Director, Corporate Development

Company: Cohen & Company
Location: Cleveland
Posted on: February 3, 2025

Job Description:

What You'll DoAre you seasoned at sourcing and leading M&A execution with a passion for exceptional relationship management and a strong background in investment banking, corporate development and/or private equity? Cohen & Co recently received a growth investment from Lovell Minnick Partners (a leading middle market private equity firm), and we have a unique opportunity for you to lead the Firm in pursuing its acquisition strategy to further drive our growth. The Director of Corporate Development is responsible for identifying and executing strategic growth opportunities for Cohen & Co, including mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and investments, by leading in-depth financial analysis, market research, due diligence, and deal negotiation to align with the Firm's long-term goals. This role is a high-impact position with visibility across senior management and the Board of Directors, with the ability to build a longstanding career at an established leader in assurance, tax, business advisory and broader professional services industry.

• Lead M&A activity at Cohen & Co, including sourcing, developing, and managing the M&A pipeline, opportunity evaluation and due diligence, negotiation of legal documents, closing and post-closing matters, integration planning and management of reverse due diligence.
• Establish relationships in target-rich environments and help forge and support relationships with key intermediaries and centers of influence, e.g. investment bankers, referral channels, industry groups.
• Work with Cohen & Co management to research and identify acquisition targets and perform initial evaluation of those companies.
• Work closely with Cohen & Co leadership and private equity investor (Lovell Minnick Partners) to develop and maintain a documentation process for all potential M&A activity, including M&A pipeline funnel, acquisition proposals and deal structure summaries.
• Keep Cohen & Co's Board of Directors apprised of material developments in M&A activity.
• Build financial models, valuation and risk/reward analyses for potential opportunities.
• Lead day-to-day due diligence and deal process from start to finish in close coordination with Cohen & Co management, Lovell Minnick Partners and third-party advisors.
• Work closely with the Cohen & Co finance team to manage post-closing matters, including escrows, true-ups, and earnouts payable.
• Oversight over Project Manager leading pre- and post-integration elements, acting as essential point of contact throughout integration phase.Who You AreRequired:
  • Bachelor's or MBA degree preferred; CPA, CFA or applicable credentials preferred.
  • 10+ years of relevant work experience; Investment Banking and/or Corporate Development experience preferred; experience working with Private Equity a plus.
  • Strong quantitative and financial modeling skills.
  • Experience working on all aspects of transactions (as described in above responsibilities).
  • Excellent communication and negotiation skills to interact with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Proven track record in identifying, evaluating, and executing strategic transactions.
  • Knowledge of relevant legal and regulatory frameworks related to mergers and acquisitions.
  • Experience in market research and competitive analysis.
  • Familiarity with transaction documents strongly preferred (will need to own the details of the various terms in the documents).
  • Poise and maturity to work directly with management teams and third parties (e.g. legal counsel, deal advisors) as well as quarterback deal process internally at Cohen & Co.
  • Passion for working hard and being part of a highly driven but collegial team while having significant autonomy and responsibility.
  • Experience in connecting and building strong relationships with others, with an ability to communicate clearly and persuasively; proven ability to engage and influence key internal and external stakeholders.Location:
    • Denver, CO; Chicago, IL; Baltimore, MD; Detroit or St. Clair Shores, MI; Akron, Cleveland, Youngstown, OH; Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, PA; Buffalo or New York, NY; Milwaukee, WI; Remote.
    • Hybrid work environment from one of our office locations OR remote.Who We Are#LifeatCohenSure, we like numbers. (But we'll never treat you like one.)At Cohen & Co our foundational principles offer insight into how we achieve an inclusive, growth-oriented culture that fuels the success of our firm, our clients and our people. In particular, we honor our foundational principle of "great people first" by:
      • Championing the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion by embracing the unique stories, backgrounds, perspectives and ideas that come from our people.
      • Offering a comprehensive and competitive Total Rewards package, which allows each employee to use the benefits that best suits their needs. Our offerings go beyond standard options, including time off outside of your standard PTO to give back to the community, annual discretionary merit increases and bonuses, talent development resources to tap into growth opportunities, and so much more!Learn More About Us!
        • Discover our Passion, Purpose & Expertise.
        • Experienced Hire Opportunities.
        • Learn more about our firm's culture and growth opportunities from our Executive Director of People & Culture!
        • Check out some of our leaders you'd be partnering closely with:
          • Chris Bellamy, CEO, Cohen & Co Advisory, LLC.
          • Corey McLaughlin, COO, Cohen & Co Advisory, LLC.
          • Marcy Kempf, Partner in Charge, Markets & Industries; Partner, Cohen & Co Advisory, LLC; Partner, Cohen & Company, Ltd.
          • Justin Thomas, Partner, Cohen & Co Advisory, LLC.Estimated Salary Range: $180,000 - 280,000*Salaries offered to candidates are determined based on factors such as candidate's relevant skillset, experience, licensure, and certifications, as well as job responsibilities, geography, market considerations, and organizational needs. At Cohen & Co, we don't stop at setting ourselves apart by offering competitive base compensation. As part of our 'great people first' foundational principle, our firm offers a comprehensive and competitive Total Rewards package that allows each employee to design a package that best suits their needs and goes beyond standard options, including time off outside of your standard PTO to recharge and give back to the community, annual discretionary merit increases and bonuses, talent development resources to tap into growth opportunities, and so much more!We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity of thought and background to build an inclusive and energized culture and better meet the needs of our clients.Agency recruiters may not submit unsolicited candidate information or resumes to any Cohen & Co employee without a recruiting services contract first being entered into with the Cohen & Co Talent Acquisition Team; see policy here.#LI-PROMO#LI-Hybrid
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Keywords: Cohen & Company, Warren , Director, Corporate Development, Accounting, Auditing , Cleveland, Ohio