Partnerships Lead, Defi

OP Labs is the team building the technology behind Optimism , the leading blockchain infrastructure provider powering 65% of all Layer 2 transactions. Our open-source OP Stack enables developers and enterprises to launch scalable, secure, and customizable onchain networks with ease. Backed by a16z , Paradigm , and others, OP Labs has raised over $175M to drive the next generation of onchain innovation. Role and Responsibilities This role is focused on accelerating Total Value Locked (TVL) growth across the Superchain. You will achieve this by setting the overall DeFi strategy for the Superchain and managing key relationships with top-tier protocols, including asset issuers, decentralized exchanges, and liquidity providers. A core component of the role is structuring and executing high-ROI, multi-party initiatives, as well as sharing knowledge and best practices with our chain partners. What are the role responsibilities? Own relationships with top-tier DeFi protocol teams, serving as the primary point of contact, running quarterly business reviews, proactively removing blockers, and ensuring those DeFi partnerships can deliver on joint OP and partner objectives. Contribute to OP Mainnet and the Superchain DeFi strategy and execution, by owning the asset pipeline, and working with partners to create new markets, vaults, and sustainable DeFi yield strategies. Design and deploy milestone-based incentive programs, track grant ROI, and work with internal partners (Growth, Data, Product) to optimize incentive strategies to drive towards sustainable business outcomes. Lead strategic initiatives and thought leadership for the Superchain DeFi ecosystem (e.g., create and deploy playbooks for TVL growth across superchain partners), build narrative and content to showcase the ecosystem’s growth and wins, represent Optimism at industry events, and surface emerging trends and opportunities. What success looks like:3+ superchain chains with a $1B TVL in the next 12 months What skills do you bring? 4–7 years in DeFi partnerships / protocol ops experience Deep understanding of the EVM DeFi ecosystem including DeFi protocol mechanics and onchain behaviors of various user archetypes from yield-seekers, liquidity providers, farmers/degens, to institutions. Demonstrated experience with tokenomics and incentive programs, with sharp business intuition to choose incentive campaigns that drive durable outcomes. Hands-on product/technical fluency, obsessed with understanding how DeFi protocols, apps, and the infrastructure required for successful DeFi ecosystem Strong cross-functional execution and negotiation skills. Excellent written/verbal communication — exec-level presence. What will you like about us? We take care of our employees. Competitive compensation, fully paid medical, dental, and vision, and a 4% 401K match. We take pride in the accomplishments of our teammates and support each other in doing the best work of our careers. Our team is a diverse group of people from varied backgrounds. We cherish our eclecticism and consider it a great strength. We’re fully remote, deeply engaged, highly skilled, and like to have fun. We think long-term. Our founders have been scaling Ethereum since 2015. Learn more about our interviewing here! We are aware of fraudulent individuals falsely claiming to represent OP Labs in recruitment activities. Please note: All official communication will come from an @oplabs.co email address, or from a verified Linked profile. We will never ask for payment, banking information, or personal identification details at any stage of our hiring process. All current openings are listed exclusively on our official careers page and linked from our verified social profiles. If you’re ever unsure about a communication that claims to be from OP Labs, please contact us directly at View email address on click.appcast.io to verify authenticity. Your safety and trust are very important to us. Thank you for helping us prevent fraud. #J-18808-Ljbffr Optimism