The Associate Director Mergers and Acquisitions role is responsible for identifying, evaluating, and executing acquisitions and strategic partnerships that strengthen the company's scientific, operational, and commercial capabilities.
This position partners closely with the Chief Strategy Officer, Executive Team, and functional leaders to manage the full deal lifecycle - from opportunity assessment through due diligence, negotiation, and post‑merger integration.
Responsibilities:
Financial &Strategic Analysis
- Conduct comprehensive analysis of the CRO and broader biopharma services landscape to identify trends, competitive movements, and strategic opportunities.
- Identify, assess, and prioritise potential acquisition and partnership targets based on strategic fit, market positioning, operational flexibility, and value‑creation potential.
- Lead financial modelling and valuation analyses clearly articulate deal economics and commercial impact.
- Coordinate cross-functional due diligence to assess risks and inform investment decisions.
- Partner with the Board and Executive Leadership on scenario planning, business cases, and investment approval materials.
- Serve as PMO for M&A transactions, managing timelines and deliverables across the deal lifecycle.
Executive &Board-Level Materials
- Prepare executive‑ready slide decks summarising financial results, operational performance, and key strategic themes.
- Support the Director of Corporate Strategy in drafting Board papers and investor packages with concise, data‑backed insights.
- Translate complex operational and financial information into clear narratives for senior stakeholders.
Market &Competitive Intelligence
- Conduct ongoing research on global CRO competitors, M&A activity, funding trends, pricing movements, and service line innovations.
- Produce monthly or quarterly intelligence summaries to inform both internal decision‑making and external messaging.
- Support benchmarking analyses of the CRO's performance versus peers.
Cross‑FunctionalCoordination
- Partner with Finance, FP&A, Operations, Commercial/BD, and regional leaders to ensure data accuracy and message alignment.
- Support executive preparation for investor Q&A, strategy reviews, and leadership briefings.
Performance Tracking& Reporting of Acquisitions
- Track performance of acquired businesses throughout integration.
- Prepare post-acquisition reviews assessing integration progress and value realization.
Minimum Qualifications & Experience:
- An Advanced Degree (PhD or Master's) in Finance, Business, Economics, Life Sciences, or related field.
Experience:
- 7-10+ years experience in strategy, finance, investor relations, corporate development, consulting, or business analysis.
- Significant experience in M&A, corporate development, investment banking, strategy consulting, or similar, ideally within life sciences, CRO, biotech, or healthcare services sectors.
- Strong financial modelling, valuation, and analytical skills.
- Deep understanding of clinical research and biopharma ecosystem.
- Demonstrated ability to lead complex transactions and manage cross‑functional teams.
