Head of Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships

Dignity Plc; Taplow; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site parking

Job summary

Dignity Plc is seeking a commercially minded corporate development professional to lead acquisitions and strategic investments across its Cemetery & Crematoria estate, Funeral Division and adjacent services.

You will evaluate targets, build financial models, lead due diligence and support negotiations, reporting to executive leadership in a fast-paced, national organisation.

Qualifications

• Commercial development background with M&A, corporate development, strategy, investment banking or private equity experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead acquisitions across the Cemetery & Crematoria estate, Funeral Division and adjacent services.
• Assess and prioritise targets, build financial models for valuation, returns and synergies.
• Support and lead due diligence, negotiation and completion with advisers on deal structures.

Job description

• 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.
• 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 Dignity

Dignity exists 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, supporting one in three families across the UK in planning for and dealing with death.

This is what makes Dignity such a compelling place to join, and why the timing matters. We are not simply improving an existing business; we are reshaping and building a modern, end-to-end platform that supports families through every stage of need: wills, funeral plans, funerals, probate, cremations, burials, and memorialisation. We are moving from transactional interactions to trusted, lifelong relationships, using data, technology, service design and brilliant people to create a simpler, more human experience at scale.

We are at a defining moment in our history. A strategic reset, stronger foundations, and new leadership have created real momentum and, with it, a genuine opportunity not just to transform Dignity but to set a new standard for the whole sector. The funeral industry has historically moved slowly. We are changing that. This is a business with the scale to matter, the ambition to lead, and the courage to challenge how things have always been done. The direction is set. The platform is being built. What we need now are the leaders to drive it forward.

For exceptional leaders, that creates a rare opportunity: the chance to build something of genuine significance, to shape the future of an industry that touches every family in Britain, and to do work that is both commercially meaningful and deeply purposeful. Very few roles offer that combination. Fewer still offer it at this scale.

We move with pace and intent. The people here care about getting it right for families, for each other, and for the long term. If you want to lead in an environment where quality of thinking is valued, where decisions get made, and where your contribution has a visible impact, this is that place.

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.

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.

At Dignity, 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.

The Opportunity

This is a newly created role, giving you the chance to build and evolve Dignity's 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.

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.