Assistant Manager - Deal Management (SSG)

EY; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Career development

Total rewards package

Diversity & inclusion

Job summary

EY-Parthenon in Johannesburg seeks an Assistant Manager to lead technology due diligence for transactions, advising on IT, software, data, and cybersecurity. You will manage workstreams, interact with clients and partners, and drive multi-disciplinary delivery to support value creation in deals.

You will combine technical insight with commercial judgement, coordinate with EY teams, and mentor junior staff while contributing to firm growth and client outcomes.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering technology-focused due diligence and advisory work.
• Ability to structure analyses and translate findings into commercial implications.
• Strong project management and client-facing communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead technology due diligence across IT, software, data, and cybersecurity.
• Assess carve-out and integration requirements and Day 1 readiness.
• Structure analyses, review data rooms, and validate assumptions with evidence.
• Plan and manage day-to-day delivery, including scope, priorities, and timelines.
• Prepare high-quality reports, presentations, and client materials for senior stakeholders.
• Collaborate with EY teams across functions to connect technology findings to deal theses.
• Coach junior colleagues and contribute to a collaborative team culture.
• Support proposals, pitches, and market-facing points of view to strengthen the practice.

Skills

Tech due diligence

Carve-out & integration

Hypothesis-led analysis

Project management

Stakeholder management

Education

Relevant degree

Tools

Data rooms

Job description

Location: Johannesburg

Other locations: Primary Location Only

Our Software Strategy Group (Technology deals) team sits within the Strategy and Execution (S&E) team, which is EY’s market leading team providing Technology, Operations and Financial advice to corporate and private equity firms who intend to acquire, divest or restructure businesses. The S&E team comprises advisors with specialist commercial, operations, software, technology, cyber, finance and deal / transaction experience from industry, advisory and audit backgrounds.

The Technology team has supports Private Equity and corporate clients in their Transaction (M&A) challenges related to Enterprise technology, Cybersecurity and (software) Product Technology:

• Enterprise technology assesses major technology risks and opportunities related to a transaction across key areas of technology operating models, holistically including technology organisations, enterprise and business systems, infrastructure (server, storage, network, cloud), data, tech spend, strategy and governance
• Cybersecurity focuses onunderstanding the business operating model, then applying our experience, benchmarks and tools to determine where Cyber is critical to the business, operations, assets and applicable regulations.
• Product and technology provide investment and acquisition guidance to clients across commercial, product, and technical topics needed to assess and advise software companies or firms utilising proprietary technology

The team has completed hundreds of successful projects and provides a unique capability to help companies make critical choices and complete successful transactions.

As part of EY, you’ll have the chance to build a career as unique as you are, with global scale, support, inclusive culture and technology to become the best version of you. And we’re counting on your unique voice and perspective to help EY become even better, too. Join us and build an exceptional experience for yourself, and a better working world for all.

The opportunity

We are seeking to expand our team in South Africa (supporting the larger UK team remotely) with experienced technology professionals who can understand how technology is deployed and utilised within a target business in addition to applying a critical lens to address key client questions related to technology in a Transaction such as

• “Is the tech platform fit to scale, or will it impact the value‑creation plan from day one of ownership?”
• “What’s the true cost and timeline to fix, modernise, or replace the critical technology holding the business back?”
• “How much technical debt are we really buying — and does it threaten the investment thesis?”
• “Where can technology drive immediate EBITDA uplift through automation, efficiency, or smarter digital capability?”
• “Where are the key risks associated with separating or replacing the technology landscape associated with the Target business?”

As an Assistant Manager, you will manage defined workstreams and smaller engagements, support senior team members on complex transactions, and contribute across the transaction lifecycle. The role combines hands‑on analysis and delivery with client interaction, project management, coaching of junior colleagues and practice development.

Key responsibilities include:

• Technology due diligence: Manage or support end-to-end technology due diligence across IT, software products, data, infrastructure, cybersecurity, architecture, delivery capability and technology spend. Identify material risks, value drivers, investment requirements and operational implications.
• Carve‑out and integration: Assess technology dependencies and separation or integration complexity; support standalone and one‑off cost analysis, TSA considerations, Day 1 readiness, target operating model development and execution planning.
• Analysis and problem solving: Structure analyses using a hypothesis‑led approach, review data rooms and management information, build fact bases, test assumptions and draw clear, evidence‑based conclusions.
• Project and workstream management: Plan and manage day‑to‑day delivery, including scope, workplans, priorities, team coordination, risks, issues and quality. Escalate matters appropriately and deliver to demanding transaction timelines.
• Client communication: Prepare high‑quality reports, presentations and other client materials. Participate in management meetings and clearly translate technical findings into commercial, financial and transaction implications.
• Multidisciplinary delivery: Work closely with commercial, operational, financial, cyber and other EY teams to provide cohesive advice that connects technology findings to the broader deal thesis.
• Team development: Guide and review the work of junior team members, provide practical coaching and contribute to a collaborative, inclusive and high‑performing team environment.
• Business and capability development: Support proposals, pitches, credentials, market‑facing points of view, knowledge assets and internal initiatives that strengthen the Deal Technology practice in South Africa and internationally

You will be part of a fast‑growing team comprised of a broad cross section of technology professionals where an entrepreneurial culture and team spirit are highly valued.

Skills and attributes for success

You should be familiar with working in a large-scale consulting environment or industry role. You would use your technology and business knowledge to solve client issues and be able to translate technology risk into business or transaction language which non‑technical stakeholders can understand.

Success in this role requires strong technology insight, analytical discipline, and confident leadership. You should be comfortable working in complexity, engaging senior stakeholders, and using structured, hypothesis‑led thinking to reach clear, defensible conclusions.

Key skills include:

• Strong understanding of how technology supports business operations and value creation, with broad exposure to applications, infrastructure, cloud, data, cybersecurity, operating models and/or software product development.
• Commercial acumen and the ability to translate technology issues into concise implications for investors, executives and other non‑technical stakeholders.
• Strong quantitative and qualitative analysis, including comfort working with technology cost data, operational information and incomplete data sets.
• Clear and concise written and verbal communication, with strong report‑writing and presentation skills.
• Effective project management, prioritisation and attention to detail in a fast‑paced environment with tight deadlines.
• Confident stakeholder management and the ability to build trusted working relationships across clients, EY teams and geographies.
• Proactive problem solving, intellectual curiosity and a willingness to challenge assumptions constructively.
• A collaborative approach, with the ability to coach junior colleagues and contribute positively to team culture.

To qualify for the role, you ideally are experienced in

• A relevant degree or equivalent professional experience in technology, engineering, information systems, business, finance or a related discipline.
• Relevant experience in professional services, consulting, transactions, corporate development, technology delivery or an industry technology role. M&A experience is advantageous but not essential.
• Experience delivering complex technology‑focused projects or workstreams, including managing activities, outputs, stakeholders and delivery quality.
• Broad knowledge of a typical technology function and an ability to assess implications across people, process, applications, infrastructure, data, cyber, governance and cost.
• Exposure to one or more transaction contexts such as due diligence, acquisitions, divestitures, carve‑outs, integrations, Day 1 readiness, TSA planning, standalone cost assessment or technology transformation.
• Experience producing high‑quality, decision‑oriented reports and presentations for senior stakeholders.
• An interest in working with private equity, corporate and senior technology stakeholders across multiple sectors and geographies.

What we are looking for

We are looking for people who combine technology knowledge with commercial judgement and a desire to understand not only how technology works, but why it is used and what it means for a transaction. You should be comfortable working with ambiguity, learning quickly and taking ownership while knowing when to seek guidance.

You will join a fast‑growing, entrepreneurial team that values technical excellence, practical problem solving, collaboration and continuous development.

About EY Parthenon

EY-Parthenon teams work with clients to navigate complexity by helping them to reimagine their eco‑systems, reshape their portfolios and reinvent themselves for a better future. With global connectivity and scale, EY-Parthenon teams focus on Strategy Realised — helping CEOs design and deliver strategies to better manage challenges while maximising opportunities as they look to transform their businesses. From idea to implementation, EY-Parthenon teams help organisations to build a better working world by fostering long‑term value. EY-Parthenon is a brand under which a number of EY member firms across the globe provide strategy consulting services. For more information, please visit ey.com/parthenon

What working at EY offers

We offer a competitive remuneration package where you’ll be rewarded for your individual and team performance. Our comprehensive Total Rewards package includes support for flexible working and career development, and you can select benefits that suit your needs, covering holidays, health and well‑being and Insurance. Plus, we offer:

• Continuous learning: You’ll develop the mindset and skills to navigate whatever comes next.
• Success as defined by you: We’ll provide the tools and flexibility, so you can make a meaningful impact, your way.
• Transformative leadership: We’ll give you the insights, coaching and confidence to be the leader the world needs.
• Diverse and inclusive culture: You’ll be embraced for who you are and empowered to use your voice to help others find theirs.

Please note:

Prior to finalising your application, you will be asked to provide personal information across several dimensions of diversity and inclusiveness. The information you provide is kept entirely confidential and will not be used to evaluate your candidacy. We collect this data to help us analyse our recruitment process holistically and implement actions that promote diversity and inclusiveness. While optional, we encourage you to provide this information to hold us accountable towards our goal of building a better working world. We ask because it matters!

The exceptional EY experience. It’s yours to build.