Head of Corporate Development

Corel Corporation; Montreal (administrative region); On-site; CAD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Corel is seeking a senior deal professional to own the M&A pipeline and drive transactions end-to-end. You will source, evaluate, structure, negotiate, and close acquisitions in consumer software across multiple regions, reporting to the CEO and collaborating with Vector Capital.

You will develop theses, prepare board materials, and coordinate cross-functional due diligence while building a durable network of bankers and founders for strategic opportunities.

Qualifications

• 8+ years across investment banking, PE, venture/growth investing, or corporate development.
• Direct deal execution from sourcing through close with ownership of models and diligence.
• Strong financial modeling and valuation skills for LBO, merger models and comps.

Responsibilities

• Build and own Corel’s M&A pipeline across US, Canada, and Europe.
• Lead transaction execution end-to-end: valuation, modeling, IOI/LOI, structuring, negotiations.
• Develop investment theses and board-ready materials with the CEO and Vector Capital.
• Direct cross-functional due diligence and coordinate with outside advisors.
• Cultivate a network of bankers, founders, and advisors for early opportunities.

Skills

8+ years deal experience

Direct deal execution

Financial modeling

Consumer software knowledge

Executive presence

Multi-workstream management

Job description

The Opportunity

You will own the deal engine at Corel, a leading consumer and prosumer software platform and a Vector Capital portfolio company. Corel is pursuing an ambitious acquisition strategy, and you will be at the center of it including sourcing, evaluating, structuring, and executing acquisitions that shape the company’s portfolio and next phase of growth. Reporting directly to the CEO and eventually the CFO, you will work hand-in-hand with Vector Capital’s investment team.

The Opportunity

You will own the deal engine at Corel, a leading consumer and prosumer software platform and a Vector Capital portfolio company. Corel is pursuing an ambitious acquisition strategy, and you will be at the center of it including sourcing, evaluating, structuring, and executing acquisitions that shape the company’s portfolio and next phase of growth. Reporting directly to the CEO and eventually the CFO, you will work hand-in-hand with Vector Capital’s investment team.

A Day in the Life

• Build and own Corel’s M&A pipeline — sourcing consumer, prosumer, and desktop software targets across US, Canada, and Europe through banker relationships, direct founder outreach, and thematic research.
• Lead transaction execution end-to-end: valuation and financial modeling, IOI/LOI drafting, deal structuring, negotiation, and coordination through signing and close.
• Develop investment theses and board-ready materials — deal memos, valuation analyses, and market maps — in partnership with the CEO, executive team, and Vector Capital.
• Direct cross-functional due diligence across finance, legal, tax, product, and technology, managing outside advisors and keeping fast-moving processes on track.
• Cultivate a durable network of bankers, founders, and advisors so Corel sees the right opportunities early — and partner with integration leaders post-close to ensure each deal delivers on its thesis.

How We Work (Our Values)

Culture matters at Corel. As we build the next chapter of this business, how we work together is as important as what we build.

Accountability comes first. When we commit to something, we own the outcome and learn quickly when things don’t go as planned.

Customer obsessed. We focus on real customer impact, constantly asking: “What’s in it for the customer?”

We debate ideas openly and respectfully. Strong opinions and healthy disagreement are encouraged, but once a decision is made, we align and move forward together.

Move fast. Be resourceful. We value speed and pragmatism — testing ideas quickly, learning from customers, and proving what works before scaling.

What You Bring

To succeed in this role, you have:

• 8+ years of experience across some combination of investment banking, private equity, venture/growth investing, and/or corporate development — ideally with exposure to consumer software and technology.
• Direct deal execution experience — you have driven transactions from sourcing through close, owning the model, the diligence, and the negotiation.
• Strong financial modeling skills — you can build LBO models, Merger Models, and comparable company analyses from scratch and defend the assumptions behind them.
• A genuine interest in consumer software roll-ups — experience with consumer, prosumer, or desktop software businesses is highly relevant.
• Sound commercial and operational judgment — you form a view quickly on what a business is worth, why it wins, and more importantly, how it fits with the rest of Corel.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to communicate and influence at the C-suite, board, and sponsor level.
• Comfort managing multiple concurrent workstreams — pipeline, active diligence, and live negotiations — in a lean, fast-moving team.

It’s a Bonus If You Also Have

• Experience operating in a PE-backed or sponsor-owned environment, executing buy-and-build strategies.
• An established network of technology bankers, founders, and advisors across the US and Canadian markets.

About Corel

Corel is a beloved and trusted industry titan fueled by make‑everything‑easier flexibility. With a 40+ year legacy of innovation, we understand where you’ve been, and we’re uniquely equipped to get you where you want to be. Our comprehensive collection of creative, collaborative, and productivity solutions propel your teams on their journey. From meeting your deadlines to realizing your dreams, Corel empowers all you do.

Our products enable millions of connected knowledge workers around the world to do great work faster. Our success is driven by an unwavering commitment to deliver a broad portfolio of innovative applications – including CorelDRAW®, MindManager®, and WinZip® – to inspire users and help them achieve their goals.

It is our policy and practice to offer equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, age, religion, national origin, sex, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetics, or any other protected characteristic.

Corel is committed to an inclusive, barrier‑free recruitment and selection process and work environment. If you are contacted for a job opportunity, please advise us of any accommodation that is required. Appropriate accommodation will be provided upon request as required by Federal and Provincial regulations and Company Policy. Any information received relating to accommodation will be treated as confidential.

As part of our evaluation process, we utilize an AI tool to assess candidates.