The Director, Corporate Development & Capital Deployment will report to Marilyn Hirsch, SVP, Corporate Development & Capital Deployment. The corporate development group was formed within the office of the Chief Financial Officer in late 2010. Marilyn joined Allstate in 2015 to further build-out the team with responsibilities to build a team capable of market and financial analysis as well as execution of a wide range of transaction types spanning traditional M&A to joint ventures, strategic alliances and other hybrid forms of investment. The team currently consists of eight individuals, but there are plans to expand the corporate development group to 10-12 individuals. The Director will be responsible for developing analysts by providing mentoring, training and development, and managing internal and external recruiting.
The Director will work closely with the Corporate Development & Capital Deployment team and the executive team to develop growth plans and analyze a wide variety of strategic partners and alliances including acquisitions, joint ventures, and intellectual property agreements.
This role will evaluate strategic initiatives through all aspects of the process from target identification through deal analysis and valuation to negotiations and due diligence. The individual in this position will bring deal valuation and financial modeling expertise to the group. The broad responsibilities include making recommendations on new market opportunities, sizing and assessing markets, and identifying the risks and benefits of opportunities, and implications for Allstate.
Creating presentations for the executive strategy committee and the Allstate Board of Directors will be an important component of the role.
Key Responsibilities:
The ideal candidate will be experienced in M&A transactions with expertise in deal valuation and possess the maturity and interpersonal skills to work with corporate executives. The individual should be highly analytical and enjoy creative problem solving. He or she will have a strategic mindset, sound intellectual curiosity, and the ability to manage transaction processes.
He or she will have experience in an investment banking firm and/or a corporate development role, working with top executives on mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures. Deep experience with M&A transactions, especially deal valuation and financial modeling will be critical for success. Significant experience completing discounted cash flow analyses, determining the appropriate weighted average cost of capital (WACC), and assessing the quality of earnings will be essential knowledge to perform in the role. It is important to have experienced several deals, ideally through the full transaction, including participation in negotiations. Experience with more complex deals will be a plus. Knowledge of the insurance industry and/or financial services would be beneficial, but the individual may have experience across a variety of industries.
An understanding of the nuances of corporate decision-making either through working closely with corporate clients or experience working directly for a corporation is important to be effective. The individual must have maturity and an executive presence to effectively work with Allstate’s executive management team. The ability to build relationships and influence executives is necessary to be successful in this role. Comfort with ambiguity and the ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment is essential for success.
With extensive experience in leading and managing cross-functional teams; the ideal candidate possesses project management skills and the ability to lead a small team. He or she will have the ability to manage multiple priorities given aggressive timelines and ability to perform in a fast-paced, dynamic and ambiguous business environment and ability to manage internal and external resources.
Additionally, he or she will have the ability to design and structure documents to effectively communicate with the executive team to drive alignment and decision-making.
He or she must have the personal and professional attributes, which are consistent with the Company’s stated values. These include dealing effectively with ambiguity, change, and the ability to adapt appropriately to a range of situations. It is essential that he or she focus on exceptional customer service and drive innovation to create an atmosphere that supports new ideas and initiatives.
Job Qualifications:
- 5+ years of post-MBA transaction execution experience either in corporate development / M&A department of a corporation, or an investment bank or similar financial services institution. Private equity experience also applicable
- Demonstrated leadership skills in managing all facets of a deal with minimal oversight from more senior team members; ability to drive results for multiple projects in parallel
- Expertise in screening and analyzing potential opportunities for strategic fit and conducting business and financial due diligence
- Must have direct experience building valuation models, screening targets, structuring transactions, negotiating, and creating transaction documents
- Collaborative individual with prior experience leading large and cross-functional teams
- Strong quantitative and analytical skills; effective verbal and written communication
- Strategic thinker with intellectual curiosity; has creative insight and ability to develop new ideas beyond already analyzed options
- Experience in building trust with and influencing senior-level stakeholders
- Demonstrated ability to build, develop, and lead high performance teams
- MBA from top Business School and insurance/financial services industry experience highly preferred
If interested, please apply here.
