Strategy & Integration Manager - FTC

Position: Strategy & Integration Manager - 12 month FTC
Strategy and Integration Manager – 12 month Fixed Term Contract

This is a hybrid role with the requirement to work from our Manchester Office two days a week.

Role Overview and Purpose

The Strategy and Integration Manager will lead and support the development and delivery of target operating model and acquisition integration priorities across the Group. The role will combine structured strategic analysis with practical delivery oversight, translating complex business information into clear recommendations, plans and executive-level reporting.

Key responsibilities include assessing current and target operating models, supporting M&A due diligence and financial modelling, developing and overseeing integration plans, and maintaining robust oversight of synergies and wider benefits. Working across business functions and with senior stakeholders, the role will provide constructive challenge, clear insight and disciplined governance to help deliver sustainable business outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Lead and support strategic and integration initiatives covering target operating model design, M&A activity and post-acquisition integration.

Work with business owners to undertake structured as-is and to-be operating model analysis across capabilities, processes, organisation, governance, technology, data and performance measures, identifying gaps and defining practical transition roadmaps.

Support M&A due diligence by coordinating inputs across functions, analysing information, identifying material risks, dependencies and integration implications, and translating findings into clear recommendations for decision-makers.

Develop and maintain financial and operational models, working closely with Finance and business owners to validate cost, benefit, synergy, investment and sensitivity assumptions.

Develop integration strategies, Day 1 readiness plans and delivery roadmaps, ensuring milestones, dependencies, resource requirements and decision points are clearly defined.

Provide oversight across integration work streams, maintaining a consolidated view of delivery status and ensuring risks, issues, actions, dependencies and decisions are actively managed through the appropriate governance forums.

Work closely with Finance to establish and maintain synergy and benefits baselines, measures, ownership, delivery timing and supporting evidence, providing clear actual-versus-forecast analysis and early identification of underperformance.

Analyse delivery and business performance, challenge assumptions and variances, and work with accountable owners to agree recovery actions or revised plans where required.

Produce high-quality executive presentations, reports, decision papers and dashboards that communicate complex information clearly and support effective senior leadership and governance decisions.

Build strong relationships across business functions, Finance, Risk & Compliance, Commercial, Technology and operational teams, using credibility and constructive challenge to align stakeholders and drive timely outcomes.

Contribute to the continuous improvement of strategy, due diligence, operating model, integration and benefits-management frameworks, while maintaining appropriate confidentiality and complying with company, legal, regulatory and information-security requirements.  

Qualification and Experience

Demonstrable experience in strategy, M&A, integration, transformation or a comparable role, with experience of managing complex cross-functional activity.

Practical experience of target operating model assessment and design, including as-is and to-be analysis, gap assessment and transition planning.

Experience supporting or leading M&A due diligence, with the ability to assess complex information, identify integration implications and present balanced recommendations.

Strong financial and commercial acumen, including experience of building or interpreting financial models, business cases, scenario analysis and sensitivity analysis.

Demonstrated experience of developing and overseeing integration roadmaps, including Day 1 readiness, milestones, dependencies, risks, governance and reporting.

Experience of synergy and benefits management, including baseline definition, ownership, measurement, forecasting, evidence and variance analysis.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to structure ambiguity, interrogate complex data and convert analysis into simple, practical actions.

Excellent stakeholder management and…