Senior Director of M&A Research

Korn Ferry; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential – Publicly Traded Organization seeks a Senior Director of Research to identify new industries, assess market adjacencies, and evaluate acquisition opportunities. The role partners with Corporate Development and Ventures, translating market intelligence into actionable insights for growth and diversification.

The ideal candidate will combine quantitative rigor with strategic storytelling, engaging experts, and delivering executive-ready analyses.

Qualifications

• Progressive experience in investment banking, equity research, transaction advisory services, corporate development, or a comparable analytical role.
• Demonstrated ability researching industries, sizing markets, analyzing competitive dynamics, and developing investment or strategic recommendations.
• Strong quantitative capabilities including financial modeling, valuation, NPV analysis, forecasting, and sensitivity analysis.
• Experience creating executive-ready presentations and translating research into decision-ready narratives.
• Comfort with primary research, including outreach to industry experts and triangulation of sources.
• Exposure to M&A due diligence or transaction support is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead industry research, market intelligence, and opportunity assessment.
• Build TAM/SAM/SOM and market-sizing analyses; assess demand, pricing, and unit economics.
• Conduct primary/secondary research via interviews, public information, and datasets.
• Develop financial models, scenarios, and valuations; support due diligence.
• Produce concise executive and Board-ready presentations; track market conditions and strategic metrics.
• Collaborate across Corporate Development, Ventures, Finance, and Operations to validate assumptions.

Skills

Financial modeling

Market research

Executive communication

Strategic thinking

Project management

Expert interviews

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Data analysis tools

Job description

Location: Nashville, TN Reporting Relationship: Chief Investment Officer Company: Confidential – Publicly Traded Organization

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Our client is an established, publicly traded organization headquartered in the Nashville, Tennessee area, with more than four decades of operating experience and a significant presence in government services and other complex, highly regulated environments.

As part of its next phase of growth, the organization is expanding beyond its traditional operating model to pursue strategic investments, acquisitions, and commercial partnerships in adjacent markets. To support this evolution, the company has established a ventures-oriented investment platform focused on identifying, evaluating, and developing innovative businesses and solutions that enhance operational performance, efficiency, safety, and long-term value creation.

The platform's mandate encompasses strategic commercial partnerships, minority and early-stage investments, and internally developed solutions, with particular emphasis on technology, healthcare, behavioral health, and security technologies.

The organization is actively evaluating and piloting new technologies and solutions, including digital tools, AI-enabled capabilities, and proprietary innovations. These initiatives are assessed for their ability to improve operational outcomes as well as their commercial viability, scalability, and long-term financial return potential.

Through this approach, the company aims to leverage its established infrastructure, operating expertise, and strategic relationships to build a diversified portfolio of complementary businesses and solutions.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Our client is seeking an intellectually curious, analytically rigorous Senior Director of Research to identify and evaluate new industries, market adjacencies, and potential acquisition and investment opportunities.

This individual will serve as a hands-on strategic research partner to the Corporate Development and Ventures teams, translating complex market intelligence into actionable insights that support the organization's growth and diversification strategy.

The successful candidate will possess strong quantitative capabilities, intellectual curiosity, and the initiative to independently investigate unfamiliar industries, engage subject-matter experts, and develop compelling executive-level presentations.

The position will also support transaction diligence, internal market reporting, and corporate strategic planning, requiring a proactive, collaborative professional who thrives in a dynamic, high-impact environment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Industry Research, Market Intelligence & Opportunity Assessment

• Lead comprehensive research on existing and prospective industries, identifying structural growth drivers, customer dynamics, competitive positioning, market risks, and potential acquisition themes.
• Build TAM/SAM/SOM and market-sizing analyses; assess addressable demand, market segmentation, pricing, unit economics, and competitive landscapes.
• Conduct primary and secondary research, including expert interviews, industry outreach, public information review, and analysis of proprietary or third-party datasets.
• Evaluate sector-specific dynamics such as regulation, reimbursement, government contracting, capacity utilization, and technology adoption, where relevant.
• Form evidence-based hypotheses and translate findings into actionable recommendations regarding strategic priorities and capital allocation.

Financial Analysis & Investment Evaluation

• Develop financial models, forecasts, scenario analyses, and net present value assessments to evaluate market opportunities and potential investments.
• Analyze revenue drivers, margin structures, capital intensity, cash generation, growth potential, and key sensitivities to determine commercial attractiveness.
• Partner with the Corporate Development and M&A teams to evaluate prospective acquisition targets, support valuation work, and contribute to quality-of-earnings and other due diligence reviews.
• Organize and analyze transaction materials, including virtual data-room information, as opportunities advance.

Executive Reporting & Strategic Planning

• Produce concise, compelling executive and Board-level presentations that synthesize complex research into clear strategic choices and investment implications.
• Maintain recurring internal market intelligence reporting, tracking relevant industry developments, market conditions, capacity trends, and other strategic performance metrics.
• Support corporate strategic planning, ad hoc executive analyses, and cross-functional projects aligned with the organization's growth and diversification objectives.
• Communicate findings credibly to senior leadership, tailoring technical and financial detail to the intended audience.
• Partner closely with Corporate Development, Ventures, Finance, Operations, and other internal stakeholders to refine research priorities and validate strategic assumptions.
• Engage external industry specialists, retained advisers, and market participants to develop differentiated insights into complex or unfamiliar sectors.
• Operate effectively within a small, entrepreneurial team, taking direct ownership of deliverables and contributing across evolving priorities.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• Progressive experience in investment banking, equity research, transaction advisory services, corporate development, strategic research, management consulting, or a comparable analytical role.
• Demonstrated experience researching industries, sizing markets, analyzing competitive dynamics, and developing investment or strategic recommendations.
• Strong quantitative capabilities, including financial modeling, valuation fundamentals, NPV analysis, forecasting, and sensitivity analysis.
• Experience creating high-quality, executive-ready presentations and converting detailed research into persuasive, decision-oriented narratives.
• Comfort with primary research, including outreach to industry experts, triangulation of incomplete information, and critical evaluation of competing sources.
• Exposure to M&A due diligence, quality-of-earnings analysis, or transaction support is attractive but is not the sole focus of the position.
• Background in healthcare, behavioral health, government services, technology, or other regulated or complex markets is helpful; however, intellectual agility and research capabilities are more important than specific sector expertise.
• Bachelor's degree required; relevant disciplines may include finance, economics, business, mathematics, or liberal arts. An advanced degree is valued but not required.
• Advanced Excel and PowerPoint capabilities; familiarity with research databases, data analysis, and modern AI-enabled research tools is beneficial.

KEY SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES

• Intellectual Curiosity: Enjoys learning how unfamiliar industries operate, asking incisive questions, and developing a nuanced understanding of market structures and economics.
• Analytical Rigor: Combines disciplined quantitative modeling with thoughtful qualitative research and sound judgment.
• Investment Orientation: Understands how market insights connect to financial returns, strategic fit, acquisition opportunities, and capital allocation.
• Executive Communication: Distills extensive research into clear, concise, visually compelling presentations and recommendations.
• Ownership & Bias for Action: Independently drives work from initial hypothesis through research, analysis, and final deliverables.
• Adaptability: Moves comfortably between different industries, ambiguous questions, recurring reporting, and time-sensitive transaction work.
• Collaborative, Low-Ego Approach: Builds trust with senior executives, colleagues, and external subject-matter experts within a small, entrepreneurial team.
• Mission Alignment: Appreciates the opportunity to support practical innovation and improved outcomes in complex, highly regulated, and people-centered environments.