Corporate Development Senior Associate

NOKIA; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Nokia Corporate Development seeks a Senior Associate to lead evaluation and execution of strategic growth initiatives. You will partner with senior leaders to craft investment theses and actionable recommendations for the Executive Committee and Board.

The role emphasizes applying AI, automation, and advanced analytics to accelerate transaction and strategy work while exposing you to high-level decision-makers and cross-functional programs.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in investment banking, private equity, management consulting, transaction advisory, corporate development, or corporate strategy.

Responsibilities

• Develop investment theses and business cases for senior executives and boards.
• Lead market, competitor, and target screening; build market models and identify strategic opportunities.
• Prepare Executive Committee and Board-level materials with clear, concise recommendations.
• Coordinate cross-functional stakeholders across finance, legal, strategy, HR, and external advisors.
• Develop and deploy AI-enabled tools and automated workflows to improve analytical productivity.

Skills

Financial modelling

Valuation

DCF

LBO

Scenario analysis

Investment theses

Executive materials

AI tools

Stakeholder management

Executive presentation

Education

Master's degree in finance or related quantitative discipline

Tools

Python

SQL

Job description

As a Senior Associate, you will play a leading role in evaluating and executing Nokia's strategic growth initiatives. You will partner closely with the senior leadership of the Corporate Development organization, working most directly with the Chief of Staff, Director of Corporate Development, Chief Corporate Development Officer and business leaders across Nokia to develop recommendations presented to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors.

Nokia Corporate Development works AI-first. You will be expected not only to use frontier AI models daily, but also to identify and implement new ways of applying AI, automation, and advanced analytics to accelerate strategic and transaction-related work.

The role offers exceptional exposure to senior decision-makers and enterprise-wide strategic priorities. You will support significant portions of transaction and strategy projects, from initial investment thesis development through diligence, valuation, negotiations support, and integration planning.

• Work on complex financial analyses and valuation workstreams, including DCF, trading comparables, precedent transactions, accretion/dilution, LBO, synergy modelling, and scenario analysis.

• Independently manage strategic analyses and transaction workstreams, developing investment theses, business cases, and recommendations for senior executives.
• Drive market, competitor, and target screening activities; develop market models, identify strategic opportunities, and build the fact base supporting growth decisions.
• Prepare Executive Committee and Board-level materials, translating detailed analyses into clear, concise, and actionable recommendations.
• Coordinate cross-functional stakeholders across business groups, finance, legal, strategy, HR, and external advisors throughout strategic and M&A processes.
• Contribute to portfolio strategy discussions, partnership evaluations, divestitures, and investment reviews.
• Develop and deploy AI-enabled tools, agents, automated workflows, and data pipelines that improve analytical productivity while maintaining transparency and auditability.
• Mentor more junior team members and contribute to the continuous development of best practices across the Corporate Development function.
  

You have:

• Minimum 5 years of experience in investment banking, private equity, management consulting, transaction advisory, corporate development, or corporate strategy, with significant exposure to M&A and strategic analysis.

• Master's degree in finance, Economics, Business, Industrial Engineering & Management, or another highly quantitative discipline.

• Demonstrated experience owning substantial portions of complex transactions or strategic engagements from inception through execution.
• Advanced financial modelling and valuation expertise, with the ability to build, review, and defend sophisticated analytical models and investment assumptions.
• Exceptional communication and executive presentation skills, including experience engaging directly with senior executives and preparing materials for leadership decision forums.
• Proven ability to manage multiple high-priority projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment with limited supervision.
• Demonstrated proficiency in applying AI tools and automation to knowledge work, ideally including creation of workflows, agents, scripts, or analytical tooling.

• Strong stakeholder management skills and the confidence to interact with senior leaders across multiple functions and geographies.

It would be nice if you also had:

• Experience in technology, telecommunications, software, networking, semiconductors, or related high-technology sectors.
• Prior experience at a top-tier investment bank, strategy consulting firm, private equity fund, or leading corporate development organization.
• Experience preparing Executive Committee, Investment Committee, or Board materials.
• Working knowledge of Python, SQL, or other analytical programming languages used for automation and data analysis.
• MBA or equivalent advanced business qualification.
• International transaction experience, including cross-border M&A and partnerships.
  
  

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Our recruitment process

We act inclusively and respect the uniqueness of people. Our employment decisions are made regardless of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. We are committed to a culture of inclusion built upon our core value of respect.

If you're interested in this role but don't meet every listed requirement, we still encourage you to apply. Unique backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences enrich our teams, and you may be just the right candidate for this or another opportunity.

The length of the recruitment process may vary depending on the specific role's requirements. We strive to ensure a smooth and inclusive experience for all candidates. Discover more about the recruitment process at Nokia.