Vice President, Corporate Development

Career Guide
A Vice President of Corporate Development leads deals that shape a company’s growth, including acquisitions, investments, divestitures, and strategic partnerships. The role blends strategy, financial evaluation, negotiation, and cross-team leadership to take opportunities from idea through signing and integration.

Key Responsibilities

  • Define acquisition and partnership priorities aligned to company strategy
  • Build and manage a pipeline of potential acquisition and partnership targets
  • Lead deal evaluation including market fit, competitive landscape, and business case
  • Oversee financial modeling, valuation, and scenario analysis for proposed transactions
  • Run due diligence workstreams across finance, legal, product, security, and operations
  • Lead negotiations on key terms including price, structure, and governance
  • Partner with Legal to manage term sheets, definitive agreements, and closing readiness
  • Coordinate board and executive updates with clear recommendations and risks
  • Plan post-deal integration with functional leaders and track synergy delivery
  • Develop and mentor corporate development team members and deal partners

Top Skills for Success

Strategic Thinking
Executive Communication
Stakeholder Management
Negotiation
Financial Modeling
Valuation
Due Diligence Leadership
Deal Structuring
Integration Planning
Industry Research

Career Progression

Can Lead To
Senior Director, Corporate Development
Vice President, Strategy
Vice President, Business Development
Vice President, Finance
Corporate Development Lead
Transition Opportunities
Chief Strategy Officer
Chief Development Officer
Chief Financial Officer
General Manager
Private Equity Operating Partner

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills
Integration LeadershipChange ManagementExecutive PresenceCommercial Due DiligencePost Deal Value TrackingRegulatory AwarenessOperating Model Design
Development SuggestionsBuild a repeatable integration playbook, practice board-ready storytelling, and partner closely with Finance and Legal to deepen deal structuring and risk assessment. Lead a full end-to-end transaction with measurable value delivery to strengthen credibility.

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range
Entry LevelUSD 180,000 to 250,000
Mid LevelUSD 250,000 to 350,000
Senior LevelUSD 350,000 to 550,000
Growth Trend
Steady demand. Hiring typically increases when capital markets are active and when companies prioritize inorganic growth. More roles appear in technology, healthcare, and industrial sectors pursuing platform expansion.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers
AmazonGoogleMicrosoftSalesforceOracleJPMorgan ChaseGoldman SachsJohnson and JohnsonPfizerUnitedHealth Group
Industry Sectors
TechnologyHealthcareFinancial ServicesConsumer GoodsIndustrial ManufacturingEnergyTelecommunicationsMedia and Entertainment

Recommended Next Steps

1
Create a one page deal case template that covers rationale, risks, valuation, and integration plan
2
Refresh financial modeling skills with a focus on sensitivities, downside cases, and cash flow
3
Build relationships with product, sales, legal, and security leaders to speed diligence
4
Develop a target list of 20 to 40 companies and define clear screening criteria
5
Document an integration checklist with owners, timelines, and success metrics
6
Prepare three deal stories that show impact, negotiation approach, and lessons learned