Director of Corporate Development

Description

Hawke Media is one of the fastest-growing marketing consultancies in the U.S., acting as an outsourced CMO for brands of all sizes. We’re entering a new growth phase driven by targeted acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and market expansion.

The Director of Corporate Development will be the engine behind our proprietary deal flow, identifying, qualifying, and initiating contact with high-potential acquisition targets and strategic partners. This role is ideal for someone with deep market research skills and an extensive network in founder-led and private-company ecosystems. Top of funnel/pipeline of proprietary deal flow will be strong focus of this role.

Qualifications

Proprietary Sourcing & Deal Origination

• Build and manage a proprietary pipeline of potential acquisition targets across marketing, e-commerce, technology, and complementary service sectors.
• Proactively identify opportunities through founder outreach, industry networking, trade shows, competitive monitoring, and market mapping.
• Maintain strong relationships with founders, owners, and executives, developing trust before a transaction is even on the table.
• Leverage CRM and pipeline management tools to track engagement and deal progress.

Market & Target Research

• Utilize company resources, research platforms and systems to develop lists of potential companies that align with company objectives.
• Analyze potential companies and points of contact by researching data presented, company websites and more.
• Lead comprehensive research on target sectors, competitors, and industry trends to inform acquisition strategy.
• Create detailed company profiles, market maps, and data reports to support decision-making.
• Identify and qualify potential sellers and target companies, specifically founders with a shared growth vision as Hawke Media.

Deal Qualification & Outreach

• Develop and execute targeted outreach campaigns to connect with prospective sellers and partners.
• Coordinate initial data requests; manage doc intake and CRM hygiene.
• Screen opportunities for strategic fit, cultural alignment, and financial potential before engaging senior leadership.
• Partner with finance and operations to prepare preliminary valuation models and business cases.

Relationship Development & Networking

• Build Hawke Media’s visibility in relevant business communities and industry associations.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for inbound deal flow from founders, investors, and intermediaries.
• Cultivate relationships that lead to off-market acquisition opportunities.

Required:

• 5 years in corporate development, private equity origination, investment banking, or business development, with a track record of proprietary deal sourcing.
• Proven success building pipelines and closing deals with founder-led and privately held companies.
• Strong research, analytical, and financial analysis skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication, with the ability to connect with C-level executives.

Preferred:

• Experience in marketing, advertising, digital services, or technology sectors.
• Established network of founders, advisors, and investors in relevant industries.
• Skilled in CRM/pipeline management tools and outreach platforms.

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary performance incentives tied to deal origination success.
• Equity participation in select transactions.
• Health, dental, vision, and 401(k) with company match.
• A results-driven, entrepreneurial culture with high visibility to the CEO.