Corporate Development Manager

Ipsum; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Pension plan

Career development

Mental health support

Cycle to Work

Discount club

Life assurance

Long service recognition

Enhanced Maternity Pay

Volunteer opportunities

Job summary

Ipsum is seeking a commercially focused Corporate Development Manager to help drive growth across the UK and Ireland, with a view to international expansion. You will work closely with the Corporate Development Director, CFO and senior leadership to identify and originate acquisition opportunities that support our Buy & Build growth strategy.

This high-impact role offers exposure to senior group stakeholders and investors, with involvement in strategic growth initiatives and exit readiness

Qualifications

• Proven experience originating acquisition opportunities with Founders/ Vendors/Advisers.
• Strong financial and commercial analysis skills within corporate development, IB, PE or similar.
• Confident engaging with senior stakeholders; credible and influential.

Responsibilities

• Identify and originate acquisition opportunities aligned with growth objectives.
• Build relationships with founders, shareholders, advisers and industry contacts to generate deal flow.
• Develop and execute Buy & Build strategies across markets and sectors.
• Prepare investment cases and conduct initial commercial assessments.
• Collaborate with senior leadership during the M&A lifecycle.
• Support due diligence, transaction execution and integration planning as needed.
• Contribute to exit readiness and value maximisation strategies.

Skills

Deal sourcing

Financial analysis

Stakeholder management

Relationship building

Tools

M&A process tools

Job description

Corporate Development Manager

Location: North West

Employment type: Full Time

Working Hours: Monday to Friday

What’s in it for you…

We believe in looking after our people, and it shows. When you join Ipsum, you’re not just taking a job — you’re starting a career with real support behind it.

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Option to buy up to 5 additional holidays
• Group Personal Pension Plan
• Career development & progression with the opportunity to earn professional qualifications
• 24/7 access to a virtual GPand Mental health support & counselling services
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Discount club - supermarkets, phone bills, gyms & more!
• Life assurance cover
• Long service recognition
• Enhanced Maternity Pay
• Paid volunteering opportunities in your community

About the role…

We’re looking for a driven and commercially focused Corporate Development Manager to help deliver Ipsum’s ambitious growth strategy. Working closely with the Corporate Development Director, CFO and senior leadership team, you’ll identify and originate acquisition opportunities across the UK and Ireland (and, in the future, possibly international markets) playing a key role in developing our Buy & Build growth strategy.

This is a high-impact role with significant exposure to senior Group stakeholders and our financial investors, IK Partners. As Ipsum prepares for a potential exit, you'll help maximise business value, support strategic growth initiatives and contribute to ensuring the business is positioned for long-term success.

As a Corporate Development Manager you will…

• Identify, assess and originate acquisition opportunities that align with Ipsum’s strategic growth objectives.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with founders, shareholders, advisers and industry contacts to generate high-quality deal flow.
• Support the development and execution of the company’s Buy & Build strategy across target markets and sectors.
• Conduct initial commercial assessments and prepare investment cases for potential acquisition opportunities.
• Work closely with the Corporate Development Director, CFO and senior stakeholders throughout the M&A lifecycle.
• Support due diligence, transaction execution and integration planning activities where required.
• Help drive strategic initiatives that enhance business performance and maximise shareholder value.
• Assist with exit readiness activities, ensuring the business is well positioned from an operational, financial and strategic perspective.
• Collaborate with investors, advisers and internal stakeholders to support the successful delivery of corporate development and value creation objectives.

About you…

You’re a commercially minded corporate development professional with a strong track record of originating acquisition opportunities and building relationships with founders, vendors and advisers. Working closely with senior stakeholders and the Executive Leadership Team, you’ll help identify and evaluate strategic opportunities while supporting wider value creation and exit activities. You will bring strong financial and commercial acumen, ideally as a qualified accountant or from an investment banking, private equity or corporate development background.

• Proven experience originating and developing acquisition opportunities through relationships with founders, vendors and advisers.
• Strong financial and commercial analysis skills, ideally gained within corporate development, investment banking, private equity or as a qualified accountant.
• Confident engaging with business owners and senior stakeholders, with the ability to build credibility and identify high-quality opportunities.
• Experience supporting acquisitions, strategic growth initiatives and transaction processes.
• Exposure to business disposals, exit processes or sponsor-backed transactions would be highly advantageous.

Our commitment to Equal Opportunities...

We’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and experiences, and we’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce.
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