Senior Associate - Business Development

Role Overview

The Senior Associate, Business Development role is critical to advancing New York Life’s innovation agenda through hands‑on execution of strategic partnerships with the world’s most promising startups. This individual will independently evaluate emerging technology companies, shape and run enterprise proofs of concept (PoCs), and shepherd opportunities through New York Life’s governance and enablement processes with minimal supervision.

This role focuses on the needs of New York Life Investment Management and related investment‑oriented businesses, covering capital markets, investment processes and workflows, portfolio and risk analytics, distribution and client servicing, market and alternative data, and adjacent asset and wealth management technologies. The ideal candidate brings strong subject matter fluency in investment management and financial technology, paired with the judgment and execution ability needed to operate effectively in a large enterprise environment.

This role requires strong independent judgment, comfort operating in a complex enterprise environment, and the ability to represent NYLV credibly with internal business and technology leaders and external startup founders. Success is measured by disciplined execution, effective partnership outcomes, and the ability to move opportunities forward decisively.

• Source relevant startup companies across asset management, wealth management, capital markets, investment operations, market intelligence, and adjacent fintech domains; conduct diligence to assess strategic relevance, enterprise readiness, and business fit.
• Develop a deep understanding of New York Life’s businesses, operating model, and strategic priorities, prioritizing opportunities best suited for startup partnership and PoC testing.
• Design, scope, initiate, and execute proofs of concept (PoCs) and pilots, including developing and managing project plans, milestones, dependencies, and deliverables.
• Coordinate with key enabling partners including Legal, Risk, Procurement, Technology, Architecture, and Information Security to ensure appropriate governance and operational controls.
• Track and report quantitative and qualitative results of PoC testing; assess ROI potential, implementation readiness, and enterprise scalability.
• Provide structured feedback on commercial applicability, technical maturity, and strategic value of tested technologies to NYLV partners, including the Investments team.
• Surface insights through pattern recognition and direct experience with startups and emerging enterprise technology in the form of research briefs and strategic recommendations.
• Demonstrate a growth mindset, intellectual curiosity, and a commitment to continuous learning and improvement.

• 7–10 years of relevant professional experience in business development, partnerships, corporate innovation, or a related field.
• Strong subject matter expertise in one or more of the following areas: asset management, wealth management, capital markets, investment research, trading and execution workflows, portfolio analytics, risk, market data, or investment operations.
• A strong frame of reference for venture‑backed technology startups, gained through experience as a founder, operator, investor, or strategic partner.
• A demonstrated ability to “connect the dots,” identify emerging patterns, and anticipate future industry trends.
• Proven experience working cross‑functionally across legal, procurement, technology, and business stakeholders within complex organizations.
• Excellent communication, relationship management, and executive presence, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple work streams, operate with limited supervision, and deliver measurable outcomes in a fast‑paced environment.
• High degree of judgment, accountability, and comfort representing an organization externally.

Salary Range: $100,000–$143,000

Overtime eligible:
Exempt

Discretionary bonus eligible:
Yes

Sales bonus eligible:
No

We provide a full package of benefits for employees – including leave programs, adoption assistance, and student loan repayment programs.