Senior Manager, New Business & Innovation (Hybrid)

The posting, as Rewards Network wrote it

About Rewards Network®

Rewards Network is a fast-paced, restaurant-focused fintech company that connects restaurants with the world’s most powerful consumer loyalty programs to reward diners through card-linked offers. We are the leading capital provider for restaurants, and our partners—companies like United, Delta, Bilt, Fetch, and Rakuten—are the leaders in their industries. With a strong foundation built over four decades, Rewards Network has delivered enduring value to more than 100,000 restaurants.

Our Culture

At Rewards Network, you'll be part of a driven and diverse team that excels in collaboration, issue resolution, and taking ownership of both personal growth and the company's success. We take pride in partnering with the world's most powerful loyalty programs to drive full-price paying customers to local restaurants through marketing services and flexible funding options. Our engaging and rewarding environment is designed to help you gain your full potential.

Job Overview

The Senior Manager, New Business & Innovation builds the next generation of growth for Rewards Network by proactively identifying, sourcing and developing new member programs and strategic opportunities that expand the value of the member and restaurant platform. The role combines business development, restaurant-market knowledge, product curiosity, and commercial judgment to determine both who Rewards Network should partner with and which external products or capabilities it should pursue. The position proactively identifies and owns opportunities from initial outreach through business-case development, internal alignment, negotiation and contracting.

This is a hybrid position and requires in-office presence Tuesday through Thursday each week in Chicago.

What you’ll bring to the table: (Responsibilities)

• Develop and execute a proactive prospecting strategy and prioritized pipeline of new member-program opportunities, with a focus on creating outbound opportunities rather than relying on inbound leads.
• Identify and prioritize prospective partners based on strategic fit, member reach, restaurant value, economics and long-term value to Rewards Network.
• Own new business opportunities from initial outreach through evaluation, internal alignment, negotiation and contracting.
• Develop clear business cases that explain the strategic value, financial opportunity, required investment and potential risks for Rewards Network.
• Build relationships with senior decision-makers at prospective partners and develop the support needed to move opportunities forward.
• Evaluate trends across restaurant technology, loyalty, fintech, payments, marketplaces and consumer commerce; identify products, business models and capabilities that could strengthen the Rewards Network member platform.
• Translate market insights into clear recommendations on whether Rewards Network should partner, integrate, build or decline a capability.
• Partner cross-functionally with Pr

[…]
arket orientation and demonstrated intellectual curiosity about emerging companies, products and business models.

Education, Certifications and Experience: Preferred

• Experience developing consumer-facing loyalty, membership or rewards programs, with an understanding of what drives member acquisition, engagement and retention.
• Experience within the restaurant industry or restaurant-technology ecosystem, with established relationships across areas such as payments, reservations, POS platforms, marketplaces or restaurant commerce.

What you’ll love about us

Comprehensive benefits package, which includes

• This is a full-time, exempt position and the base compensation for this opening in Chicago is expected to be $140,000-$160,000 annualized, depending on level, candidate experience, skills, and other factors. This position will be eligible for an annual bonus program with a 15% bonus target for total at target of $161,000-$195,500.
• Competitive Paid Time Off and company holidays
• Generous dining reimbursement when you dine with our restaurant clients
• 401(k) plan with a company match
• Two medical plan options- Standard PPO or High Deductible Health Plan (HSA with company match for HDHP participants)
• Partnership with Rx n Go, offering certain prescriptions for free
• Two dental plan options and a vision plan
• Flexible Spending Accounts and a pre-tax commuter benefit program
• Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity Insurance Plans
• Short Term and Long Term disability
• Company-paid life insurance and AD&D insurance, supplemental employee, spouse, and child life insurance
• Employee Life Assistance Program
• Hybrid working space in our state of the art office downtown located by the Metra and Ogilvie train stations
• Catered lunches provided on Tuesday's in our Chicago office

Rewards Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). We encourage and strongly support workplace diversity.

Expected Pay Range
$140,000 — $160,000 USD