Strategy & Business Development - Senior Manager

Confidential Opportunity – Senior Manager, Strategy & Business Development (Chicago Area)

A high impact opportunity to step into a visible, standalone strategy & M&A role within a global industrial business undergoing significant growth and transformation.

This is not a typical corporate development position. It’s a chance to build and own the acquisition engine, working directly with senior leadership to shape where the business goes next.

The Opportunity

You will operate at the centre of the company’s growth agenda, combining strategy, market intelligence and hands-on M&A execution.

Key areas of focus include:

• Building and developing a pipeline of acquisition targets
• Leading market and space assessments to identify new growth areas
• Driving commercial due diligence and strategic evaluation
• Developing investment cases, valuation models, and board-level materials
• Partnering closely with senior leadership to define future growth strategy
• Engaging directly with targets and supporting end-to-end deal execution

This is a high-autonomy role, with real ownership from day one.

What Makes This Different

• True ownership – not a support role or banker-led process
• Direct exposure to President / C-suite
• Opportunity to shape new markets, not just analyse existing ones
• A business actively investing in growth through M&A
• A role designed to be built and defined by you

Ideal Profile

We are looking for individuals who combine strategic thinking with execution capability:

• Background in strategy consulting (Engagement Manager / Senior Manager level or equivalent)
• Experience in commercial due diligence, growth strategy, or market assessment
• Exposure to M&A / corporate development (buy-side preferred)
• Strong ability to “crack the answer” and build a clear narrative from complexity
• Comfortable operating with ambiguity, pace, and senior stakeholders
• Self-starter with a high level of ownership and intellectual curiosity

Industry experience in industrials, energy, or engineered products is helpful but not essential.

Location & Package

• Chicago area (primary talent market)
• On-site role with travel as required
• Competitive base salary ($160k–$200k ) 20% bonus

Why Consider This Role

This will appeal to someone looking to move from consulting into industry and:

• Take real ownership of strategy and M&A
• Work in a fast-moving, execution-focused environment
• Build something from the ground up
• Gain visibility and long-term career progression

Next Steps

This is a confidential search. For more information, please apply or reach out directly for an initial discussion.