Senior M&A Strategist

Senior Mergers & Acquisitions Strategist

At Gallagher Benefit Services, you're a trusted partner to organizations navigating some of their most important people decisions. We help clients build better workplaces, where people feel supported, empowered, and inspired to thrive. Whether it's shaping benefit strategies, designing wellbeing programs, or advising on workforce challenges, the work you do here creates meaningful change for businesses and the people who power them. We're a community of bold explorers, trusted experts, and compassionate partners; working side by side to solve problems, and shape the future of work. Here, curiosity is encouraged, collaboration is second nature, and your ideas have room to grow. If you're looking for a place where your contribution matters and where you can help build a better world of work; think of Gallagher.

How You'll Make An Impact

The Senior Mergers & Acquisitions Strategist is responsible for leading and managing the evaluation, pricing, and negotiation of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) for GBS. This senior-level position will act as a trusted buy-side advisor, preparing indications of interest and non-binding term sheets, while ensuring alignment with the company's strategic objectives. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in financial analysis, deal structuring, and negotiation, as well as the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and external stakeholders. Additionally, this position will also be involved in the financial due diligence and integration of merger partners acquired by GBS. This position exists as a result of the organization's ongoing acquisition strategy to diversify product and service offerings, expand its geographic footprint, and bolster sales activity.

Responsibilities

• Pricing And Valuation
• Conduct detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis and valuation of potential acquisition targets using methodologies such as comparable company analysis, precedent transactions, etc., to assist with determining whether acquisition opportunities should be pursued (and if so, at what valuation and under what conditions).
• Develop pricing strategies and financial models to support M&A decision-making, assess synergies, risks, and value drivers, and determine the financial viability of potential deals.
• Negotiation And Deal Structuring
• Lead negotiations with target companies and / or their represented advisors, including terms, pricing, and deal structure.
• Prepare and present indications of interest and non-binding term sheets to internal stakeholders, sell-side advisors and target companies, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Collaborate with legal teams to ensure transaction terms and conditions are structured effectively and in compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Buy-side Advisory
• Provide insights and recommendations to senior leadership on potential acquisitions, aligning M&A activities with the organization's strategic goals and growth objectives.
• Work closely with business development teams to identify and evaluate acquisition opportunities that drive long-term value for the company.
• Financial Due Diligence
• Lead comprehensive financial due diligence efforts for potential acquisitions. This includes analyzing financial statements, projections, other data / documents, and key performance indicators to assess the financial health and viability of target companies, as well as identifying potential financial risks and opportunities associated with acquisitions.
• Cross-functional Collaboration
• Work closely with internal teams, including finance, legal, operations, HR, IT, etc. to ensure a seamless M&A process.
• Engage with external advisors, such as investment bankers, legal counsel, and consultants, to facilitate deal execution and ensure alignment across all stakeholders.
• Identify potential risks and opportunities associated with acquisitions and provide actionable recommendations to mitigate risks and capitalize on opportunities.
• Reporting And Communication
• Prepare detailed reports, presentations, and updates for senior leadership and key stakeholders, ensuring transparency and alignment throughout the M&A process.
• Your ability to communicate effectively with internal and external parties will be essential in driving successful outcomes.
• Continuous Improvement
• Stay updated on industry trends and best practices with regards to insurance distribution, retirement and wealth management consulting, and HR consulting, including but not limited to M&A activity and valuations.
• Implement process improvements to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of both pricing and due diligence activities.

About You

Required : Bachelor's degree and 7 years related experience required. Strong analytical skills. Well-rounded commercial and economic awareness and understanding of the financial markets.

Preferred : Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or related field. 8+ or more years of in M&A, investment banking, private equity, or corporate development. Proven expertise in financial modeling, valuation, and deal negotiation. Strong understanding of legal, regulatory, and compliance considerations in M&A transactions. Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate with diverse stakeholders. Flexibility in terms of working hours, occasional travel. Insurance or insurance brokerage industry experience is a plus, especially with employee benefits. MBA, CFA and / or CPA Candidate / Certification is preferred.

Behaviors / Personal Attributes : Detail oriented, strong organization skills, and ability to meet tight deadlines. Highly motivated with a strong work ethic; able to operate independently and with minimal supervision. Strong interpersonal and project management skills. Ability to work and interact smoothly and effectively with multi-faceted teams (e.g. Compliance, Operations, HR, Technology, etc.). Ability to handle pressure, prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously and accurately. Analytical thinker with excellent problem-solving skills.

Compensation And Benefits

We offer a competitive and comprehensive compensation package. The base salary range represents the anticipated low end and high end of the range for this position. The actual compensation will be influenced by a wide range of factors including, but not limited to previous experience, education, pay market / geography, complexity or scope, specialized skill set, lines of business / practice area, supply / demand, and scheduled hours. On top of a competitive salary, great teams and exciting career opportunities, we also offer a wide range of benefits. Below are the minimum core benefits you'll get, depending on your job level these benefits may improve : Medical / dental / vision plans, which start from day one! Life and accident insurance 401(K) and Roth options Tax-advantaged accounts (HSA, FSA) Educational expense reimbursement Paid parental leave Other benefits include : Digital mental health services (Talkspace) Flexible work hours (availability varies by office and job function) Training programs Gallagher Thrive program elevating your health through challenges, workshops and digital fitness programs for your overall wellbeing Charitable matching gift program And more...

We value inclusion and diversity

Inclusion and diversity (I&D) is a core part of our business, and it's embedded into the fabric of our organization. For more than 95 years, Gallagher has led with a commitment to sustainability and to support the communities where we live and work. Gallagher embraces our employees' diverse identities, experiences and talents, allowing us to better serve our clients and communities. We see inclusion as a conscious commitment and diversity as a vital strength. By embracing diversity in all its forms, we live out The Gallagher Way to its fullest. Gallagher believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunity and prohibits any form of discrimination by its managers, employees, vendors or customers based on race, color, religion, creed, gender (including pregnancy status), sexual orientation, gender identity (which includes transgender and other gender non-conforming individuals), gender expression, hair expression, marital status, parental status, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran or military status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected (herein referred to as "protected characteristics") by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Equal employment opportunity will be extended in all aspects of the employer-employee relationship, including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, transfer, demotion, compensation, benefits, layoff, and termination. In addition, Gallagher will make reasonable accommodations to known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified person with a disability, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business.