Interview Experience: Director of Channel Partnerships at Remitly

When I interviewed for the Director of Channel Partnerships position at Remitly, I found the process to be structured, intense, and focused on assessing my ability to develop strategic partnerships, lead teams, and drive revenue growth. Here’s a comprehensive overview of the interview process, the key skills they were looking for, and how to prepare:

Interview Process Overview

The interview process for the Director of Channel Partnerships at Remitly typically consists of multiple stages, focusing on strategic thinking, leadership, partnership management, and the ability to work cross-functionally. Below is a breakdown of the stages I encountered:

1. Initial Screening (HR Interview)

The first stage was a phone call with an HR representative, where they reviewed my background, motivations for applying, and whether my experience aligned with the company’s needs. The HR interview was relatively informal, but they focused on assessing cultural fit and basic qualifications.

Typical questions:

• “Tell me about your experience with business development and partnerships in the tech or fintech industry?”
• “Why are you interested in working for Remitly?”

This is your chance to showcase your understanding of Remitly’s mission of global financial inclusion and your passion for developing strategic partnerships.

2. First Round (Hiring Manager Interview)

The next step involved a more technical interview with the hiring manager. This interview delved deeper into my experience with channel partnerships and how I had structured, negotiated, and managed partnerships in previous roles.

Key questions included:

• “Describe a time when you successfully built a new partnership strategy that resulted in significant revenue growth. What were the steps you took?”
• “How do you ensure that partnerships align with both short-term and long-term company goals?”

For this part of the interview, I prepared by sharing specific examples from my past where I successfully identified, negotiated, and closed deals with key partners. I emphasized my ability to scale partnerships and deliver measurable results, such as increasing customer acquisition or driving product adoption.

3. Case Study/Strategy Exercise

In the third round, I was presented with a case study where I had to outline a channel partnership strategy for expanding Remitly’s presence in a new region. This was designed to test my strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and ability to work with cross-functional teams.

I was asked to:

• Create a plan for identifying potential partners in a specific market.
• Define the key metrics for measuring partnership success.
• Detail how I would engage with internal teams (product, marketing, legal) to ensure the partnerships are executed smoothly.

I made sure to focus on Remitly’s customer acquisition and revenue growth goals, while keeping an eye on potential risks and compliance issues that might arise in a new region.

4. Leadership Interview (Panel)

The final stage involved a panel interview with senior leadership, including executives from product, marketing, and legal departments. This was a deeper dive into my leadership capabilities and ability to scale teams. The panel also wanted to understand how I would influence stakeholders and navigate complex cross-functional relationships.

Key questions:

• “Tell us about a time when you led a team through a challenging period. How did you ensure alignment and performance?”
• “What is your approach to developing and mentoring high-performing teams?”
• “How do you balance short-term business needs with long-term strategic growth?”

During this round, I highlighted my experience building and scaling partnership teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, and using data to guide decisions. I also emphasized my leadership style—focused on empowering team members and fostering a growth mindset.

5. Final Discussions (Cultural Fit and Vision)

The final discussions were more focused on cultural fit, long-term vision, and alignment with Remitly’s core values. They wanted to ensure that I would thrive in Remitly’s fast-paced, results-driven environment.

Key questions:

• “Where do you see the future of channel partnerships in fintech, and how do you think Remitly can capitalize on emerging trends?”
• “How do you align your team’s efforts with the broader company vision?”

This was also a great opportunity to ask questions about the company’s goals, growth plans, and what success would look like in the role.

Skills and Experience You Should Highlight

Throughout the process, there are several key areas you should emphasize:

• Channel Partnership Strategy: Be prepared to discuss your experience building and scaling channel partnership strategies, particularly in the tech or fintech space. Focus on how you identify potential partners, structure deals, and ensure mutual value.
• Negotiation & Deal Structuring: Highlight instances where you negotiated complex partnership deals, particularly those that involved multiple stakeholders or required navigating legal, financial, and operational hurdles.
• Team Leadership & Scaling: Showcase your ability to lead and build high-performing teams. Remitly is looking for someone who can not only manage partnerships but also build and scale a team that can execute the company’s vision.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: The role requires working closely with product, marketing, and legal teams, so demonstrating your ability to collaborate across departments is essential.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Show how you use data to drive decisions, whether that’s using metrics to evaluate partnership performance or guiding internal teams on how to optimize partnerships.

Example from My Experience

One example I shared was when I led a partnership initiative at a previous company that focused on expanding our reach into the Latin American market. I identified key financial service providers and fintech startups as potential partners, negotiated favorable terms, and helped scale the program over the course of a year. This partnership resulted in a 40% increase in customer sign-ups from the region and played a crucial role in expanding our market share.