M&A & Strategy Associate — Buy & Build Growth

VDA; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

VDA is seeking a Corporate Development Associate to support the company’s M&A and strategy team, managing the acquisition pipeline that drives VDA's buy-and-build growth strategy. This role will work closely with the SVP of Strategy and Corporate Development and senior leadership to support the full deal lifecycle.

Responsibilities include origination, valuation, due diligence, transaction execution, post-close integration, and reporting on deal performance, with ownership of key workstreams for

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in finance or related field plus 1–3 years in corporate development or related analytics.
• Working understanding of the M&A process and financial analysis.
• Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered.

Responsibilities

• Support all phases of the deal process, including target identification, outreach, valuation, due diligence, transaction execution, and post-close integration.
• Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify and assess growth opportunities aligned with VDA's strategic objectives.
• Proactively source, map, and qualify acquisition targets to build and maintain a prioritized deal pipeline.
• Build and maintain financial models, valuations, and scenario analyses to evaluate potential acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and strategic investments.
• Prepare investment memos, presentations, and other materials for senior leadership and key stakeholders.
• Maintain and manage the M&A pipeline, deal-tracking infrastructure, and related reporting.
• Partner with cross-functional teams (finance, legal, operations) and external advisors to coordinate diligence and execute transactions.
• Track and analyze the performance of completed transactions and partnerships against approved investment assumptions, and report findings to inform future decision-making.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Financial modeling

Valuation analysis

Deal origination

Sourcing & outreach

Cross-functional collaboration

Discretion & confidentiality

Attention to detail

Project management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in finance, economics, accounting, business administration, or a related field

Tools

PitchBook

Crunchbase

S&P Capital IQ

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Job description

VDA is seeking a Corporate Development Associate to support the company’s M&A and strategy team, managing the acquisition pipeline that drives VDA's buy-and-build growth strategy. This role will work closely with the SVP of Strategy and Corporate Development and senior leadership to support the full deal lifecycle.

Responsibilities include origination, valuation, due diligence, transaction execution, post-close integration, and reporting on deal performance, with ownership of key workstreams for