Head of Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships

Life Services Group; Maidenhead; On-site; GBP 126,000 - 154,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Car allowance £6,000 (role dependent)

Up to 10% annual bonus

Private medical cover

4% matched pension

Life assurance 4x salary

MyStaffShop

24/7 Employee Assistance Programme

Leadership development

Eyecare support

Flu jab reimbursement

Free on-site parking

Job summary

Life Services Group in Maidenhead is seeking a Head of Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships to lead inorganic growth across the group. The role is hybrid and full-time, with a salary up to £140,000 per year plus extensive benefits.

You will build the corporate development function, report to executive leadership and drive market intelligence, investment analysis and strategic decision-making for the Cemetery & Crematoria estate, Funeral Division and related services.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in identifying and executing acquisitions from origination through to completion.
• Strong financial modelling skills and valuation knowledge.
• Experience with SPAs, APAs, earn-outs and working capital mechanisms.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain acquisition pipelines across multiple estates and services.
• Assess and prioritise acquisition targets including funeral directors and cremataria.
• Evaluate opportunities for new site openings and geographic expansion.
• Lead commercial evaluation, valuation and business case development for acquisitions and partnerships.
• Build and maintain financial models covering valuation, returns and synergies.
• Support and lead transaction execution, due diligence and deal closure with advisers.
• Develop strategic partnerships and commercial agreements with corporates, authorities and healthcare providers.
• Monitor market and sector trends to identify opportunities and risks.
• Present investment cases and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.

Skills

M&A

Corporate Development

Strategy

Investment Banking

Private Equity

Financial Modelling

Valuation

Job description

Head of Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships

Head of Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships

Location: Maidenhead, Hybrid Flexible Working
Contract: Full Time, Permanent
Salary: Up to £140,000 per annum + extensive benefits

Help Shape the Next Chapter of Dignity’s Growth

At Life Services, our mission is to help every family in Britain navigate the hardest moments of life with simplicity, dignity, kindness and exceptional care. Our vision is to become the UK's leading end-of-life company, helping one in three people across the UK to plan for and deal with death.

As we continue to evolve and grow, we’re looking for a Head of Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships to lead the identification and delivery of the opportunities that will shape our future, a highly visible role driving inorganic and strategic growth across the Group.

The Opportunity

This is a newly created role, giving you the chance to build and evolve our corporate development capability from the ground up. You'll report into executive leadership and work closely with them, external advisers and potential partners to provide the commercial insight, market intelligence and strategic analysis that underpins our investment decisions.

It's a role for someone commercially sharp and entrepreneurial, someone who enjoys building relationships, spotting opportunity, and turning insight into practical growth outcomes across our Cemetery & Crematoria estate, Funeral Division, and complementary services such as Simplicity, Legal Services, probate, will-writing and legacy planning.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Build and maintain acquisition pipelines across the Cemetery & Crematoria estate, the Funeral Division, and adjacent business areas including Simplicity and Legal Services.
• Assess and prioritise acquisition targets, from independent and small-group Funeral Directors to crematoria, cemeteries and complementary service providers.
• Evaluate opportunities for new site openings and expansion into attractive geographic markets.
• Lead commercial evaluation, valuation and business case development for acquisitions, partnerships and strategic investments.
• Build and maintain financial models covering valuation, returns, synergies and scenario analysis.
• Support and lead transaction execution, due diligence, negotiation and completion, working with internal and external advisers on deal structures, SPA/APA terms, working capital mechanisms and earn-outs.
• Develop strategic partnerships and commercial agreements with corporates, local authorities, councils, healthcare providers and charities.
• Monitor market, competitor and sector trends to identify emerging opportunities and risks.
• Present investment cases and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.

What We’re Looking For

A commercially minded corporate development professional with a background in M&A, Corporate Development, Strategy, Investment Banking, Private Equity or a comparable growth environment. You'll have a track record of identifying, evaluating and executing acquisitions from origination through to completion, with strong financial modelling skills and a solid grasp of valuation methodologies, investment appraisal and transaction structures (SPAs, APAs, earn-outs, completion accounts, working capital mechanisms).

You’ll Excel in This Role If You

• Thrive in an entrepreneurial environment, shaping strategy and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Combine sharp commercial and financial judgement with strong relationship-building and negotiation skills.
• Are naturally curious about markets and competitor activity, and quick to turn insight into action.
• Want the opportunity to build and own a corporate development capability over time.
• Can present complex commercial and strategic ideas clearly and persuasively to senior leaders.

Receive a benefits package that reflects your leadership and impact

At senior level, we recognise the scale of your leadership and the impact you have across the business. That’s why we offer a comprehensive and competitive package designed to support you and your family, while enabling you to perform at your best and continue to grow.

• Time to recharge – 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, giving you the space to maintain balance and sustain performance.
• Supporting you on the move – £6,000 car allowance (role dependent) to support travel where required.
• Rewarding your impact – Opportunity to earn up to 10% annual bonus, aligned to business performance and your contribution.
• Healthcare for you and your family – Private medical cover for your family, offering reassurance and quick access to treatment when it matters most.
• Planning for your future – 4% matched pension contribution to help build long-term financial security.
• Enhanced peace of mind – Life assurance cover at 4x your salary to provide additional protection for your loved ones.
• Everyday savings and perks – Access to MyStaffShop, our employee rewards platform, with savings across high street and online retailers.
• Support when you need it – 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, occupational health services and confidential counselling.
• Supporting your growth as a leader – Ongoing leadership development and long-term career progression opportunities within a national organisation.
• Additional wellbeing benefits – Including eyecare support, flu jab reimbursement and lifestyle discounts.
• Making work easier – Free on-site parking available at most of our locations.

Why Life Services Group

Life Services Group exists to help every family in Britain navigate the hardest moments of life. We bring together trusted names across funeral services, crematoria and cemeteries, legal services, direct cremation and wills, including Dignity Funeral Directors, CMG, Simplicity Cremations, Dignity Legal Services and Farewill, so families can get more of the support they need in one place.

Our ambition is to support one in three families across the UK as they plan for, navigate and deal with death. We want to set a new standard for care, service and simplicity across the sector.

Death is part of life, and being there for families when it matters is what we do. That means making difficult moments feel more supported, more straightforward and more human.

We are building a modern group that supports families at every stage, from planning ahead with wills and funeral plans, to arranging a funeral, cremation or burial, and managing probate afterwards. This is a defining moment for our business. With stronger foundations, clearer strategy and real momentum, we can change end-of-life care for the better. We are modernising how we work, investing in our colleagues and technology, and helping more families than any one brand could alone.

Wherever you work in Life Services Group, in one of our local teams, specialist brands or group functions, you’ll be part of work with meaningful purpose. You will help families through some of life’s hardest and most important moments.

Across all our brands, we want colleagues to grow with us through better training, stronger support, modern tools and clearer opportunities to build skills and confidence. You’ll be part of teams who care deeply about what they do, look out for each other and take pride in doing work that matters.

You will also help shape the future of end-of-life care. That means making support simpler, more connected and more human for families, while each brand keeps the identity, expertise and community connection people already know and trust.

If you want a career with meaningful purpose, room to grow with us and the chance to shape the future, find your Life’s work.

FCA Statement

Dignity is part of a group that includes FCA-regulated activities, and some roles may be subject to relevant training, screening, conduct, and regulatory requirements. This will be confirmed as part of the recruitment process.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

Our vision is to connect with our clients, colleagues, company, and communities based on our principles whilst celebrating our differences. We aim to empower leaders and colleagues to seek out and understand new voices and perspectives; to be vocal about inequity and exclusion, and to take decisive, informed, and bold action to promote inclusion and belonging.

Any unsolicited submissions from agencies will be accepted as a direct application from the candidate, and no fees will be payable.

We reserve the right, depending on application numbers, to close or extend the closing dates for positions; we would therefore recommend an early application.