Job Title: Corporate Development Manager

Corporate Develpment Manager 

Location: Fort Worth, Texas 

Job Purpose

Working individually or with other Corporate Development team members to support formulation and execution of corporate and business unit strategy.  Primary focus on:

• Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) – origination, pipeline development, evaluation, structuring, execution, integration and synergy realisation;

As required working on other ad-hoc strategy and special projects:

• Undertaking business performance reviews, benchmarking and competitor analysis;
• Strategy management – reviews / refreshes;  initiative development, prioritisation and resource allocation;  execution planning;  execution;  and progress reviews; and
• Carrying out portfolio reviews and ad hoc strategic projects. 

Responsibilities include:

• Supporting, advising and working with our businesses at all levels;
• Leading / supporting (as required) on due diligence activities on transactions;
• Leading / supporting (as required) commercial and legal negotiations;
• Leading / supporting (as required) work with external advisers; and
• Ad hoc project work relating to group strategy and value creation. 

Organisation Chart

The role is a member of the small Group Corporate Development team reporting to the SVP Corporate Development, an F1 (Operational Board) role. 

The Corporate Development team varies in number and is a blend of grades and experiences from different technical or commercial backgrounds.  The team operates a flat structure with members either leading or supporting others for different activities.  All members are expected to remain flexible moving from activity to activity and moving from lead to support roles as priorities require.

Key Accountabilities

M&A activity

Build and maintain an M&A pipeline:

1. 1. Support with the development of a prioritised list of potential M&A targets, working with the businesses, the Corporate Development team, external advisers and intermediaries, and enlisting the F1’s help with its wider network;
   2. Preparation of profiles and preliminary business cases (including high level rationale, strategic fit and a sighting shot on valuation), on highest priority targets / ones most likely to be available; and
   3. Help establish preliminary contacts with potential targets and build a network to create a strong M&A pipeline 

Execute transactions:

1. 4. Forming and leading a cross-functional internal and external project team;
   5. Leading / supporting due diligence activities;
   6. Leading / supporting commercial and legal negotiations,
   7. Leading / supporting the development of robust post acquisition plans; and
   8. Instructing, managing and working with external advisers.

Build a wider Group M&A capability:

1. 9. Help build M&A experience and capabilities across the Group (training on the job, in the classroom, and with the help of external advisers);
   10. Help build a core virtual M&A team by co-opting members of the Group to transaction teams, using their specific business skills and experience;
   11. Where needed support or lead ‘boot-camp’ training sessions for functional and business invitees who are likely to be involved in integration planning and execution;
   12. Assist in updating RS Group M&A process guidelines; provide ad hoc M&A related training to businesses and functions as required; and
   13. Build a network amongst professional advisers and industry contacts. 

Strategy management

Support, assist and where appropriate lead on:

1. 1. Challenging business / functional teams throughout the strategy review process;  provide market, competitor or other strategic support as appropriate;  and attend review meetings;
   2. Capital allocation / initiative prioritisation process across the region, including supporting / challenging with development, scrubbing and prioritisation of the initiatives needed to deliver our plans;
   3. Plans for execution, including development of delivery plans for prioritised initiatives, and with execution including assessing progress against plans and reviewing steps needed to keep execution on track;
   4. Preparation of materials for Board and investor presentations; and
   5. Ad hoc project and review work as required. 

Business Performance

1. 1. Help with or lead where appropriate on business performance reviews and benchmarking, including business financial and shareholder value performance;
   2. Assist with Group and individual business internal valuations; and
   3. Perform other ad hoc strategic projects or analysis as required

Corporate

1. 1. Role model behaviours
   2. Encourage, develop and mentor (where relevant) other team members

Key Relationships

Interacts with:

• SVP Corporate Development;
• Group regional and functional leadership teams;
• Virtual project team members;
• CEO and CFO;
• Corporate Development team;
• F1 team; and
• External consultants and other advisers. 

Person Specification

Essential:

• A strong track record of M&A / corporate transaction experience, including having led a significant number of M&A and joint venture processes from inception, through diligence and detailed negotiation to closing and (ideally) post acquisition integration. 
• Corporate development, corporate finance advisory, transaction services, private equity or strategy consultancy background.
• Well-honed financial modelling, valuation and negotiation skills
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Highly numerate and literate
• Strong inter-personal skills – persuasive, diplomatic and an effective ambassador for the Corporate Development team, and the Group
• Prepared to roll sleeves up and get stuck in and do, as well as to oversee others
• Self-motivated, resilient and enthusiastic
• Creative approach to problem-solving
• Able simultaneously to master the fine detail (in e.g. complex transaction documentation), whilst maintaining a clear ‘bigger-picture’ strategic perspective

• Good computer skills, especially Excel and Word. 

Ideal:

• Experience of strategic planning and / or strategic review projects
• Commercial experience in a complex organisation
• Educated to degree level or above
• ACA / CIMA / CFA and / or MBA and / or other evidence of ability to work with financial information

Opportunities for growth

The role provides an excellent opportunity for the holder to see the inter-dependencies and operations across the Group as a whole.  It provides exposure at all levels in individual business units or functions, and is a chance to build experience and personal visibility across a wide network.

The role also provides a good base for future career development in the Group, both through promotion within the team, and / or from a move into a function or business.