Director, M&A Separations & Execution

VIVA USA Inc; Deerfield (IL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

VIVA USA Inc. seeks a Director of M&A Separations & Execution to plan and lead complex divestitures, carve-outs, asset sales and post‑close separations.

You will coordinate with Strategy & Corporate Development, Finance, Legal, IT, HR, and other functions to shape the Separation Management Office and ensure Day 1 readiness. The role blends strategic advisory with hands-on delivery, requiring senior‑level communication, cross‑functional collaboration and rigorous execution across governance and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, finance, engineering, operations or related field; MBA preferred.
• 5+ years of direct carve-out, divestiture, separation or related transaction execution experience.
• Experience across sell-side M&A and multiple transaction phases.
• Ability to lead cross-functional programs and influence senior stakeholders without formal authority.
• Experience developing, implementing and managing TSAs and interim operating models.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational separation planning for divestitures, carve-outs, asset sales and portfolio transactions.
• Translate strategy into integrated separation plans, workstreams, milestones and decisions.
• Develop Day 1 readiness and oversee post-close separation execution.
• Lead TSA development, governance and exit planning with functional owners.
• Provide executive updates and clear, option-based recommendations.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Executive communication

Structured problem solving

Hands-on execution

Global programs

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA preferred

Job description

Position Summary

The Director, M&A Separations & Execution is responsible for planning and executing complex divestitures, carve‑outs, asset sales and other portfolio transactions from initial planning through Day 1 and post-close separation. The role translates transaction strategy into practical operating plans across business operations and corporate functions.

Working with Strategy & Corporate Development, Finance, Legal, IT, HR, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory, Commercial and other functional leaders, the Director will help shape and run the Separation Management Office (SMO), work closely with business leads to identify critical separation requirements, define interim operating models, establish and manage Transition Service Agreements (TSAs), prepare the organization for Day 1 and drive progress toward the intended end state.

This is a hands‑on individual contributor role with no direct reports, who will be working directly with the VP of Strategy & Corporate Development as part of our Separation Management Office.

. The successful candidate must be equally comfortable advising senior executives, facilitating cross-functional meetings and workshops with a plurality of stakeholders, interacting with third parties managing a transaction’s master plan, anticipating and facilitating the resolution of cross functional dependencies, managing the overall deal governance and deliverables required to move a transaction forward.

Key Responsibilities

M&A Separation Strategy & Planning

• Lead operational separation planning for divestitures, carve‑outs, asset sales and other portfolio transactions from pre-sign through close and post‑close.
• Translate transaction strategy and deal requirements into integrated separation plans, workstreams, milestones, dependencies and decision points.
• Conduct operational carve‑out assessments across business processes, technology, legal entities, people, regulatory requirements, manufacturing, supply chain and commercial operations.
• Identify separation complexity, stranded‑cost considerations, operational risks and resource requirements early enough to inform transaction decisions.
• Establish governance, decision rights, issue escalation processes and execution cadences appropriate to each transaction.

Sell‑Side Transaction Execution

• Serve as an operational lead on sell‑side M&A transactions, partnering with Corporate Development, functional leaders, external advisors and transaction counterparties.
• Support operational diligence and buyer requests, including identification and resolution of separation dependencies.
• Translate deal terms and transaction assumptions into actionable operating requirements.
• Partner with Legal and Corporate Development on operational inputs to transaction documents, schedules and separation agreements.
• Lead sign‑to‑close readiness and coordinate execution priorities across functional workstreams.

Day 1 & Separation Execution

• Develop and manage the overall SMO plan and deal timeline, oversee the development of functional separation plans by business teams covering signing, closing, Day 1 and the post‑close transition.
• Establish Day 1 readiness criteria, lead cross‑functional assessments and resolve material gaps.
• Oversee development of functional cutover plans and coordinate activities required to maintain operational continuity at close.
• Monitor post‑close execution and drive progress toward the defined end state.
• Create dashboards and executive reporting that clearly communicate progress, risks, dependencies and decisions.

Transition Service Agreements

• Lead the operational development and implementation of TSAs required to enable a successful separation.
• Partner with functional owners and Legal to define TSA scope, service requirements, duration, service levels, costs, dependencies and exit requirements.
• Establish TSA governance and performance monitoring following close.
• Build TSA exit plans from the outset, identify barriers to exit and drive mitigation actions with accountable functional owners.
• Monitor TSA performance, costs and exit milestones and escalated issues requiring senior‑level decisions.

Interim & End‑State Operating Models

• Design interim operating models that maintain business continuity following an asset sale, carve‑out or other separation.
• Define how critical processes, services, systems, resources and decision rights will operate between Day 1 and the targeted end state.
• Determine with functional leaders which capabilities transfer, remain with the client, operate temporarily through TSAs or require alternative solutions.
• Develop transition roadmaps from the interim environment to a sustainable standalone or buyer‑owned model.
• Pressure‑test operating‑model assumptions against timing, organizational capacity, cost and execution risk.

Cross‑Functional Leadership, Risk & Communication

• Lead complex separation work across functions without relying on formal reporting authority.
• Connect decisions and dependencies across workstreams and facilitate timely resolution of cross‑functional issues.
• Maintain an integrated view of operational risks, decisions and milestones and develop mitigation plans.
• Provide concise, decision‑oriented updates to senior executives and transaction leadership.
• Translate complex operational issues into clear options, trade‑offs and recommendations while remaining close to detailed execution.

Qualifications & Experience

Required

• Bachelor's degree in business, finance, engineering, operations or a related field; an MBA or other advanced degree is preferred.
• Significant professional experience across M&A, Separation Management Office, transaction execution, business operations, transformation or related disciplines.
• Approximately five or more years of direct carve‑out, divestiture, separation or related transaction execution experience, with meaningful responsibility for operational delivery.
• Demonstrated sell‑side M&A experience, preferably involving complex businesses, carve‑outs or asset sales.
• Experience across multiple phases of the transaction lifecycle, including pre‑sign planning, sign‑to‑close execution, Day 1 readiness and post‑close separation.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing detailed separation plans involving multiple business functions.
• Direct experience developing, implementing and/or managing TSAs, including governance and exit planning.
• Experience designing or implementing interim operating models associated with asset sales, carve‑outs or other business separations.
• Strong operational background and the ability to understand impacts on processes, systems, people, supply chains and business continuity.
• Experience operating effectively across global, matrixed organizations, jurisdictions and time zones.
• Ability to lead complex cross‑functional programs and influence senior stakeholders without formal authority.
• Strong financial, commercial, analytical and problem‑solving capabilities, with the ability to structure ambiguous situations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including executive‑level communication.
• Demonstrated ability to work as a hands‑on individual contributor and personally develop analyses, plans, executive materials, issue logs and operating‑model documentation.

Preferred

• Experience in medical devices, MedTech, healthcare or another highly regulated global industry.
• Experience in a Big Four deal practice, strategy consulting firm, corporate development organization, private equity portfolio environment or comparable transaction‑intensive setting.
• Experience with transactions involving manufacturing, supply chain, regulated products or complex international operations.
• Experience working directly with buyers, sellers, investment bankers, transaction counsel and third‑party advisors.

Core Capabilities

• Separation Management office
• Carve‑out and separation execution
• Sell‑side M&A
• Operational due diligence
• Day 1 readiness and cutover
• TSA development, governance and exit
• Interim operating‑model design
• Cross‑functional program leadership
• Operational risk management
• Executive communication and influence
• Global business operations
• Structured problem solving
• Hands‑on execution

VIVA is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants have an equal opportunity for placement, and all employees have an equal opportunity to develop on the job. This means that VIVA will not discriminate against any employee or qualified applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status