Senior Associate, Corporate Development & Strategy

Colonial Group; Buffalo (NY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

ACV Auctions is seeking a Sr Associate, Corporate Development in Buffalo, NY to work directly with senior leadership on growth strategy, new business lines, and M&A execution. You will identify strategic partners, evaluate opportunities, and drive cross-functional programs from scoping to implementation.

The role requires strong analytical capability, relationship-building, and ability to distill complex data into actionable recommendations for executive audiences.

Qualifications

• 2–5 years of experience at a top management consulting firm or similar role.
• Bachelor's degree with a strong academic record.
• Superior analytical skills - ability to build analyses and recommendations that hold up under scrutiny.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Growth & New Business: Evaluate and launch new business lines and strategic partnerships with end-to-end execution.
• M&A: Support sourcing, due diligence, modeling, and post-close integration planning.
• Program Management: Lead cross-functional initiatives with clear ownership and timelines.
• Strategy & Market Intelligence: Lead opportunity assessments with market sizing and competitive analysis for executive use.

Skills

Analytical skills

Relationship building

Synthesis of findings

Cross-functional program management

Written and verbal communication

Education

Bachelor's degree with a strong academic record

Tools

Financial Modeling

Job description

Job Description: Sr Associate, Corporate Development

About ACV

ACV is transforming the way the automotive industry buys and sells used vehicles. We are powered by a combination of the world’s best people and the industry’s best technology. Through a combination of proprietary data, cutting-edge technology, and a marketplace trusted by thousands nationwide, ACV is building the intelligence layer for the future of automotive commerce. ACV is the AI disruptor in the Automotive Wholesale category. Our platforms — ACV Auctions, ACV Transportation, ACV Capital, ACV Remarketing Centers, MAX Digital, and others — give us a unique vant

The Opportunity

This is not a traditional corporate strategy role. This is a small, nimble team. You won't spend your days building slide decks for an annual planning cycle. You will work directly with senior leadership on the highest-priority initiatives at the company — growth strategy, new business lines powered by new capabilities, large-scale partnerships, international expansion, and M&A strategy and execution — and then stay involved long enough to see whether they actually work.

We're looking for someone who has sharpened their analytical toolkit in consulting or similar roles, and is ready to apply it to real business problems with real stakes. You'll have real ownership over your work. The best version of this person is intellectually rigorous, relationship-oriented, results-oriented, and energized by ambiguity. You will need to be capable of distilling critical information for executive audiences, and then rolling up their sleeves and getting into the details on the same day.

Responsibilities

• Growth & New Business: Evaluate and launch new business lines — from initial thesis through execution, alongside operational teams serving as an advisor. Identify and develop strategic partnerships, taking initiatives from initial scoping to end-to-end implementation.
• M&A: Support the execution of M&A across the entire lifecycle - sourcing, due-dilligence, modeling, and post-close integration planning and execution.
• Program Management: Lead cross-functional initiatives where the answer isn't obvious and the org chart doesn't create a natural owner. Hold internal stakeholders accountable to timelines and decisions; create structure where there isn't any.
• Strategy & Market Intelligence: Lead opportunity assessments that directly inform where ACV invests, builds, or partners — including market sizing, competitive positioning, and business model analysis. Develop and deliver materials for executive and board-level audiences; distill complex tradeoffs into clear, actionable recommendations.

What We’re Looking For

• 2–5 years of experience at a top management consulting firm or similar role
• Bachelor's degree with a strong academic record
• Superior analytical skills - ability to build analyses and recommendations that hold up under scrutiny
• Exceptional ability to develop strong working relationships
• Ability to synthesize qualitative and quantitative findings to create structure around ambiguity
• Ability to program manage cross-functionally across a broad set of stakeholders
• Resourcefulness, persistence, and ability to thrive in fast paced, entrepreneurial environment
• Low ego, high ownership - collaborative by default but capable of driving independently
• Excellent written and oral communication skills

ACV Auctions is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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