Corporate Development / M&A - Senior Manager

Unity Advisory; London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A strategic advisory firm in London seeks a Corporate Development Senior Manager to lead M&A initiatives across the UK and international markets. You will work closely with senior leadership to drive strategic acquisitions and manage transaction processes. The ideal candidate has over 5 years of M&A experience and strong financial modeling skills. This hybrid role offers a unique opportunity to influence corporate growth and best practices in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years' experience in M&A within advisory, corporate development, or private equity.
• Strong commercial awareness and attention to detail.
• Experience managing complex transactions.

Responsibilities

• Support the build-out of M&A strategy.
• Conduct research to identify acquisition targets.
• Manage transaction workstreams across origination and integration.

Skills

M&A experience

Financial modelling

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Qualified accountant (ACCA, ACA, CIMA, CFA or equivalent)

Job description

Overview

The Role

We are looking for a strategic and hands-on Corporate Development Senior Manager to join our growing team. You will work directly with the Chief Investment Officer, business leadership, and our Private Equity sponsor to drive our M&A agenda-identifying, evaluating, and executing strategic acquisitions across the UK and international markets.

You will lead deal processes from origination through to post-merger integration, balancing a commercial mindset with detailed execution. This is a hybrid role with a base in our Mayfair office and represents a unique opportunity to influence the growth trajectory of a fast-scaling advisory business.

This is a highly visible role with direct exposure to senior stakeholders and an opportunity to embed modern, scalable Corporate Development practices from day one.

Responsibilities

What You\'ll Do

The working environment at Unity Advisory is fast-paced and evolving. You will be involved in some or all the following:

• Support the build-out of Unity Advisory\'s M&A strategy across the UK and select international markets.
• Conduct research and industry mapping to identify potential acquisition targets.
• Build and maintain relationships with intermediaries, advisors, and potential targets.
• Manage transaction workstreams across origination, diligence, negotiation, and integration.
• Work with internal teams and external advisers to evaluate opportunities and lead diligence across financial, operational, legal, and regulatory dimensions.
• Build financial models, valuation analyses, and investment cases to support decision-making.
• Present findings and secure stakeholder alignment, including Board and Private Equity sponsor.
• Collaborate with internal teams to plan and execute post-deal integration and performance tracking.
• Contribute to the evolution of Corporate Development best practices, systems, and playbooks.

Qualifications

What You Bring

• Minimum of 5 years\' + experience in M&A within advisory, corporate development, investment banking, or private equity.
• Strategic mindset with strong commercial awareness and attention to detail.
• Strong financial modelling, valuation, and accounting skills.
• Experience managing complex transactions across multiple workstreams.
• Excellent project management and stakeholder engagement capabilities.
• Entrepreneurial, self-starter attitude with the ability to thrive in a fast-moving environment.
• Qualified accountant or similar (ACCA, ACA, CIMA, CFA or equivalent).

Desirable skills

Nice to Have

• Experience in professional services or project-based environments.
• End-to-end transaction experience including international deals.
• Familiarity working with or within Private Equity-backed organisations.
• Exposure to post-merger integration planning and execution.

Working at Unity Advisory

A truly hybrid and flexible working environment. We offer the opportunity to be at the forefront of AI-driven advisory services. You\'ll be part of a high-impact Corporate Development function, empowered to shape how we scale through acquisition. This is an exciting opportunity to join a fast-growing business and accelerate your Corporate Development career.

Additional Information

At Unity Advisory, we are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. In line with the Equality Act 2010, we will accommodate any suitable candidate requiring assistance to attend or conduct an interview. If you need any adjustments or support, please let us know when either scheduling your interview or in your application cover letter. We are dedicated to ensuring everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed and are here to support you throughout the process.

PLEASE NOTE: We do not accept unsolicited CVs from third-party agencies.