Corporate Development Associate

Company Overview

YA is an international professional services organization providing forensic consulting, engineering, risk mitigation, and related services. Founded over 25 years ago as a property damage consulting firm, YA has expanded through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. Today, YA has over 600 professionals dedicated to excellence, partnership, and driving innovation. 

Summary

Reporting to the VP, Corporate Development, the Corporate Development Associate will support YA’s strategic growth through mergers and acquisition by actively sourcing, evaluating, and executing M&A opportunities. This role will assist in conducting due diligence, financial modeling, and preparing investment recommendations. The Corporate Development Associate will collaborate closely with senior management to identify potential targets, analyze market trends, and play a significant part in all stages of the deal process, from origination to post-deal integration.

Role & Responsibilities

• Support the M&A team in all aspects of the deal process, from origination, due diligence and deal closing.
• Source, identify, and research potential acquisition targets through various outreach methods including phone, email, LinkedIn and other professional networking platforms.
• Leverage existing relationships and actively network to build a pipeline of targets.
• Develop and maintain pipeline reports to track the progress of potential acquisitions.
• Conduct thorough research and summarize key data on M&A prospects utilizing marketing materials, public filings, meetings and discovery calls, and other relevant sources.
• Assess potential acquisitions to ensure they align with YA’s overall culture and operations, using insights from internal resources and a deep understanding of our business model.
• Drive potential acquisitions forward by conducting timely and effective follow-ups with leads.
• Conduct financial analyses, build financial models, and prepare investment recommendation presentations for senior management.
• Identify specific risks that could negatively impact the financial value of a transaction and work with the necessary people to mitigate them.
• Help convey the business case of potential acquisitions by explaining their strategic fit, market context, and financial justifications.
• Assist in the negotiation and closing of M&A transactions.
• Assist with post-deal integration.
• Build and maintain relationships with potential acquisition targets and industry experts.
• Stay current on industry trends and developments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, finance, or relevant field required.
• 1-4+ years of experience in corporate development, investment banking, private equity, or related M&A sourcing and/or execution roles.
• Strong analytical, accounting, and financial modeling skills.
• Exceptional project management and communication abilities.
• Experience with CRM tools.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain professional relationships.
• Knowledge of industry trends and M&A landscape.
• Willingness to travel.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail.
• This position requires a high level of confidentiality.

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