AVP, Corporate Development

Co-operators; Guelph, Toronto, Burlington, Mississauga; Hybrid; CAD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Training & development

Flexible work options

Total rewards package

Volunteer days

Job summary

The Co-operators in Ontario is seeking an AVP, Corporate Development to lead transactions, oversee the CVC portfolio, and build value through mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. This national role reports to the VP Corporate Development & Capital Management and requires deep financial modelling and strategic insight.

You will lead a high‑performing team, partner with the CFO and Board, and influence pivotal investment decisions while supporting risk management and portfolio performance

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, or related discipline; CFA or CPA designation preferred.
• 10+ years in corporate development, investment banking, or advisory roles.
• Experience in private equity, venture capital, post-merger integration, and asset valuation/divestitures.
• Merger & acquisition, joint venture, and divestiture transaction experience; financial services exposure preferred.
• Advanced Excel modelling with macros, pivot tables, and sensitivity analysis.

Responsibilities

• Lead M&A initiatives and negotiate with counterparts and counsel.
• Perform target research and assess strategic fit for The Co-operators.
• Develop detailed financial models and risk analysis.
• Present updates to the Board of Directors as needed.
• Support fund operations and portfolio company metrics monitoring.
• Drive high-performing team and coach members.

Skills

M&A strategy

Financial modelling

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Commerce or related discipline

CFA or CPA designation

Tools

Excel modelling

Job description

Company: CGL
Department: Corporate Development
Employment Type: Regular Full-Time
Work Model: Hybrid (2 days in office)
Language: English is required, French is an asset.
Additional Information: This/these role(s) is/are currently vacant

The Opportunity:

We are a leading Canadian financial services co-operative committed to being a catalyst for a sustainable and resilient society and our team is essential to deliver on this strategy. That’s why we prioritize our people, to ensure we provide a strong culture and development opportunities which enables our team to thrive and to live our purpose. The best part is that you will work with people that care passionately about you, our clients and our communities.

Our national Finance team aspires to create, enhance, and protect value for our organization and its stakeholders. Our knowledgeable team educates and influences the organization to make well-informed, risk-based decisions. We think innovatively and strategically to solve business problems and strive to move our business forward with practical, integrated processes and tools that ensure organizational success.

The AVP, Corporate Development is a national role across the CGL group of companies and will report to the Vice President, Corporate Development & Capital Management in the following primary areas: i) execution and management of transactions and implementing the mergers, acquisitions and divestiture strategy; ii) ongoing management, monitoring, and value preservation of the investments within the Corporate Venture Fund (“CVC”) iii) independently preparing detailed and highly complex financial modelling; iv) preparing clear and concise business plans and/or presentations for approval to the VP Corporate Development & Capital Management, the CFO, and/or the Board of Directors; v) conducting primary capital markets and corporate finance research to support the CGL Group strategy; vi) tracking and reporting on the financial and strategic performance of the existing CVC fund.

How you will create impact:

• Lead M&A activities as required: Negotiate with counterparty and their lawyers and representatives; work with our business representatives to achieve their goals and objectives; all while safeguarding the interests of the corporation
• Perform primary research to identify and analyze potential acquisition targets and initially assess strategic fit with The Co-operators
• Conducts detailed and complex financial modeling and risk analysis that requires thorough and in-depth understanding of private company financial statements, discounted cash flow modeling and various valuation methodologies
• Leads quarterly and annual updates to the CGL Board of Directors as needed by the VP, Corporate Development & Capital Management
• Play a critical role in supporting fund operations – including ensuring we deeply understand portfolio company metrics and how they trend over time
• Maintain market intelligence strictly within the sectors of our existing portfolio companies to accurately benchmark performance, valuation and exit opportunities.
• Build and lead a high performing team to achieve M&A initiatives : recognize high performance and contribution, foster a development culture; coach team members to meet and exceed expectations; encourage, inspire and empower others.

To join our team:

• You hold a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Commerce or a related discipline in addition to a CFA or CPA designation
• You have ten (10) + years of experience in corporate development, investment banking, or specialized transaction advisory
• You have corporate development, private equity, or venture capital experience with strong emphasis on post-merger integration, portfolio management, and asset valuation/divestitures
• You possess merger and acquisition, joint venture, divestiture strategy and transaction experience, with financial services exposure preferred.
• You have exceptional Excel modelling skills including macros, pivot tables, sensitivity tables.

How you will succeed:

• You initiate new strategies to capitalize on opportunities and lead the implementation of organizational change.
• You integrate complex information to identify solutions or solve problems and apply a strategic mindset to adjust business plans.
• You foster innovation and continuous improvement with a focus on client experience.
• You create a high-performance culture through alignment of your team’s work with organizational goals and successfully convey messages with a sense of positive advocacy.
• You develop others to ensure the evolving needs of the organization will be met and build effective relationships to achieve key business objectives.

What you need to know:

• You will be subject to a Background check as a condition of employment, in the event you are the successful candidate.

What’s in it for you?

• Training and development opportunities to grow your career.
• Flexible work options and paid time off to support your personal and family needs.
• A holistic approach to your well-being, with physical and mental health programs and a supportive workplace culture.
• Paid volunteer days to give back to your community.
• In addition to our competitive salary and incentive programs, eligible employees also benefit from a comprehensive total rewards package including group retirement savings plans, pension and benefits (e.g., health and wellness, dental, disability and life coverage), mental health support and an employee assistance program.

Salary to be discussed with successful applicants. The salary amount for the successful candidate is determined by Co-operators in its discretion and will vary depending on several criteria including but not limited to: local market conditions, geography and relevant job-related factors such as knowledge, skills, qualification, experience and education.