Vice President Corporate Development

Vice President, Corporate Development

Location: London (Hybrid – 3-4 days per week in office)

Permanent

About the Company

Our client is a leading international B2B organisation operating across engineering, industrial, technology and infrastructure markets. Serving customers in dozens of countries, the business plays a critical role in helping organisations design, build, maintain and optimise complex operations through a combination of specialist products, technical expertise, digital capabilities and value-added services.

The company has a strong market position, a proven record of growth, and a clear ambition to continue evolving its portfolio and capabilities. Corporate Development is central to that agenda, helping shape strategic direction, evaluate investment opportunities and deliver long-term value creation through both organic and inorganic growth initiatives.

This is an opportunity to join a highly regarded organisation at a pivotal point in its strategic evolution.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the SVP, the Vice President of Corporate Development will play a critical role in shaping and executing the Group's inorganic growth strategy whilst providing corporate finance expertise and strategic insight to senior leadership.

This is a senior position with significant visibility across the organisation. The successful candidate will work closely with Executive Committee members, senior regional leaders and key functional stakeholders, helping to identify, evaluate and execute strategic opportunities that support the company's long-term ambitions.

The role offers a rare combination of hands-on transaction leadership, strategic influence and exposure to Board-level decision-making.

A High-Impact Role in a Lean Team

This is not a large corporate development function with multiple layers of hierarchy.

You will join a small, experienced and highly collaborative team where individuals are expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy and ownership. Success in the role will require the ability to move comfortably between detailed financial analysis, transaction execution, strategic problem-solving and senior stakeholder engagement.

We are looking for someone who is naturally self-sufficient, intellectually curious and comfortable taking responsibility for complex workstreams from inception through to delivery.

• Key ResponsibilitiesM&​A Execution and Opportunity DevelopmentLead end-to-end M&​A processes including origination, valuation, due diligence, negotiation and transaction execution.
• Develop and maintain a high-quality pipeline of acquisition opportunities aligned to strategic priorities.
• Conduct market, industry and competitor analysis to identify attractive targets and assess strategic fit.
• Develop investment theses and strategic rationales to support growth initiatives.
• Support transaction integration planning and value creation activities.
• Strategic Planning and Corporate FinancePartner with senior stakeholders on portfolio reviews, capital allocation decisions and broader strategic planning initiatives.
• Deliver robust financial modelling, valuation analysis and scenario planning to support investment decisions.
• Support long-term strategic planning activities in collaboration with finance and strategy teams.
• Provide commercial and financial insight on a range of strategic projects and opportunities.
• Market Intelligence and Corporate DefenceMonitor sector developments, competitive activity and M&​A market trends.
• Support ongoing assessment of strategic positioning and valuation considerations.
• Lead analytical workstreams relating to corporate finance and defence preparedness.
• Executive Stakeholder ManagementPrepare high-quality materials and recommendations for Executive Committee and Board-level discussions.
• Present analysis, insights and recommendations to senior leadership where appropriate.
• Manage relationships with investment banks, consultants, legal advisers and other external partners.
• Ensure compliance with governance requirements and approval processes.

Candidate Profile

We are seeking an exceptional individual capable of operating at the intersection of transaction execution, strategic thinking and executive influence.

The successful candidate is likely to possess:

• 8-15 years of experience within Corporate Development, Investment Banking, Private Equity, or Transaction Advisory.
• A strong track record of leading complex M&​A transactions from origination through to completion.
• Deep expertise in financial modelling, valuation, transaction structuring and due diligence.
• Outstanding analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Strong commercial judgement and strategic thinking skills.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to engage credibly with senior executives, Board members and external advisers.
• A collaborative mindset combined with the confidence to challenge constructively and influence outcomes.
• The ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-performance environment.

What Will Differentiate the Successful Candidate

Beyond technical excellence, we are looking for someone with clear executive potential.

This role requires an individual who combines first-class M&​A execution capabilities with the presence, judgement and credibility to operate effectively at the most senior levels of a global organisation.

You will be equally comfortable building complex valuation models, leading negotiations, presenting to senior executives and influencing strategic decision-making.

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Executive presence and maturity.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills.
• Strong judgement in ambiguous and complex situations.
• Resilience and composure under pressure.
• A proactive, ownership-driven approach.
• The ambition and capability to develop into a future executive leader.

Why Apply?

This is a rare opportunity to join a strategically important function within a successful international organisation, working directly with senior leadership on some of the most significant decisions facing the business.

The role offers a unique blend of M&​A execution, corporate finance, strategy and executive exposure, making it ideally suited to a high-calibre professional seeking a position with genuine influence, visibility and long-term leadership potential.