Corporate Development Operations Manager
 

Sphera has a proven track record of growth through acquisitions and M&A is an integral part of the go-forward strategy. The Corporate Development Operations Manager will be a key member of the team that is responsible for executing these transactions on a global basis. This Manager will work with executive leaders to define key value drivers for potential acquisitions, implementing actionable plans to achieve transaction objectives, and diving deep on tactical aspects of due diligence and integration projects. The Manager will partner with cross-functional diligence and integration teams to ensure all key risks/opportunities are identified and associated plans are well thought through and completed. Based in downtown Chicago as a hybrid in-person / remote role, this highly visible position will report to the Senior Vice President / Head of Corporate Development and interact regularly with other senior leadership at Sphera including C-Suite executives and functional leaders. This individual will also interact with deal professionals at Blackstone, our private equity investor. This individual must be a highly motivated self-starter who possess very strong analytical, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills. M&A responsibilities will include participating in all phases of the acquisition process and at times support various strategic initiatives.

Core responsibilities include:

• Leading the program management office through project management of due diligence, and pre-close integration planning and leading the integration management office activities post-close across key functional workstreams, including, detailed working / planning sessions, process transition documentation, and executive-level reporting.
• Coordinating the development, distribution and management of planning workbooks and other tools used by cross-functional teams between LOI and signing and working with Director of Corporate Development to ensure applicable findings and assumptions are included in the business case.
• Developing the day 1 and day 100 plan including partnering with marketing and human resources and ensuring flawless execution on day 1 communications.
• Building the integration plan of tasks, owners and status for all steps required to integrate people, processes, and technology.
• Developing post-close acquisition reviews that tracks key deliverables including but not limited to product development milestones, achievement of synergies within desired timelines and completion of knowledge transfer activities.
• Providing updates to key decision-makers across cross-functional teams and to executive leadership to ensure leadership is actively engaged in the post-close integration status.

We are looking for people with the following characteristics:

• At least 2 years of relevant experience in M&A integration, Project Management, Transaction Services or related preferred.
• Experience with M&A integration preferred but not required.
• Undergraduate degree, preferably with experience in finance or business.
• Strong cross-functional leadership skills
• Excellent project management and organization skills
• Great communication and interpersonal skills to work well with a diverse set of people (eg. external CEOs, C-suite, Engineering/Product, cross-functional stakeholders)
• Bias for action in times of ambiguity
• Advanced competency within Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook required