Senior Associate - M&A

Embark People, LLC; United States; Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO

Comprehensive healthcare

401K match

Parental leave

Wellness stipend

Tech equipment

Team & community events

Job summary

Embark is seeking a high-performing M&A Senior Associate to join our Corporate Development team. You will contribute across all deal phases, applying strategic and analytical skills to identify, evaluate, and advance acquisition opportunities.

The ideal candidate has 3–6 years of M&A experience and strong Excel modeling, with an ability to work across finance, legal, IT, and operations in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent; MBA or CFA welcome but not required.
• Location: Eastern or Central time zones; Hybrid policy near Embark office.
• Travel: ~20%; for management meetings, site visits, post-close integration.
• 3–6 years of M&A experience at IB, PE, or corporate development.
• Strong Excel modeling and full transaction lifecycle familiarity.

Responsibilities

• Own financial modeling, valuation, and returns analysis
• Coordinate diligence workstreams across finance, legal, IT, compliance, and operations
• Support target identification and deal sourcing with market research and meetings
• Conduct market, financial, and competitive research to identify opportunities
• Coordinate cross-functional workstreams and external advisors
• Draft letters of intent, deal memos, board materials with clear rationale
• Review earnings quality, working capital adjustments, and closing mechanics
• Model deal structures including earnouts and rollover equity
• Partner with business leaders for integration and achievement of objectives
• Support financing workstreams and lender reporting; aid AI-driven screening

Skills

Self-starter

Executive presence

Excellent communicator

M&A experience

Strong Excel modeling

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA

CFA

Tools

Excel

Job description

Embark (verb) to make, start or begin We are a financial consulting firm founded by a non-accountant, entrepreneur challenging the status quo. We believe people can actually love their jobs, work hard, AND enjoy having a life. Our mission is to provide peace of mind to corporate finance & business leaders, and we take it very seriously. As we strive to bring a new twist to the professional services work, our people and culture REALLY do determine our decisions and our future. We’re growing quickly, but not at the expense of our culture or people.

Who we’re looking for

To excel in this role, you’ll need to be a self-starter who is ready to perform on day one. You’ll need to be adaptable, and come in with ideas, suggestions, and the attitude that you’re willing to try just about anything. In a small team like ours, everyone wears a lot of hats, and nothing is “not your job.” The environment is dynamic, so you’ll also need to be flexible and adaptable to change as we grow.

What you’ll be doing

We're looking for a high-performing M&A Senior Associate to join our team. This is an excellent opportunity to work at a fast-paced, private equity-backed organization with a dedicated, passionate team. Given the small, tight-knit nature of the M&A team, this person will be an integral contributor helping execute Embark's rapid growth plans.

Job Summary

The Corporate Development team at Embark is a high-impact, entrepreneurial function advancing Embark’s growth through acquisitions and strategic investments. Reporting to the Head of Corporate Development, you will contribute across all phases of the deal process and apply your strategic and analytical skills to the identification, evaluation, and advancement of acquisition opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Own financial modeling, valuation, and returns analysis
• Coordinate diligence workstreams across finance, legal, IT, compliance, and operations
• Support target identification and deal sourcing (market research, founder meetings, cold outreach), and maintain a detailed acquisition target database
• Conduct market, financial, and competitive research to identify opportunities that enhance long-term enterprise value
• Coordinate cross-functional workstreams and external advisors throughout the transaction process
• Draft letters of intent, investment committee memos, deal recommendations, and Board materials that clearly articulate rationale and impact
• Review quality of earnings findings and evaluate net working capital pegs, purchase price adjustments, and other closing mechanics
• Model deal structures including earnouts, seller notes, and rollover equity, and support negotiation of key economic terms
• Partner with business leaders to ensure successful integration and onboarding of acquired companies and achievement of investment objectives
• Support financing workstreams and prepare lender and sponsor reporting materials
• Support broader corporate development initiatives, including applying AI tools to pipeline screening, diligence review, and deal reporting

The Ideal Candidate

Self-starter with a strong work ethic who holds themselves and others to high standards Executive presence, comfortable in founder and owner conversations, and capable of building trust with management teams of closely held businesses Excellent communicator, able to distill complex concepts concisely in writing, speech, and presentations

Qualifications / Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent; MBA or CFA welcome but not required
• Location: Open to candidates in Eastern or Central time zones; Hybrid office policy if located in proximity to an Embark office
• Travel: approximately 20%, primarily for management meetings, site visits, and post-close integration
• 3 to 6 years of M&A experience at an investment bank, private equity firm, or corporate development team
• Strong Excel modeling skills (full three-statement forecasting and LBO/returns analysis) and solid accounting fundamentals required
• Familiarity with the full transaction lifecycle; due diligence, financial and business analysis, negotiation
• Professional or business services M&A experience a plus, but not required
• Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple deals and projects simultaneously

What’s in it for you

• Unlimited PTO: Enjoy unlimited PTO to recharge and pursue your passions
• Comprehensive healthcare: 100% paid premiums for you and your family
• Compensation: Base salary range for this role is $140,000 - $170,000 annually plus an annual bonus commensurate for level and experience
• We match 50% up to 6% on our 401K
• Fully paid parental leave for all new parents
• $150 monthly stipend for whole human wellness
• All the technology you’ll need to be successful, the most advanced software, and accessories to ensure you get the job done in style
• Team and community engagement: Monthly social events within your market, charitable matching, and great people!

Equal Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or protected veteran status, or any other legally protected basis, in accordance with applicable law.

Background Check & Drug Screening

Upon offer of employment, employees will be asked to submit to a background check and drug screen. Dependent on ongoing client requirements, employees may also be asked to submit to a drug screening and background check throughout employment.