Director of Mergers and Acquisitions Job Chicago area,Illinois USA,Finance & Banking

Lead the execution of mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and other strategic transactions from initial evaluation through closing.
Manage transaction timelines, milestones, and deliverables to ensure successful completion of deals.
Coordinate internal and external stakeholders, including legal, finance, tax, HR, IT, operations, and third-party advisors.
Support valuation analyses, business case development, investment memorandums, and executive presentations.
Identify transaction risks and develop mitigation strategies throughout the deal process.
Direct and oversee comprehensive due diligence efforts across all functional areas.
Ensure diligence work streams are properly staffed, coordinated, and completed within established deadlines.
Facilitate issue identification, risk assessment, and escalation to executive leadership as needed.
Maintain diligence tracking tools, data rooms, and reporting mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability.
Verify that critical findings are documented and incorporated into transaction recommendations and integration planning.

Cross-Functional Coordination & Process Management

Serve as the primary facilitator between internal teams to ensure effective communication, alignment, and decision-making.
Establish and maintain standardized M&A processes, governance structures, and best practices.
Drive accountability across functional leaders for completion of transaction-related deliverables.
Lead recurring deal review meetings and executive updates.
Continuously improve transaction workflows to enhance speed, quality, and consistency of execution.
Lead, coach, and develop a team of M&A professionals.
Establish performance expectations and provide ongoing mentoring and development opportunities.
Foster a high-performance culture centered on collaboration, accountability, and execution excellence.
Allocate resources effectively across multiple active transactions and strategic initiatives.

Integration & Strategic Support

Partner with integration teams to ensure seamless transition from diligence through post-close integration planning.
Support development of synergy analyses and value creation initiatives.
Assist the VP of M&A in shaping acquisition strategy, pipeline management, and target prioritization.
Prepare and present recommendations to executive leadership regarding transaction opportunities and risks.

MINIMUM AND/OR

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION:

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field.
MBA or other advanced business degree (preferred)

EXPERIENCE:

10+ years of leadership experience
10+ years of progressive experience in mergers and acquisitions, corporate development, investment banking, transaction advisory, private equity, or related fields.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

SKILL REQUIREMENTS:

Demonstrated experience managing complex acquisition transactions and due diligence processes.
Experience leading cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment.
Strong project management and process improvement capabilities.
Experience with in a growth-oriented, acquisitive organization.
Ability to travel and work onsite at the acquired companies located throughout the U.S. (50%+)
Exceptional leadership and team development skills.
Strong business acumen and strategic thinking abilities.
Excellent project and process management capabilities.
Ability to influence and drive accountability without direct authority.
Superior communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and transactions simultaneously.
High level of professionalism, discretion, and judgment.
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