What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Manager - Mergers & Acquisitions position at Coker?
Brief Description
The primary expectation of the Senior Manager is to drive M&A projects forward. This will occur in one of two ways. For the majority of projects, the Senior Manager will take direction from the Vice President/Senior Vice President who owns the client relationship and work to execute on that direction in completing the project with the assistance of Associates/Senior Associates. In this capacity, the Senior Manager’s role on projects will be focused on client interaction, establishing the direction of the project, providing ongoing guidance to the Associates/Senior Associates, and performing the initial review of the deliverable. For a limited number of projects, the Senior Manager will be expected to do more detailed work on the project. These projects should be limited to higher complexity projects such that leveraging the use of Associates/Senior Associates if not feasible. Such should be the exception and not the norm.
The secondary expectation of the Senior Manager is to aid in driving the business of Coker forward. This will occur through two primary functions: business development and project/client relationship management. First, the Senior Manager is expected, as a secondary expectation, to function as a “finder”, working to drive business into Coker. How Senior Managers can drive new business will vary but may include (not being limited to) the following: speaking/writing activities, new client development, maintaining/growing ongoing client relationships, collaboration with other Coker leaders in cross-selling, private equity relationship development. The Senior Manager will play a key role in project/client relationship management. The Senior Manager will be the face of Coker to the client on projects as the Senior Manager grows/creates relationships. As part of this, it is expected that the Senior Manager not only ensures that the work product is of utmost quality, but the Client’s experience of working with Coker is best in class. In many cases, the experience of the Client will be more lasting than the quality of the work product.
In performing their role, the Senior Manager is expected to have foundational expertise in the M&A subject matters at hand, mastery level of a few subject matters, and be able to teach the Associates/Senior Associates. The expectation is that the Senior Manager is appropriately pulling the strings or pushing the Vice President/Senior Vice President to pull the strings on all projects assigned to ensure that the expectations are clear. Further, the expectation is that the deliverable coming from the Senior Manager to the Vice President/Senior Vice President team is practically in final form, with the final review performed by the Vice President/Senior Vice President being a formality. The Senior Manager should be able to articulate fully all facets of the project and the rationale for the work performed/decisions made on the project.
The Senior Manager should be building client relationships and selling work on their own. The expectation of selling work will grow as the Senior Manager’s experience grows. Having a base of client relationships will be key for a Senior Manager to move to the next level.
Generally, the mindset of the Senior Manager is expected to be one of “making it better”; taking ownership of their work, the development of their team and looking for ways/areas to make additional contributions to the success of Coker.
Key Responsibilities Of The Role
Cultural Expectations
The primary expectation of the Senior Manager is to drive M&A projects forward. This will occur in one of two ways. For the majority of projects, the Senior Manager will take direction from the Vice President/Senior Vice President who owns the client relationship and work to execute on that direction in completing the project with the assistance of Associates/Senior Associates. In this capacity, the Senior Manager’s role on projects will be focused on client interaction, establishing the direction of the project, providing ongoing guidance to the Associates/Senior Associates, and performing the initial review of the deliverable. For a limited number of projects, the Senior Manager will be expected to do more detailed work on the project. These projects should be limited to higher complexity projects such that leveraging the use of Associates/Senior Associates if not feasible. Such should be the exception and not the norm.
The secondary expectation of the Senior Manager is to aid in driving the business of Coker forward. This will occur through two primary functions: business development and project/client relationship management. First, the Senior Manager is expected, as a secondary expectation, to function as a “finder”, working to drive business into Coker. How Senior Managers can drive new business will vary but may include (not being limited to) the following: speaking/writing activities, new client development, maintaining/growing ongoing client relationships, collaboration with other Coker leaders in cross-selling, private equity relationship development. The Senior Manager will play a key role in project/client relationship management. The Senior Manager will be the face of Coker to the client on projects as the Senior Manager grows/creates relationships. As part of this, it is expected that the Senior Manager not only ensures that the work product is of utmost quality, but the Client’s experience of working with Coker is best in class. In many cases, the experience of the Client will be more lasting than the quality of the work product.
In performing their role, the Senior Manager is expected to have foundational expertise in the M&A subject matters at hand, mastery level of a few subject matters, and be able to teach the Associates/Senior Associates. The expectation is that the Senior Manager is appropriately pulling the strings or pushing the Vice President/Senior Vice President to pull the strings on all projects assigned to ensure that the expectations are clear. Further, the expectation is that the deliverable coming from the Senior Manager to the Vice President/Senior Vice President team is practically in final form, with the final review performed by the Vice President/Senior Vice President being a formality. The Senior Manager should be able to articulate fully all facets of the project and the rationale for the work performed/decisions made on the project.
The Senior Manager should be building client relationships and selling work on their own. The expectation of selling work will grow as the Senior Manager’s experience grows. Having a base of client relationships will be key for a Senior Manager to move to the next level.
Generally, the mindset of the Senior Manager is expected to be one of “making it better”; taking ownership of their work, the development of their team and looking for ways/areas to make additional contributions to the success of Coker.
Key Responsibilities Of The Role
- Take direction from Vice President/Senior Vice Presidents and execute on said direction.
- Assume responsibility for the growth and development of Associates/Senior Associates in your purview.
- Execute on a variety of buyside, sellside, carve-out, divesture and strategic advisory engagements for healthcare clients (both private equity backed and independent)
- Be outbound sourcing new deals, developing relationships and providing thought leadership
- Assist in development of pitch materials for new deals we are pursuing
- Oversee the entire M&A lifecycle, including; financial model development, marketing material creation, buyer list development, dataroom organization, final deal negotiations.
- Ensure clients receive the highest quality deliverables and have the best possible experience working with Coker.
- Demonstrate subject matter expertise through speaking/writing opportunities and begin to own an area of subject matter expertise.
- Demonstrate a “career” mindset with respect to your role, setting the example for others.
- Execute good judgment as to when to make decisions versus consult with someone above.
- Meet all established deadlines.
- Communicate regularly and fully.
- Ask questions (“don’t assume”).
- Develop error-free and high-quality work.
- Think like a strategist.
- Consistently look for ways to “make it better” and “make you better”.
- Be disciplined and dignified in your representation of Coker in both work and non-work settings.
- Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college/university.
- Master's degree and/or additional certifications (ASA, ABV, CVA, CFA, CPA, MBA, MHA, MPH, PMP, etc.) are preferred.
- 5 to 7 years of relevant industry experience in healthcare investment banking, corporate development or consulting.
- Must be highly motivated, self-sufficient, perceptive, ambitious, flexible, and high energy.
- Strong problem solving and troubleshooting skills with the ability to exercise mature judgment.
- Excellent interpersonal/communications skills.
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
Cultural Expectations
- Embody Coker’s values of Client Value, Teamwork, Ownership, Innovation, and Employee-Centricity.
- Demonstrate initiative, integrity, and professionalism in internal and client-facing interactions.
- Engage in firm culture, contribute to team success, and take ownership of learning and growth.
- Show resilience, flexibility, and a growth mindset in an evolving, fast-paced consulting environment.