Business Development Executive (Mergers & Acquisitions)

Senior Corporate Finance Business Development Specialist

£45,000 – £50,000 base + £10,000 bonus

Birmingham | Hybrid working

An established international group is seeking a Senior M&A Strategy & Corporate Development Specialist to support the growth of its UK & Ireland portfolio through the identification and origination of acquisition opportunities.

This role operates at the front end of the M&A process, acting as the first point of engagement with founders and senior executives of profitable software businesses. It requires strong commercial judgement, professionalism, and the ability to build credibility at board level.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify and research vertical market software businesses aligned to defined acquisition criteria across the UK & Ireland
• Originate and manage first-stage conversations with founders, managing directors, and senior leadership teams
• Build and maintain long-term C-suite relationships to develop a sustainable M&A pipeline
• Map and analyse software sub-sectors in collaboration with the wider corporate development and M&A team
• Attend relevant industry events and trade shows to identify new opportunities
• Maintain accurate records, reporting, and engagement notes within Salesforce
• Work closely with senior internal stakeholders throughout the acquisition lifecycle

Candidate Profile

• Proven experience in B2B business development, lead origination, partnerships, or a comparable commercial role
• Comfortable engaging credibly with senior executives and business owners
• Strong commercial awareness with a structured, analytical approach
• Confident initiating conversations where no prior relationship exists
• Interest in software, corporate strategy, and mergers & acquisitions

Experience & Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years’ experience in a relevant B2B commercial or origination role
• Demonstrable experience engaging senior stakeholders
• Strong research and market analysis capability
• Degree in business, economics, finance, marketing, or a related discipline (desirable, not essential)

Katie Bard is acting as an agency and is an equal opportunities employer