Senior Director, Corporate Development

Wiley; New Jersey; On-site; USD 190,000 - 279,000; Full time

Job summary

Wiley seeks a Senior Director in Corporate Development to lead the full M&A lifecycle—from origination through close—in a fast-moving transformation. You will partner with Strategy and Finance, shaping the enterprise portfolio and driving high-impact transactions globally.

Reporting to the Corporate Vice President, Head of Corporate Development, this role offers direct exposure to the C-suite and a pivotal role in Wiley’s inorganic growth agenda across data services, AI-enabled publishing, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, MBA from top-tier business school strongly preferred.
• 8–10+ years of progressive experience in investment banking (M&A or coverage), private equity, venture capital, or corporate development at a transformation-focused company.
• Deep expertise across the full M&A lifecycle—origination, valuation, diligence, negotiation, and close.
• Proven track record leading multiple complex, time-sensitive transactions with real financial and strategic accountability.
• Exceptional financial modeling skills with the ability to independently build and stress-test deal models.
• Executive presence and communication skills to influence and present to C-suite/Board-level stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Deal Origination, Pipeline Management, and Competitive Intelligence.
• Financial Analysis & Valuation.
• Due Diligence & Transaction Execution.
• Strategic Integration Planning & Post-Close Value Creation.

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA

Job description

Job Description:

We believe in bold ideas, diverse perspectives, and the drive to transform knowledge into impact. Here, your curiosity fuels progress, your voice shapes innovation, and your ambition helps redefine what’s possible within science and learning. We are a culture that obsesses over impact, challenges, and drives what’s next to power infinite possibilities for our customers, colleagues and society at large.

About the Role:

Wileyisatan exciting inflection point in itstransformation,as weanticipateand adapt to the shifting needs of our customers while harnessing the possibilities enabled by technology and innovation.As partofourrecentstrategicpivot,weareactivelypursuingopportunitiesat the frontiers of research & discovery,identifyingnew opportunities toleverageAI,content,and data services.This isan opportunemomentto join Wiley asaSenior Directorin our Corporate Development team, helping to driveWiley’s growth and shape our enterprise portfolio through transformative transactionsaround the world.

Reportingdirectlyto the Corporate Vice President, HeadofCorporate Development,you’llbe a key architectofWiley’s inorganic growth agenda. You will drive the full M&A lifecycle — from origination and market intelligence through diligence, valuation, andclose —with the speed, thoroughness,and precisionrequiredin a fast-movingand high-stakestransformation environment.This is a high-visibility role with direct C-suite exposure and meaningful impact on the company’s long-term trajectory, idealfor a self-directed dealmaker who thrives with autonomy and knows how to marshall resources and engage with key internal and external stakeholders toget transactionsdone.

Job Responsibilities

Deal Origination,Pipeline Management, and Competitive Intelligence

• Work withthe SVP-Strategy, CVP-Corporate Development, and partners in the businessunits tobuildandmaintaina disciplined M&A pipeline aligned with Wiley’s strategic priorities in data services, AI-enabled publishing, and adjacent content and technology verticals
• In partnership withthe Strategy team, leverageWiley’s market intelligence capabilities across target verticals todelivercompetitiveintelligenceand strategic foresight that informs theacquisitionagenda
• Translate market dynamics into strategic recommendations that inform M&A prioritization
• Proactivelyidentifyand cultivate acquisition targets and partnership opportunities through market intelligence, industry relationships, and competitive analysis
• Expand and deepen relationships withourgrowing network ofexternal partnersininvestment banking, venture capital, financial sponsors, and other thought leaders in our markets
• Own the deal thesis frominitialscreen through executive and Board-level presentation, synthesizing complex market dynamics into compelling, actionable investment recommendations
• Support investor relations and corporate marketing in articulating Wiley’s M&A narrative and strategic differentiation to external stakeholders.

Financial Analysis & Valuation

• Lead rigorous financial modeling and valuation work including DCF, comparable company analysis, precedent transactions, and accretion/dilution modeling
• Apply sharp deal judgment to assess risk-adjusted returns and strategic fit, moving quickly in ambiguous situations to frame trade-offs for senior decision-makersand executive leaders.
• Partner closely with Finance to ensure disciplined assumptions and integration of strategic plans into financial frameworks
• Translate financialobjectivesto inform deal structuring andkey transaction terms

Due Diligence & Transaction Execution

• Own deal structuring and negotiation support, partnering with Legal tooptimizetransaction terms in service of strategic and financial objectives
• Lead all phases of due diligence — commercial, financial, legal, operational — coordinating cross-functional workstreams and external advisors, balancingspeed,quality, and thoroughness.
• Successfully manage multiple simultaneous deals in a fast-paced transformation environment, escalating decisively when issues arise
• Ensureclear,consistentandtimelycommunication with key stakeholders

Strategic IntegrationPlanning & Post-Close Value Creation

• Collaborate with functional leadersand external vendorsto develop integration plans that capture synergies and protect deal value from Day 1.
• Establish KPIs and performance frameworks to track post-close value creation against the original deal thesisand modeling assumptions

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degreerequired; MBA from a top-tier business schoolor graduate degrees in related disciplinestrongly preferred
• 8–10+ years of progressive experience in investment banking (M&A or coverage), private equity,venture capital,or corporate development at a company undergoing significant transformation; candidates with both investment banking and corporate development experience strongly preferred
• Deepexpertiseacross the full M&A transaction lifecycle — origination, valuation, diligence, negotiation, and close
• Proventrack recordof leadingmultiplecomplex, time-sensitive transactions with real financial and strategic accountability
• Exceptional financial modeling skills with the ability to independently build and stress-test deal models
• Executive presenceand communication skills,with the ability to influence and present to C-suite and Board-level stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability tooperatewith a high degree of autonomy and self-direction in fast-paced, ambiguous environments
• Experience in publishing, education technology, information services is a strong plus

We power infinite possibilities.

For more than 200 years, we’ve transformed knowledge into discoveries that shape the world. Today, our global team of innovators, creators, and experts is driving what’s next in science, education, and publishing—creating impact that reaches everywhere.

We’re not just observers of progress. We’re the ones accelerating scientific breakthroughs, advancing learning, and sparking innovation that redefines entire fields and improves lives.

Here, your talent matters. Your ideas have room to grow. And your work creates breakthroughs that can change everything.

Wiley is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. We evaluate all qualified applicants and treat all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or based on any individual’s status in any group or class protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. Wiley is also committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants who require accommodation to participate in the job application process may contact [e-mail] for assistance.

We are proud that our workplace promotes continual learning and internal mobility. Our values support courageous teammates, needle movers, and learning champions all while striving to support the health and well-being of all employees. We offer meeting-free Friday afternoons allowing more time for heads down work and professional development, and through a robust body of employee programing we facilitate a wide range of opportunities to foster community, learn, and grow.

We are committed to fair, transparent pay, and we strive to provide competitive compensation in addition to a comprehensive benefits package. The range below represents Wiley’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the base pay for this role at the time of posting roles in the United Kingdom, Canada, USA, Austria, Czechia, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, or Spain. It is anticipated that most qualified candidates will fall within the range, however the ultimate salary offered for this role may be higher or lower and will be set based on a variety of non-discriminatory factors, including but not limited to, geographic location, skills, and competencies.

Salary Range:

189,700 USD to 278,567 USD#LI-JG1