Director, Capital Markets Growth (New York)

Responsibilities

• Become a leading expert in Aave’s DeFi product suite including both the Aave Protocol, Horizon and GHO
• Develop and execute Aave’s institutional DeFi business development strategy, balancing near‑term commercial opportunities with longer‑term market development
• Partner closely with the CSBO, leadership, growth, product, engineering, risk, and marketing teams to shape institutional offerings, support go‑to‑market plans, and bring new products to market
• Build and deepen relationships with financial institutions and institutional partners, translating their needs into meaningful commercial, product, and ecosystem opportunities
• Work with key large scale collaborators within the ecosystem including DeFi projects, CeFi exchanges, blockchain protocols and other key industry players to grow distribution and market share
• Represent Aave Labs at key industry events and conferences, enhancing its presence in the ecosystem; serve as a PR representative and spokesperson for Aave in the region with institutional partners

Requirements

• 7+ years of business development, partnerships, or strategic growth experience within financial services, digital assets, fintech, or a related industry
• Demonstrated success building and managing strategic partnerships, including structuring and negotiating complex commercial agreements with senior stakeholders across business, legal, product, and technical teams
• Strong understanding of DeFi, digital assets, and blockchain technology, with a genuine passion for the role decentralized infrastructure can play in the future of financial services
• Knowledge of institutional DeFi and the evolving regulatory landscape affecting digital asset adoption by financial institutions
• Ability to identify, prioritise, and execute against high‑impact opportunities, balancing strategic thinking with hands‑on execution
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills to advance deals and projects
• Strong reputation and extensive network with industry leaders across capital markets