Institutional Business Development Lead/Head

The Wormhole Foundation

Our mission is to empower passionate people in the research and development of blockchain interoperability technologies. We support teams building secure, open-source, and decentralized products within the Wormhole ecosystem.

The Role

We are seeking a highly motivated and strategic Institutional Business Development Lead to drive growth and develop relationships with institutional clients, including banks, hedge funds, asset managers, fintech firms, and enterprise blockchain projects. This individual will be responsible for identifying new business opportunities, building and nurturing strategic partnerships, and advancing Wormhole’s presence in the institutional crypto market.
The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of interoperability technology, cryptocurrency, and DeFi ecosystems, as well as experience working with large institutional clients. They will possess exceptional relationship-building skills, a strong network within the crypto and financial services industries, and the ability to close high-value, complex deals.

What You Will Do

• Business Development Strategy:
• Develop and execute a comprehensive institutional sales and partnership strategy aligned with the Wormhole’s goals.
• Identify and evaluate new business opportunities within international institutional markets
• Lead market analysis and competitive research to uncover growth opportunities and emerging trends in crypto interoperability.
  
• Client Acquisition & Relationship Management:
• Identify and engage with prospective institutional clients, building strong, long-term relationships.
• Establish trust and credibility with decision-makers, driving engagement and negotiations through to the deal-closing stage.
• Manage and nurture ongoing relationships with key accounts to ensure satisfaction and long-term business development.
  
• Partnership Development:
• Identify potential strategic partnerships with technology providers, financial institutions, and institutional investors.
• Lead negotiations and collaborate with internal teams to structure win-win partnership deals.
• Develop tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of institutional clients, driving adoption of the company’s interoperability solutions.
  
• Market Expansion & Brand Awareness:
• Represent Wormhole at industry conferences, panels, and networking events to build brand presence and thought leadership in the institutional space.
• Collaborate with the marketing and PR teams to enhance visibility, positioning, and outreach to institutional clients.
  
• Deal Structuring & Closing:
• Lead complex, high-value sales cycles from initial contact to final deal closing, ensuring optimal terms for the business.
• Work cross-functionally with legal, product, and technical teams to structure tailored solutions and negotiate contracts.
  
• Revenue Growth & KPIs:
• Own revenue and growth targets related to institutional partnerships and client acquisitions.
• Track and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) including sales pipeline, lead conversion, deal closures, and client satisfaction.
  
• Other duties as assigned

Who You Are

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in business development, sales, or partnerships in the blockchain/crypto or fintech space, with a focus on institutional clients.
• Ability to have highly technical discussions and possess a strong understanding of multi-chain protocols and DeFi, EVM, SVM, Moove, etc.
• Strong network within the institutional crypto, blockchain, or financial services sector
• Highly motivated, creative, and results-driven self-starter with a passion for driving crypto adoption by closing deals 
• You have excellent communication skills and have experience of developing effective working relationships at  senior levels across all functions
• Thrive in a high agency and high ownership environment.
• Excited to work in a results-driven, meritocratic work environment.
• Ideally, based in the Americas or European time zones.