is expanding Stearns presence in the fintech ecosystem by formalizing the structure and creating impactful solutions.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive banking and fintech operations with expertise in deposits and payments, as well as legal, regulatory and compliance requirements for fintech programs and partnerships. They will support existing partners as well as the onboarding and ongoing management of new fintech partnerships.

As the AVP, you will collaborate across business units and external partners to deliver on the bank’s growth goals with community needs, regulatory requirements and business opportunities. This includes, but isn’t limited to the risk and compliance teams, legal counsel, operations and more.  This role provides a rare opportunity to mature the program management function within a growing fintech business, helping to craft strategy and leverage regulatory experience to deliver impactful results.

Key Responsibilities

Relationship Management & Partnership Development

• Work with internal stakeholders to align fintech initiatives with Stearns strategic goals and evolving regulatory requirements
• Nurture and grow relationships with our portfolio of fintechs to expand our existing partnerships and grow market share
• Represent Stearns Bank at conferences and fintech events to position the bank as a respected player in partner banking
• Collaborate with fintech partners to design tailored banking solutions to meet their needs while aligning with Stearns Bank’s operational and compliance frameworks
• Ensure partnerships deliver mutual value by identifying opportunities to expand fintech programs into broader bank initiatives

Program Delivery and Oversight

• Drive the end-to-end delivery of fintech solutions from onboarding and implementation to ongoing monitoring and compliance monitoring
• Ensure fintech programs are implemented efficiently and in full compliance with regulatory requirements
• Execute on comprehensive oversight framework for fintech partnerships ensuring ongoing compliance with regulatory and contractual obligations

Regulatory and Compliance Expertise

• Maintain broad knowledge of legal, regulatory and compliance requirements for fintech partnerships, including BSA/AML, KYC, payments regulations and third-party risk management
• Collaborate with compliance, legal and risk teams to address regulatory challenges and ensure fintech programs meet all applicable standards
• Act as a trusted advisor to fintech partners guiding them on regulatory requirements and Stearns Bank’s expectations for compliance

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, business, finance, technology or related field with equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of experience in banking, fintech or financial services with a strong focus on payments, partners banking or third-party risk management
• Proven experience in developing and managing fintech partnerships with a track record of delivering successful programs
• Demonstrated knowledge of regulatory requirements including BSA/AML, KYC and payments risk management and regulations
• Familiarity with embedded payments, API integrations and fintech platform technologies is highly desirable.

Skills & Competencies

• Ability to define and execute a roadmap for building out the fintech program management function and drive growth
• Broad understanding of the fintech ecosystem including emerging technologies, business models and regulatory frameworks
• Strong working knowledge of legal, compliance and risk management requirements for fintech partnerships
• Exceptional interpersonal skills to build trust and long-term partnerships with fintech companies and internal stakeholders
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to articulate complex concepts to diverse audiences
• Diligent and self-motivated
• Flexible
• Ability to travel as the need arises

Requirements

• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 lbs.
• Literacy in English
• Ability to sit for extended periods of time, twist, bend sit, walk, use hands to twist, handle or feel objects, tools or controls, such as computer mouse, computer keyboard, calculator, stapler, telephone, stapler puller, etc., reach with hands and arms, balance, stoop, kneel, talk or hear
• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus

THE COMPANY

Founded in 1912, Stearns Financial Services Inc. (SFSI) is a $3.2 billion, independently owned financial institution with locations in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona, and over 35,000 small business customers nationwide. Specializing in affordable housing financing, USDA and SBA lending, and small business and equipment financing, Stearns Bank is regularly recognized as one of the country’s top-performing banks and “Best Banks to Work For” by American Banker.

As a Star Tribune Top Workplaces award recipient and an award recipient of the Minnesota Business Magazine 100 Best Places to Work in Minnesota, Stearns takes pride in their team and holds their employees in extremely high regard. We offer a competitive salary and benefit package including our Employee Stock Ownership Program-one of the best long-term incentive programs in the nation. To learn more about Stearns Bank, visit www. StearnsBank.com

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER /AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLAN

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, or creed, religion, sex, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran’s status, status with regard to public assistance, or any other class protected by Federal, State, local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.