Senior KOL BD Lead — Global
A Tier-1 global cryptocurrency exchange (Top 10 by volume), serving 30M+ users across 200+ countries. Currently scaling KOL and influencer-driven user acquisition across all major regions, with a leadership mandate to build out a senior KOL BD function that drives multi-region trading volume and user growth.
We're hiring a Senior KOL BD Lead to own the global KOL and creator partnership motion. You'll either come in managing a team of 5–6 KOL BD professionals across multiple regions, or be ready to scale into that role within months. This is a senior leadership track — you'll report into senior commercial leadership and own the strategy, execution, and measurement of KOL-driven growth.
This is not an IC role. We're looking for someone who has already built or led KOL BD teams across multiple geos, has measurable trading-volume contribution from KOL programs they've owned, and walks in with relationships across the global crypto creator economy.
• Own the global KOL BD strategy across all priority markets (CIS, EU, MENA, APAC, LATAM, North America, Australia, Korea, Greater China).
• Lead and scale a team of regional KOL BD managers, setting team-level KPIs on referred volume, signups, retention, and revenue contribution.
• Build and personally activate top-tier KOL and creator partnerships — both individual creators and major Telegram/YouTube/X communities.
• Design and oversee the affiliate and revenue-share frameworks that govern KOL economics, including tiered commission structures and exclusivity arrangements.
• Run high-leverage campaigns across regions: launch activations, listing campaigns, product launches, ecosystem co-marketing.
• Translate KOL feedback into product and marketing priorities — what creators need to convert their audiences.
• Manage budget allocation across regions, balancing performance markets vs. growth markets.
• Represent the platform at major crypto events, KOL roundtables, and creator-economy gatherings globally.
• Maintain visibility into competitor KOL programs (Binance, Bybit, OKX, Bitget, MEXC, Gate, Crypto.com) and adapt strategy accordingly.
• 5+ years in KOL BD, influencer marketing, affiliate management, or creator-economy partnerships — at a major crypto exchange, fintech platform, or large-scale creator marketplace.
• Track record of running KOL programs that have driven measurable trading volume — minimum $50M monthly volume contribution at peak.
• Direct experience managing distributed KOL BD teams of 5+ across multiple geos, with team-level performance metrics.
• Deep, active relationships across the global crypto creator landscape — Telegram channel owners, YouTube creators, X (Twitter) accounts, Discord communities, regional language hubs.
• Fluency in KOL economics: commission structures, tracking infrastructure, attribution models, fraud prevention.
• Comfortable operating across multiple time zones and managing remote/distributed team members.
• Strong commercial judgment on KOL valuation — you know which creators drive real volume and which inflate metrics.
• Multilingual capability (Mandarin, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Vietnamese, Turkish — any combination).
• Existing relationships with crypto-native KOL agencies and management firms.
• Experience navigating regulatory considerations around influencer marketing in different jurisdictions.
• Background in performance marketing, affiliate networks, or growth at scale.
• Personal presence in the crypto creator ecosystem (own following, podcast, or media platform).
Compensation: Competitive base + performance-linked variable tied to team and program metrics.
Location: Open globally — major Asian hubs, Dubai, London, or remote for the right candidate.
Reporting: Senior commercial leadership.
