Senior Director, Mergers & Acquisitions

Description

The Senior Director of Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) will help ensure profitable growth of the M&A practice at Cornerstone. This is a leadership position that will help drive business expansion, foster client relationships, and innovate service offerings to align with market demands. This role encompasses strategic planning, relationship cultivation, thought leadership, and team development, requiring a blend of industry expertise, leadership acumen, and a keen eye for business opportunities.

Knowledge and Skills

• Help Drive M&A Practice Profitable Growth: Achieve >10% annual revenue growth for the M&A practice by supporting robust strategies and fostering a culture of innovation and excellence.
• Strategic Engagements: Partner with the M&A Managing Director to lead strategic engagements by facilitating Board and Executive planning sessions and contributing to the development of client strategic plans to ensure impactful outcomes.
• Relationship Building: Develop and nurture active relationships with C-Suite executives at mid-size and regional banks, credit unions, investment banks, trade groups, and private equity leaders.
• Evolve Service Offerings: Help evolve the practice’s offerings to meet evolving market needs and capitalize on emerging opportunities within the financial services landscape.
• Collaboration and Integration: Collaborate with other practice leaders to help develop and deliver integrated offerings that leverage the firm's collective expertise.

Problem Solving/Analysis

• Conducts a thorough analysis of the problem by gathering data, assessing market trends, evaluating financial landscapes, and understanding client needs. Uses data-driven insights and industry expertise to assess the situation from various angles to gain a comprehensive understanding.
• Employs strategic thinking by moving beyond conventional solutions and delving into innovative approaches. Identifies potential roadblocks, risks, and opportunities associated with different solutions, adopting a proactive mindset to navigate complex scenarios effectively.
• Collaborates with diverse teams, including other practice leaders and experts from different disciplines within Cornerstone to encourage diverse perspectives and facilitate the creation of holistic solutions.
• Tailor solutions that align with the client's specific needs and long-term goals. This involves active engagement with clients, understanding their pain points, and creating bespoke strategies that address their unique challenges.
• Meticulously assesses potential risks associated with proposed solutions and develops mitigation strategies to minimize adverse impacts. This proactive risk management approach ensures the viability and success of the proposed solutions.
• Continuously monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of implemented solutions. By collecting feedback, analyzing outcomes, and learning from experiences to refine strategies, ensuring ongoing improvement and adaptability to changing market dynamics.
• Anticipates future trends, identifies emerging opportunities, and adapts the service offerings of the practice to cater to evolving market needs, ensuring Cornerstone remains competitive.

Business Impact and Scope

• Engages executives at mid-size and regional banks, credit unions, investment banking entities, and private equity leaders. Client engagements, strategies proposed, and advice given can significantly impact clients' business operations, growth strategies, and overall success.
• Help direct team development, resource allocation, and collaborative efforts, which have direct implications for internal dynamics, employee morale, and the firm's ability to attract and retain top talent.

Communication and Collaboration

Internal Collaboration:

• Leadership Engagement: Interacts closely with senior leadership, including the executive team and other practice leaders, participating in strategic discussions, sharing insights, and aligning initiatives to ensure cohesive organizational goals.
• Team Management: Works directly with the M&A practice team, providing guidance, setting priorities, fostering a collaborative environment, and overseeing performance management and career development activities.
• Cross-functional collaboration: Engages with teams across different departments within the firm (such as finance, legal, and marketing) to ensure seamless coordination, resource allocation, and integration of services for comprehensive client solutions.
• Thought Leadership Contributions: Collaborates with colleagues to contribute insights, research findings, and innovative ideas, which could be shared through internal forums, presentations, or publications to enrich the firm's intellectual capital.

External Client Relations:

• Executive Engagement: Establishes and maintains relationships with executives at mid-size and regional banks, credit unions, investment banking firms, and private equity leaders. Engages in high-level discussions, pitch services, and provides strategic advice aligned with client needs.
• Client Collaboration: Works closely with clients to understand their challenges, provide tailored solutions, and maintain ongoing communication to ensure alignment with client objectives throughout the engagement.

Information Exchange and Communication:

• Clear Communication: Utilizes effective communication skills to convey complex ideas, strategic plans, and recommendations to internal teams, clients, and external partners clearly and concisely.
• Information Sharing: Facilitates the exchange of relevant information, market insights, and strategic updates within the firm and with clients, ensuring all stakeholders are well-informed and aligned.

Influence Responsibility/Level of Interaction

Internal Interactions:

• Engages with the executive team and other high-level stakeholders to align strategic goals, share insights, and drive the firm's overall direction.
• Fosters a collaborative and supportive environment within the M&A practice, encouraging innovation, professional growth, and high-performance standards.
• Interacts with various teams across solution groups, ensuring clarity in directives, nurturing teamwork, and optimizing resource allocation for integrated solutions.
• Guides teams, offering strategic insights and guidance, influencing decisions toward achieving collective objectives.
• Encourages a culture of original thinking, stimulating new ideas and perspectives within the firm.
• Shares unique insights and research findings to shape the firm's thought leadership and influence strategic decision-making.

External Interactions:

• Establishes trust and credibility with clients, fostering strong relationships by understanding their needs and offering tailored solutions.
• Uses expertise and industry knowledge to influence client behavior, offering guidance that aligns with their best interests.
• Cultivates relationships with key figures in the financial services sector, leveraging these connections to stay informed and potentially influence industry trends.
• Explores collaboration opportunities with external partners, leveraging relationships to expand service offerings and market reach.
• Engages in public speaking engagements, leveraging strong communication skills to shape industry opinions and perceptions.
• Influences behavior by delivering compelling presentations and thought-provoking insights that drive action and promote the firm's strategic vision.

Ability to Influence or Affect Behavior:

• The Senior Director's deep expertise in mergers, acquisitions, and financial services allows them to influence behaviors by providing valuable insights and recommendations that resonate with others.
• Strong rapport-building skills enable the establishment of trust, making it easier to influence behaviors and decisions based on mutual respect and understanding.
• Adept communication, both verbal and written, allows for the effective conveyance of ideas, enabling the Senior Director to influence behavior through clear, persuasive communication.

Qualifications

Technical Skills

• Mergers and Acquisitions Expertise: Comprehensive understanding of M&A processes, including due diligence, valuation methods, deal structuring, and integration strategies. Proficiency in navigating legal, regulatory, and financial aspects of M&A transactions.
• Financial Analysis and Modeling: Advanced financial analysis skills, including financial statement analysis, cash flow modeling, and financial forecasting. Ability to create complex financial models to evaluate potential deals and assess their impact on client businesses.
• Strategic Planning and Execution: Proven experience in strategic planning, encompassing the ability to develop and execute long-term strategic initiatives. Skill in translating strategic objectives into actionable plans and initiatives.
• Market and Industry Knowledge: In-depth understanding of the financial services industry, including trends, market dynamics, competitive landscape, and regulatory changes. Knowledge of banking industry operations, financial products, and services.
• Risk Management and Due Diligence: Strong risk assessment and management skills, including conducting thorough due diligence and risk analysis for M&A deals. Ability to identify potential risks and develop strategies to mitigate them effectively.
• Business Development and Client Management: Expertise in cultivating and managing client relationships, understanding client needs, and tailoring solutions to meet those requirements. Proficiency in identifying business development opportunities and driving revenue growth through strategic client engagements.
• Communication and Presentation Skills: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills to articulate complex concepts clearly and concisely. Ability to deliver compelling presentations and communicate insights effectively to diverse audiences, including C-Suite executives and industry leaders.
• Change Management and Integration: Experience in managing organizational change resulting from M&A activities, including post-merger integration strategies and execution. Proficiency in developing and implementing change management plans to ensure smooth transitions and maximize synergies post-acquisition.
• Strategic Negotiation Skills: Strong negotiation skills to facilitate successful deal-making, including structuring deals, negotiating terms, and resolving conflicts.
• Regulatory and Compliance Knowledge: Understanding of regulatory frameworks governing mergers, acquisitions, and financial services, ensuring compliance throughout the deal process.

Soft Skills

• Visionary thinking: Ability to conceptualize and communicate a compelling vision for the M&A practice and Cornerstone’s growth.
• Critical thinking: Strong analytical abilities to evaluate complex situations, make informed decisions, and identify optimal solutions.
• Judgement and decisiveness: Capability to make decisive, strategic choices, often in ambiguous or high-pressure scenarios.
• Persuasive communication: Excellent communication skills to articulate ideas, negotiate effectively, and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Relationship-building: Proficiency in building and maintaining strong relationships with clients, industry peers, and internal teams.
• Adaptability: Flexibility to navigate changing market conditions, industry trends, and client needs while adapting strategies accordingly.
• Resilience: Capacity to handle setbacks, learn from failures, and maintain composure in challenging situations.
• Collaboration skills: Ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams, fostering a collaborative environment and leveraging diverse talents.
• Empowerment and delegation: Skill in empowering team members, delegating responsibilities, and trusting their expertise for collective success.
• Empathy and rapport-building: Ability to understand and empathize with diverse perspectives, fostering strong rapport with clients and teams.
• Conflict resolution: Proficiency in resolving conflicts amicably, promoting positive relationships, and maintaining a harmonious work environment.
• Innovative thinking: Capacity to think outside conventional norms, generate creative solutions, and drive innovation in service offerings.
• Continuous improvement mindset: Commitment to ongoing learning, embracing new ideas, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Effective time management: Skill in managing multiple priorities, balancing strategic initiatives, and ensuring effective resource allocation.
• Focus and goal orientation: Ability to maintain focus on key objectives, setting and driving goals for the team and the firm.
• Integrity and ethical conduct: Commitment to ethical standards, making decisions with integrity, and upholding the firm's values and principles.
• Delegation skills: Ability to delegate tasks effectively, trusting and empowering team members, while ensuring accountability and quality delivery.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, or related field.
• 10 or more years’ experience in banking industry consulting.
• Demonstrated banking industry experience, particularly in executing large-scale strategy and change management initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of Strategic Planning and Execution concepts.
• Recognized market presence and active relationships within the bank C-Suite.
• Proficiency in public speaking with a track record of excellence.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Business Administration, Finance, or related field preferred.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Cornerstone Advisors provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, our firm complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.