Director - People Group M&A Integration

Ryan; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Connectivity reimbursement (Phone/Net)

Gym membership or equipment

LinkedIn Learning

Flexible work environment

Tuition reimbursement after one year

Accelerated career path

Award-winning culture

Job summary

Ryan is a leading company seeking a Director, People Group Mergers & Acquisitions Integration in London to drive global people integration across Europe and Asia Pacific. You will partner with Executive Leadership, Corporate Development, Legal, Finance, IT, and business sponsors to guide complex transactions and ensure successful workforce integration.

The role requires extensive experience in M&A, organizational design, culture integration, and change management, with a focus on delivering

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.
• 10+ years of progressive experience leading global mergers and acquisitions, business transformation, organizational effectiveness, human capital strategy, consulting, or corporate development initiatives.
• 7+ years of leadership experience directing complex cross-functional programs and teams.
• Experience leading M&A functions on an end-to-end basis preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the EAP People M&A Center of Excellence by developing scalable methodologies, tools, playbooks, and capabilities that drive consistent execution and an exceptional employee experience.
• Establish and lead Ryan’s EAP People M&A strategy, governance framework, and operating model across acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and other corporate transactions.
• Partner with Executive Leadership, Corporate Development, Legal, Finance, IT, and business sponsors to evaluate, structure, and execute complex global transactions.
• Influence executive decision‑making through analysis and recommendations related to organizational risks, workforce impacts, talent strategies, compensation, benefits, and culture.
• Provide governance, oversight, and stakeholder management across multiple concurrent transactions to ensure successful execution and realization of strategic objectives.

Skills

M&A strategy

Change leadership

Executive presence

Stakeholder management

HR due diligence

Talent management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Workday

MS Office

Job description

Why Ryan?

• Competitive Compensation and Benefits
• Business Connectivity Reimbursement (Phone/Internet)
• Gym Membership or Equipment Reimbursement
• LinkedIn Learning Subscription
• Flexible Work Environment
• Tuition Reimbursement After One Year of Service
• Accelerated Career Path
• Award-Winning Culture & Community Outreach

The Director, People Group Mergers & Acquisition Integration serves as the enterprise leader responsible for developing and executing Ryan’s Europe and Asia Pacific (EAP) people integration strategy. This includes all People activities related to mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, strategic investments, and organizational transformation initiatives. This role partners closely with Executive Leadership, Corporate Development, Legal, Finance, IT, and People Group leaders to evaluate transaction risks and opportunities, influence deal structures, and drive successful workforce integration and separation outcomes.

The Director leads the People M&A Center of Excellence and provides strategic oversight for all aspects of the employee lifecycle during corporate transactions, including due diligence, organizational design, talent assessment, compensation and benefits strategy, change management, culture integration, workforce transitions, and post-close value realization.

Duties and responsibilities, as they align to Ryan’s Key Results

People:

• Establish and lead Ryan’s EAP People M&A strategy, governance framework, and operating model across acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and other corporate transactions.
• Lead the culture diligence process and advise and partner with STBPs on the target company culture and potential culture integration hot points.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to Executive Leadership, Corporate Development, and business leaders on workforce, organizational, leadership, culture, and change management considerations throughout the transaction lifecycle.
• Lead the EAP People M&A Center of Excellence by developing scalable methodologies, tools, playbooks, and capabilities that drive consistent execution and an exceptional employee experience.
• The M&A Integration leads post-close, partners with STBPs, Business Sponsor and acquired company Integration leads to form and execute on the post-close people integration plans.
• Direct organizational design, talent assessment, retention, leadership integration, and culture strategies that support successful business integration and long‑term growth.
• Develop and mentor People Group team members while fostering M&A readiness and capability across the organization.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Client:

• Partner with Executive Leadership, Corporate Development, Legal, Finance, IT, and business sponsors to evaluate, structure, and execute complex global transactions.
• Lead People Group due diligence, integration, and separation activities while ensuring alignment across functional workstreams and business objectives.
• Influence executive decision‑making through analysis and recommendations related to organizational risks, workforce impacts, talent strategies, compensation, benefits, and culture.
• Provide governance, oversight, and stakeholder management across multiple concurrent transactions to ensure successful execution and realization of strategic objectives.

Value:

• Own the M&A people‑related strategy and execution for all corporate transactions, ensuring alignment with Ryan’s growth objectives and business priorities while partnering with the EAP, Director, STBP.
• Work with People Group functional leads to conduct employee related data analysis (e. g. headcount, salary, benefits, etc.).
• Identify, assess, and mitigate workforce, organizational, and cultural risks while maximizing talent retention, employee engagement, and operational continuity.
• Drive value creation through organizational optimization, synergy realization, workforce planning, and integration effectiveness.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators, reporting, and governance processes to measure transaction success and continuously improve M&A outcomes.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.
• 10+ years of progressive experience leading global mergers and acquisitions, business transformation, organizational effectiveness, human capital strategy, consulting, or corporate development initiatives.
• 7+ years of leadership experience directing complex cross‑functional programs and teams.
• Prior management consulting, corporate development, or transaction advisory experience.
• Experience leading M&A functions on an end‑to‑end basis preferred.
• Demonstrated experience advising executive leadership on strategic workforce and organizational decisions.
• Significant experience leading global HR due diligence, integration, separation, and change‑management activities across multiple concurrent transactions.
• Proven success influencing enterprise‑level decisions and driving organizational change within complex global environments.
• Strong executive presence with exceptional communication, facilitation, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

Computer Skills:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must have advanced knowledge of Microsoft® Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint and Internet navigation/research. In addition, this position requires advanced experience with Workday.

Required Skills:

• Expert knowledge of mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and post‑close integration strategies, with a focus on human capital and organizational effectiveness.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex global transactions and influence business outcomes through strategic workforce planning, organizational design, talent management, and change leadership.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to build credibility and influence senior leaders, business sponsors, and cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Exceptional project and program leadership skills, including governance, risk management, prioritization, and execution across multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Advanced analytical and problem‑solving capabilities, including the ability to assess workforce risks, evaluate organizational impacts, and develop strategic recommendations.
• Expertise in HR due diligence, talent assessment, compensation and benefits integration, culture integration, and workforce transition planning.
• Excellent written, verbal, facilitation, presentation, and negotiation skills, with experience presenting to executive and leadership audiences.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to connect people strategies to financial, operational, and growth objectives.
• Ability to lead through ambiguity and manage complex organizational change in fast‑paced, high‑growth environments.

Preferred Skills:

• Background in management consulting, corporate development, transaction advisory, or business transformation.
• Expertise in change management methodologies, organizational effectiveness, and culture transformation initiatives.
• Strong understanding of transaction valuation drivers, synergy planning, workforce economics, and value realization principles.
• Experience developing executive dashboards, integration metrics, and governance reporting for senior leadership teams.
• Advanced data analytics and workforce reporting capabilities to support strategic decision‑making.

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Equal Opportunity Employer: disability/veteran