Director of Corporate Development (M&A)

Career Guide
Leads a company’s mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and strategic investments. Oversees deal sourcing, valuation, due diligence, negotiation, and integration planning to align transactions with corporate strategy and growth goals.

Key Responsibilities

  • Own M&A pipeline and investment thesis development
  • Source and qualify targets and manage outreach
  • Build valuation models and deal cases (DCF, comps, accretion/dilution)
  • Lead cross-functional due diligence and manage advisors
  • Negotiate terms and oversee LOI, SPA, and closing processes
  • Prepare board materials and obtain approvals
  • Plan post-merger integration and track synergies
  • Monitor market landscape and report deal KPIs

Career Progression

Can Lead To
Vice President, Corporate Development
Head of M&A / Corporate Development
Chief Strategy Officer
Transition Opportunities
Corporate Strategy Director
VP, Business Development & Strategic Partnerships
Private Equity or Venture Capital (Principal/Operating)
FP&A Director / CFO track
Management Consulting Director (M&A/Strategy)

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills
End-to-end deal ownership and pipeline prioritizationPost-merger integration design and synergy realizationTransaction structuring and legal agreement negotiationBoard-ready financial storytelling and investment casesProprietary deal sourcing and market mapping
Development SuggestionsLead a due diligence workstream and co-chair an Integration Management Office on your next deal; complete an advanced M&A modeling and PMI course (e.g., Wall Street Prep, Training The Street, ACG) and build a sector thesis with a qualified target list.

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range
Entry Level$160,000–$190,000
Mid Level$190,000–$240,000
Senior Level$240,000–$320,000
Growth Trend
stable — Hiring tracks M&A cycles; steady demand at larger firms

Companies Hiring

Major Employers
MicrosoftJohnson & JohnsonAmazon
Industry Sectors
TechnologyHealthcare & PharmaceuticalsConsumer Goods & RetailIndustrials & Manufacturing

Recommended Next Steps

1
Complete advanced M&A modeling and valuation training (Wall Street Prep or Training The Street) and build a deal case study portfolio.
2
Join the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), attend dealmaker events, and cultivate relationships with bankers, brokers, and corp dev leaders in your target sector.
3
Own a cross-functional diligence or integration workstream and draft a board-style investment memo for a live or simulated target to showcase end-to-end deal capability.