Institutional & DeFi Business Director

About us:

Avara builds innovative products leveraging blockchain technologies. Avara's suite includes the Aave Protocol, along with the native stablecoin GHO, Lens, an open social network, and Family, a design-first mobile crypto wallet. Avara's vision is to build a people-powered internet that benefits all.

Our culture:

Having cultivated a thriving, collaborative culture, our team is kind, welcoming and passionate about what we are building. We celebrate differences and seek to develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool from all over the world. No matter where you are based, no ghost will be left behind and we appreciate every moment we get to work and have fun together.

About the role:

This role focuses on the Aave Protocol product within Aave Labs, emphasizing product development in collaboration with institutional partners. As an individual contributor, you will work closely with leadership, product, and engineering teams to drive these collaborative efforts.

How you can make an impact:

• Become a leading expert in Aave’s DeFi product suite including both Aave Protocol and GHO.
• Develop and implement a business development strategy for Institutional DeFi both near and long-term growth objectives for this segment.
• Collaborate with the Head of Growth and leadership to create a comprehensive program positioning Aave as the premier DeFi partner for financial institutions.
• Establish and nurture relationships with financial institutions interested in DeFi, driving substantial commercial and product collaborations.
• 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.
• Work closely with cross-functional team leads, including product, engineering, and marketing, to introduce new offerings to the market.
• Represent Aave Labs at key industry events and conferences, enhancing its presence in the blockchain ecosystem. Serve as a PR representative and spokesperson for Aave in the region with institutional partners.

Let's connect if:

• 7-10+ years of business development experience within the financial services industry or a related industry. Corporate development experience a plus.
• Proven expertise in forming strategic partnerships and managing complex projects. Experienced in creating and negotiating commercial agreements beyond standard sales contracts, collaborating with technical teams, lawyers, and marketers.
• Strong passion for crypto and decentralization, with a solid understanding of crypto native products (staking, DeFi, etc.).
• Deep familiarity with blockchain technology, Institutional DeFi, and the regulatory landscape of digital assets preferred.
• Skill in effectively assessing the most promising high impact opportunities while efficiently managing others.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills to advance deals and projects.
• Strong reputation and extensive network with industry leaders across capital markets.

Haven’t quite met all the criteria? Let’s not miss out on the chance to speak. Whilst you might not meet every single requirement, you might bring other, more exciting skills to the companies!

What we stand for:

Craft — Seek excellence.

Accountability — One for all. All for one.

Integrity — Be true.

Sisu — Dig deep.

Community — We’re in it together.

Equal opportunities statement:

Avara celebrates diversity and views each and every team member as a separate individual with their own unique identity. No matter your race, religion, gender, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation or even the wallet you use, we welcome you at Avara. As an equal opportunities employer, we take accountability and believe in everyone's potential to build, create and inspire changes. With a mission to build a diverse workforce, we are proud to foster a working environment in which everyone can feel safe and valued for who they are.