Corporate Development Associate

About Highland Ventures

Highland Ventures is a family‑owned national venture management company focused on strategically developing and operating businesses centered around our real estate. Our businesses include:

• Hoogland Restaurant Group:
  The largest franchisee of Marco's Pizza with 130+ locations.
• Legacy Commercial Property:
  Own and manage over 700 commercial properties.
• Highland Pure Water & Ice: 24/7 kiosks with over 70 locations in 10+ states.
• Intune Physical Therapy: A physical therapy brand currently being built from the ground up.

The Corporate Development Associate will be an integral part of our growth strategy, working to execute acquisitions for our real estate portfolio, franchise expansion, and roll‑up strategy within our rapidly growing physical therapy brand. You'll evaluate both new opportunities and growth initiatives within our existing portfolio, while assessing key value creation levers across our diverse business lines.

This will be a dynamic role which requires a multi‑dimensional skillset including the ability to execute key deal processes, perform detailed analytics, and communicate effectively with business leaders and company ownership. The individual should be a highly motivated self‑starter who is comfortable thinking critically, asking questions, and able to work in ambiguous environments.

This is an ideal role for someone looking to make an impact within a well‑capitalized, entrepreneurial environment. While the individual will work primarily on corporate development initiatives, the role will interface directly with diverse functions including operations, FP&A, property management, franchise operations, and business development.

• Execute M&A processes and due diligence work streams, including financial analysis, communication with sellers and brokers, and presentation of findings to ownership and leadership teams.
• Evaluate key strategic projects including real estate acquisitions, franchise expansion opportunities, and physical therapy practice acquisitions.
• Support business development and leadership teams in evaluating opportunities by identifying and analyzing key areas of risk and opportunity.
• Contribute frequently to the preparation of materials for presentation to ownership and executive leadership.
• Build and maintain financial models to support transaction deliverables, underwriting, and investment strategies.
• Develop detailed understanding of unit economics across real estate, restaurant operations, and physical therapy to evaluate merits and risks of acquisition targets.
• Use data, performance metrics, and benchmarks from our existing portfolio to underwrite new opportunities and establish comparable performance standards.
• Manage transaction processes from sourcing through closing, coordinating with legal, accounting, operations, and leadership teams.
• Support post‑acquisition integration planning and performance tracking.

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business, Economics, or related field.
• 2–5 years of work experience.
• Transaction advisory, consulting, corporate M&A/finance, or private equity experience strongly preferred.
• Real estate, franchise, or healthcare services experience a plus but not required.
• Strong analytical, communication, and presentation skills.
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
• Understanding of fundamental GAAP and financial concepts.
• Ability to analyze and perform due diligence on information from various data sources.
• Must be able to work in a fast‑growing, rapidly evolving business, often with multiple projects simultaneously.

• Competitive compensation including base salary and performance‑based bonus.
• Comprehensive benefits package (health, dental, vision).
• 401(k) with company match.
• Professional development and career growth opportunities.
• Direct exposure to deal‑making and operational strategy across multiple industries.
• Regular interaction with executive leadership and ownership.
• Collaborative, entrepreneurial culture with family‑business values.
• Opportunity to make meaningful impact in growing businesses and communities.

This is a full‑time, on‑site position. Days and hours of work are typically Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. The home office is located in Brentwood, TN. No remote opportunities exist at this time.

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