Strategy & Transactions (SaT) - M&A Advisory - Director

Ernst & Young Advisory Services Sdn Bhd; Cork; Hybrid; EUR 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consulting firm is seeking a Director for their M&A Advisory team located in Cork, Ireland. This role involves leading M&A transactions, building client relationships, and mentoring junior team members. Candidates should have extensive experience in Corporate Finance and strong numerical skills. The firm offers a competitive benefits package with opportunities for professional development and hybrid working options.

Benefits

Pension

Discounted health insurance

Free Gym membership

Hybrid Working

Maternity & Paternity leave

Qualifications

• Proven experience in managing M&A transactions end-to-end.
• Strong knowledge of financial statements and commercial acumen.
• Ability to mentor and supervise junior team members.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage M&A transactions from start to finish.
• Develop and maintain client relationships.
• Prepare complex reports and presentations for clients.

Skills

Strong numerical and financial skills

Ability to communicate effectively with key stakeholders

Experience in M&A and Corporate Finance

Creativity in problem-solving

Attention to detail

Education

Relevant analytical or financial qualifications

Tools

Advanced Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Job description

Overview

Location: Cork

Other locations: Anywhere in Country

Date: Sep 4, 2025

Requisition ID: 1633757

Strategy & Transactions (SaT) – M&A Advisory – Director

At EY, we’re all in to shape your future with confidence.

We’ll help you succeed in a globally connected powerhouse of diverse teams and take your career wherever you want it to go.

Join EY and help to build a better working world.

Location: Ireland / Dublin / Cork / Limerick / Galway

Available for Work Visa Sponsorship: No

Business Area: SaT

Contract Type: Full-Time – Permanent

The Team and the opportunity

We provide the following core corporate finance services: Lead Advisory M&A, management buy-outs/ buy-ins, capital raising, investment readiness assessments and strategic advice. We have sector specialisms and a Debt Advisory team which supports all our clients and industries. Our deep understanding of the changing capital agenda has delivered outstanding results and recognition. EY Corporate Finance is the fastest growing team on the island of Ireland. This success stems from a team led by two high profile market leading Partners and the calibre of our people, whose breadth of technical expertise and industry sector knowledge is exceptional. We are currently looking for Managers, Associate Directors and Directors with M&A Advisory experience across our Irish offices.

About SaT(Strategy and Transactions)

By helping organisations of all sizes evaluate and navigate transactions, maximise opportunities and minimise risks, you will help clients manage and execute high-profile transactions. You will bring your analytical skills and real-world experience to diverse situations and unique problems. By appreciating your clients’ overall objectives and understanding how transactions can influence an organisation’s success, you will assess and navigate risks, and balance them against potential rewards.

As a SaT M&A Director you will work with a high-performing, integrated team which focuses on a wide variety of clients and delivers a range of assignments focusing on general corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions and strategic advice. You will have a diverse range of experiences which will give you continuous learning and development opportunities as well as a great sense of achievement.

This growing team focuses on building strong relationships which will ultimately help you and your clients reach their potential. The Corporate Finance team is seeking to recruit Managers, Associate Directors and Directors who will be able to build on their current transaction experience as they work on diverse and demanding engagements. Due to the nature of the services we provide to our clients, the work requires a high level of adaptability, flexibility and innovation.

Your key responsibilities

• Ability to work in a dynamic team environment
• Understand the financial implications of transactions.
• Creative in the sourcing and use of information and able to make sensible assumptions where appropriate.
• Absorb new technical information quickly and develop a deep understanding of the strategic rationale for transactions.
• Work with clients to take proposals to market, identifying target buyers, funders or partners and present opportunities in the most effective way, negotiate and structure transactions with other professionals to a successful completion.
• Review and prepare complex reports and presentations to clients.
• Have strong knowledge of the market and be able to identify business development opportunities

Skills and attributes for success

Role Requirements

• Manage sell side mandates through optimal positioning of the assets or business, identifying target bidders, preparing Information Memoranda and negotiating commercial terms.
• Manage buy side mandates, identifying targets and working with clients to structure and negotiate successful transactions.
• Support clients with a diverse range of strategic mandates relating to M&A.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, investors, and other stakeholders.
• Supervise and mentor junior team members, fostering professional development.
• Ensure the quality of client deliverables by having a strong attention to detail.
• Self-awareness to seek feedback on performance and drive own development.
• Demonstrate strong numerical and financial skills and an understanding of financial statements.
• Prior experience and strong knowledge of the Corporate Finance landscape.

Your duties and responsibilities

• Originate, lead and manage M&A transactions end-to-end (including financial analysis, valuation, due diligence, and negotiations) under the supervision of Directors or Partners within SaT M&A Advisory in Ireland and internationally.
• Working effectively as a team member by sharing responsibility, providing support, maintaining communication and updating senior members on progress.
• Understanding our client’s requirements, co-developing our approach with the client, and providing value to our clients through insights, factual conclusions and advice.
• Gathering, verifying and analysing information to formulate views.
• Day to day progression of assignments to include planning, preparing and reviewing various forms of deliverables to include information memoranda, reports and presentations.
• A focus on anticipating and identifying risks that require escalation and subsequently escalating these risks to more senior staff as appropriate.
• Support and drive deal origination and sector insight initiatives by identifying and analysing business development opportunities.
• Working closely with colleagues you will ensure that work is properly executed, documented and concluded in compliance with our Quality & Risk Management guidelines.
• Actively establishing, maintaining and strengthening your internal and external relationships.
• As an influential member of the team, you will help to create a positive learning culture. You will be responsible for mentoring and developing more junior members of staff and providing constructive feedback on both a formal and informal basis.
• Maintaining and constantly upgrading technical knowledge and personal skills.

Technical skill requirements

• Experience of working on and a deep technical knowledge of the Corporate Finance landscape with particular emphasis on M&A Lead Advisory and a track record of working on transactions end-to-end.
• Ability to communicate effectively with key stakeholders.
• High level of commercial acumen.
• Proficient in detailed financial and commercial analysis and the ability to identify potential areas of sensitivity.
• Ability to identify key issues on assignments and suggest workable solutions.
• Experience in presenting findings clearly in reports and other deliverables to clients.

Additional requirements

• Suitable candidates will have relevant analytical or financial qualifications
• Strong commercial experience and/or relevant industry experience
• Analytical approach coupled with strong commercial acumen
• Excellent communicator, both oral and written
• IT skills, to an advanced level in Excel, Word and PowerPoint
• Effective time management
• Ability to keep calm when under pressure to meet deadlines
• Team player with the ability to build effective relationships at all levels but also able to work effectively on your own using your own initiative and judgement as required

What working at EY offers

• Support and coaching from some of the most engaging colleagues around
• Opportunities to develop new skills and progress your career
• The freedom and flexibility to handle your role in a way that’s right for you

All our employees are given a benefits package which they can tailor to suit their individual preferences. Our range of benefits include:

• Pension
• Discounted health insurance
• Web Doctor - Free unlimited online GP consultations for you and your family
• The purchase of additional annual leave
• Hybrid Working
• Free Gym membership
• Travel Pass
• Maternity & Paternity leave
• Bike to work Scheme
• Recognition Awards
• Cash incentives for referrals
• TECH MBA paid by EY
• Wellness rooms Available in some offices

EY is committed to being an inclusive employer and we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements. We strive to achieve the right balance for our people, enabling us to deliver excellent client service whilst allowing you to build your career without sacrificing your personal priorities.

While our client-facing professionals can be required to travel regularly, and at times be based at client sites, our flexible working arrangements can help you to achieve a lifestyle balance.

• When you join EY, you will be supported to ensure that you are enhancing your skills from day one.
• Continuous learning, where you can develop the mindset and skills to navigate whatever comes next.
• As you grow and develop here, you’ll discover opportunities to help customise your career journey, so that it’s as unique as you are - success is defined by you, we will provide the tools and flexibility, so you can make a meaningful impact, your way.
• Transformative leadership, we will give you the insights, coaching and confidence to be the leader the world needs.
• Diverse and inclusive culture, you will be embraced for who you are and empowered to use your voice to help others find theirs.
• We have embraced Hybrid working at EY adding greater flexibility and autonomy to the roles of our employees.

About EY

As a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services, we’re using the finance products, expertise and systems we’ve developed to build a better working world. That starts with a culture that believes in giving you the training, opportunities and creative freedom to make things better. Whenever you join, however long you stay, the exceptional EY experience lasts a lifetime.

Inclusion & Diversity

We hold a collective commitment to foster an environment where all differences are valued and respected, practices are equitable and everyone experiences a sense of belonging: Inclusion, diversity, and equity are part of who we are at EY. We believe that the highest-performing teams maximize the power of different perspectives and backgrounds. These teams are both diverse and inclusive and are willing to invite and learn from other perspectives. Our ability to include various viewpoints into our mindsets, behaviours and operations is fundamental to driving innovation, building strong relationships, and delivering the best solutions for our clients.

We recognise the strength that comes from having a diverse workforce and building a culture where we support all our people to achieve their potential. You’ll be embraced for who you are and empowered to use your voice to help others find theirs.

As an equal opportunities’ employer, we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. Reasonable accommodations are offered at every stage of our recruitment process.

Are you ready to shape your future with confidence? Apply today.

To help create the best experience during the recruitment process, please describe any disability-related adjustments or accommodations you may need.

If you can confidently demonstrate that you meet the criteria above, please contact us as soon as possible.

IMPORTANT: Where Agency assistance is required, our Talent Team will engage directly with suppliers. CVs / Profiles should not be shared directly with Hiring Managers. Unsolicited CVs / Profiles supplied to EY by Recruitment Agencies will not be accepted for this role.

EY | Building a better working world

EY is building a better working world by creating new value for clients, people, society and the planet, while building trust in capital markets.

Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow.

EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fueled by sector insights, a globally connected, multi-disciplinary network and diverse ecosystem partners, EY teams can provide services in more than 150 countries and territories.