M&A Junior Analyst

Kick‑start your career in mergers & acquisitions.

The M&A Junior Analyst is an entry‑level, high‑exposure opportunity to join Savant’s growing M&A team and learn how real deals are sourced, evaluated, and executed. This role sits at the intersection of business development, financial analysis, and relationship‑building, making it ideal for someone who’s energized by conversations, motivated by learning, and excited about long‑term growth in corporate development.

You’ll support Savant’s deal origination engine—researching prospective partner firms, engaging founders and decision‑makers, managing pipeline activity, and assisting with early‑stage financial analysis. Designed as a feeder role into our M&A Analyst position, this is a hands‑on entry point for building a long‑term career in M&A within an active, relationship‑driven industry.

The M&A Junior Analyst can expect to focus in the following areas:

Business Development & Deal Origination (Primary Focus)
Identify and research prospective partner firms aligned with Savant’s strategic objectives

Execute targeted outreach campaigns, engaging firm founders and leaders in thoughtful, professional conversations across email, phone, and other channels

Craft, test, and refine outreach messaging, call scripts, and follow-up sequences to clearly articulate Savant’s value proposition and partnership model to prospective firms

Qualify inbound and outbound leads and schedule introductory meetings for senior team members

Maintain consistent follow-up cadence and re-engage dormant or stalled prospects

Develop resilience navigating rejection and iterating approach based on feedback and results

Pipeline & Relationship Management Maintain accurate and timely records in Hub Spot and Deal Room to support effective pipeline management

Track outreach activity, responses and engagement status across prospective firms

Ensure follow-ups, reminders, and handoffs are executed consistently

Provide clear pipeline updates and summaries to internal stakeholders

Support smooth transitions as prospects move from initial sourcing into active deal evaluation

Financial & Analytical Support Gather and organize key financial and qualitative information during early-stage evaluation

Review financial statements and operating metrics to understand prospective firm performance

Identify and flag missing data, inconsistencies, and follow-up questions for the senior deals team Summarize financial and qualitative information in clear, concise formats

Support early-stage valuation work by organizing inputs and assumptions within Savant’s templates

Develop an understanding of how financial data informs M&A decision-making

Coordination, Process Improvement & Technology Coordinate with internal deal, diligence, integration, and optimization teams as opportunities progress

Help improve outreach, intake, and CRM workflows to increase efficiency and consistency

Experiment with new tools, automation, and AI-assisted workflows to streamline sourcing and evaluation efforts

Create and maintain templates, checklists, and documentation to support repeatable processes

Contribute ideas to improve how Savant sources, tracks, and evaluates opportunitiesA couple things to note about the role:

Location:

Rockford, IL (HQ) or Lincolnshire, ILWork Model:
Hybrid. Expect ~3 days per week onsite initially (range of 2–5 days based on preference), with increased flexibility over time.

Schedule:

Typically 8:00am–5:00pm business hours, with occasional evenings during busy deal periods.

Travel:
Limited—primarily local visits, with a few short trips per year.

Growth Path:
Designed to develop into a full M&A Analyst role in ~3 years (performance dependent).Why This Role Stands Out:
Exposure to both financial modeling and founder‑level conversations, mentorship from a coaching‑oriented team, and long‑term upside within an employee‑owned firm.

The M&A Junior Analyst typically requires the following qualifications:

Required

Education:

Bachelor’s degree (business, finance, communications, operations, analytics, or related field).Strong verbal and written communication skills; able to engage professionally with internal and external stakeholder.

Demonstr…