Deal Lead, Corporate Development

Kraken; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Kraken is seeking a Deal Lead on its Corporate Development team to drive M&A transactions that advance strategic vision. You will work with cross-functional stakeholders, negotiate terms, oversee due diligence, and coordinate closing processes while applying deep financial modeling and crypto market insights.

The role requires 8+ years of experience in corporate development or investment banking at a hyper-growth FinTech, with a strong track record in deals and stakeholder management.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in Corporate Development at a hyper-growth FinTech company or investment bank.
• Deep familiarity with M&A processes and venture activity.
• Strong financial modeling and valuation skills, including DCF and comps.

Responsibilities

• Contribute shaping Kraken’s M&A and venture strategy; identify high-value opportunities.
• Drive M&A and venture investments and develop compelling recommendations.
• Spearhead end-to-end deal process from diligence to closing.
• Articulate value drivers for potential deals; build consensus across leadership.
• Oversee pro forma models and valuation analyses; coordinate due diligence with stakeholders.
• Build and maintain a network in crypto and financial services to track trends.

Skills

M&A experience

Financial modeling

DCF analysis

Valuation

Deal leadership

Crypto knowledge

Cross-functional coordination

Regulatory understanding

Analytical skills

Communication & storytelling

Job description

Building the Future of Open Finance

Payward - the parent company behind Kraken, NinjaTrader, Breakout, xStocks, Payward Services and CF Benchmarks - has spent the last 15 years building one of the most modern and globally accessible financial infrastructure platforms in the industry, built to advance an open, global financial system.

Before you apply, we encourage you to explore our culture page to understand what drives us and how we work.

The team

Founded in 2011, Kraken is one of the world's longest-standing crypto platforms, trusted by over 10 million individuals and institutions across the globe. It offers spot trading, margin, futures, staking, and OTC services, with products built for both individual investors and institutional clients.

As a Deal Lead on our Corporate Development team, you’ll be responsible for executing M&A transactions that drive our strategic vision forward. Working closely with a cross-functional team of stakeholders, you’ll lead discussions with target leadership, negotiate key terms, coordinate due diligence, identify sources of risk, and drive deals to a timely closing. You bring a deep interest across financial services, especially in the crypto industry, a deep familiarity with M&A processes, strong financial modeling and valuation skills, and the ability to work fluidly across multiple high-priority initiatives.

The opportunity

• Contribute shaping Kraken’s M&A, venture strategy and identifying high-value opportunities
• Drive M&A, venture investments and develop recommendations that push initiatives forward
• Spearhead the end-to-end deal process, from initial diligence to closing
• Articulate key value drivers and considerations for potential M&A and venture opportunities in concise deal memos; build consensus across Leadership and the wider organization
• Oversee the development of pro forma financial models and valuation analyses
• Coordinate the due diligence process in concert with cross-functional stakeholders
• Build and maintain an extensive network in the crypto and financial services industry to stay on top of key trends and developments
• Contribute to enhancing the Corporate Development function by identifying opportunities to improve processes and mentoring team members
• Additional duties and responsibilities as assigned

What you bring

• 8+ years of experience in Corporate Development at a hyper-growth FinTech company or investment bank
• Experience building pro forma financial models and valuation analyses (DCF, comparable multiples, accretion / dilution, etc.)
• Deep familiarity with the M&A process (and venture), including legal matters and integration planning
• Strong ability to drive consensus and coordinate process with a diverse group of cross-functional stakeholders in Legal, Finance, Product, Engineering, and beyond
• An understanding of the global regulatory environment around crypto and financial services
• Strong knowledge of and/or demonstrated curiosity for the cryptocurrency industry
• Excellent analytical, problem solving, writing, and storytelling skills
• Rigorous attention to detail and a reputation for “sweating the small stuff”
• Technical background or strong knowledge of software/internet products and services
• Strong network in crypto and / or traditional financial services markets

Unless a specific application deadline is stated in the job posting, applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Please note, applicants are permitted to redact or remove information on their resume that identifies age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.

We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment on our team, assessing candidates in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

Our commitment

Payward is powered by people from around the world and we celebrate the diverse talents, backgrounds, contributions, and unique perspectives that everyone brings to the table. We hire based on merit, seeking out people with the right abilities, knowledge, and skills for the job. We encourage you to apply for roles where you don’t fully meet the listed requirements, especially if you're passionate or knowledgeable about crypto.

We may ask candidates to complete job-related skills or work-style assessments as part of our hiring process. These assessments evaluate competencies relevant to the role and are applied consistently across candidates for similar positions. Results are considered alongside experience and interviews, and are not the sole basis for any employment decision.

As an equal opportunity employer, we don't tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind, whether based on race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, citizenship, religion, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

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