Director, Ecosystem Growth

Ripple Ripple · Fintech · San Francisco, CA +1 · RippleX

This role focuses on driving the adoption and growth of Ripple's XRPL ecosystem through strategic partnerships with independent ecosystem operators, validator networks, and regional hubs. The Director will guide DeFi strategy, manage external partnerships, develop community engagement, and oversee multi-regional ecosystem strategy, ensuring alignment with global priorities and measurable growth. Responsibilities include designing governance frameworks, setting milestones, evaluating partnership opportunities, and managing partner performance.

What you'd actually do

  1. Manages strategic relationships with independent ecosystem operators, regional hubs, and partner organizations
  2. Designs governance frameworks, milestone structures, and accountability models for external partners
  3. Guides DeFi ecosystem strategy across external partners with focus on AMMs, DEXs, lending, and liquidity protocols
  4. Enables independent operators to build and activate vibrant developer, startup, retail communities across regions
  5. Establishes KPIs, dashboards, and scorecards for external entity performance

Skills

Required

  • ecosystem development
  • strategic partnerships
  • DeFi fluency
  • blockchain infrastructure
  • venture building
  • managing external partnerships
  • independent organizations
  • decentralized networks
  • partnership governance
  • external entity management
  • developer programs
  • accelerators
  • startup support
  • community building
  • strategic decision-making
  • Strategic partnership management
  • influence without direct authority
  • Deep DeFi knowledge
  • governance and framework design
  • Data-driven decision making
  • analytical skills
  • Cross-cultural competency
  • managing across geographies
  • communication
  • navigating ambiguity

Nice to have

  • Venture capital
  • accelerator
  • venture studio background
  • Foundation governance
  • nonprofit management
  • DAO operations experience
  • Direct community management
  • Regulatory or policy experience in crypto/blockchain
  • Technical background
  • strong developer ecosystem understanding
  • Complex deal structuring experience

What the JD emphasized

  • 10+ years in ecosystem development, strategic partnerships, DeFi, blockchain infrastructure, or venture building
  • 5+ years managing external partnerships, independent organizations, or decentralized networks
  • Proven track record leading complex partnership governance and external entity management
  • Deep crypto/blockchain ecosystem experience with strong DeFi fluency