Senior Associate, M&A Business Development

Vela Software; Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A software investment firm is seeking a top-performing business development professional to join its M&A deal origination team in Greater London. The ideal candidate will have over three years of experience in M&A sourcing or SaaS business development and demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Responsibilities include identifying potential M&A targets, building relationships with key stakeholders, and managing the deal sourcing pipeline. A strong financial acumen and the ability to work autonomously in a high-performance environment are essential.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of relevant experience in M&A or business development.
• Ability to speak other languages is a plus.
• Exceptional business sense with a strong drive to work autonomously.

Responsibilities

• Identify and qualify potential M&A targets aligning with strategic criteria.
• Establish relationships with CEOs and other stakeholders.
• Maintain information in CRM and track activities.

Skills

M&A sourcing

SaaS business development

Enterprise sales

Excellent communication skills

Cold outreach

Problem-solving

Job description

As an operating group of Constellation Software (TSX: CSU.TO), Vela acquires, manages, and builds vertical market software companies with a buy and hold forever mandate. Our long-term vision fosters an environment of continuous strategic investment in our businesses - their products, brands, and people - enabling them to be clear leaders in their industries.

Role Description

With over one hundred transactions in 2025, we’re looking for a top-performing business development professional to join Vela’s M&A deal origination team.

This individual will be responsible for sourcing, qualifying, nurturing, and managing a pipeline of acquisition opportunities.

The ideal candidate will balance salesmanship and drive for business development with the financial acumen to co-ordinate and facilitate critical aspects of the M&A transaction lifecycle in a C-level facing role.

They should be internally motivated, creative, entrepreneurial, and with a record of surpassing targets in a deal sourcing environment.

Responsibilities

• Identify, engage, and qualify potential M&A company targets and opportunities aligning with the group’s strategic and financial criteria.
• Establish, build, and maintain successful relationships with CEOs, business owners, senior executives, brokers, PE & VC funds, and other stakeholders through meaningful dialogue as well as nurture attractive M&A opportunities to help progress targets through the deal sourcing pipeline.
• Add new prospects to our proprietary database of industry contacts.
• Track activities and maintain relevant information in CRM.
• Review company materials on an opportunity basis.
• Conduct assessments of target industry and competitive landscape, identifying key industry trends, emerging players, and associated opportunities for growth.

Work Experience/Profile

• 3+ years of relevant experience in M&A sourcing, SaaS business development, enterprise sales, investor relations, or entrepreneurship/start-up.
• Ability to speak other languages (highly considered).
• Exceptional business sense, a strong inherent drive to work autonomously and think independently in a high-performance entrepreneurial environment.
• Proficiency in deal sourcing and cold outreach (cold-calling, e-mail, and other relevant outreach channels).
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills with exemplary relationship and rapport building skills.
• Self-starter with an ability to takes ownership and initiative to drive projects to completion and a high degree of intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Solid understanding of company financial information and analysis of historical performance.
• Advanced time management, attention to detail, organizational, strategic thinking, and analytical skills.
• Adaptable and flexible, able to respond to changing work priorities, pressure, and demands.
• Experience in asset heavy industrial sector is considered an asset.