Practice Area Lead, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)

About the role The M&A Practice Area Lead will own and scale Core’s Mergers, Acquisitions, and Partnerships (MAP) practice - a cornerstone of Core’s Business Model Transformation. This leader will guide institutions through the full lifecycle of strategic transactions - from financial runway assessment and pre-LOI design to due diligence, integration, and post-merger activation. This role combines strategic insight, deal-making acumen, and institutional empathy, translating opportunity into executable models of shared strength. The ideal candidate is a builder - equally fluent in corporate development and higher education strategy, capable of leading teams that turn institutional collaboration into system-level transformation. What you'll do Practice Leadership • Lead and grow Core’s M&A / MAP practice area, establishing methodology, playbooks, and success metrics for transaction design and integration. • Serve as a senior advisor to presidents, boards, and CFOs on mergers, affiliations, partnerships, and system formation. • Build a strong pipeline of engagements in collaboration with Core’s business development and partnerships team. • Represent Core in sector forums, conferences, and board-level discussions, articulating the value of system-enabled growth. Engagement Delivery • Oversee all phases of M&A engagements - including strategy development, opportunity screening, financial and operational modeling, due diligence, and post-transaction integration design. • Direct multi-disciplinary Core teams (finance, technology, HR, and governance) to deliver coordinated, data-driven analyses and recommendations. • Lead deal structuring and LOI-to-agreement progression, working in concert with institutional and legal counsel. • Ensure that every engagement aligns with Core’s mission of strengthening independence through shared capacity. Operational and Financial Oversight • Manage project economics, staffing, and resource allocation across engagements. • Partner with Core’s finance team to establish deal budgets, forecasts, and margin targets. • Track and report on practice-level performance indicators, driving continuous improvement. Thought Leadership and Growth • Shape Core’s intellectual capital in M&A and system design, developing frameworks, case studies, and best practices. • Mentor emerging leaders across the firm to strengthen expertise in transaction design and institutional integration. • Contribute to the evolution of Core’s Private Systems model as a platform for multi-institution collaboration and growth. Qualifications • 10+ years of experience in higher education strategy, M&A advisory, investment banking, or management consulting - with a strong record of leading complex transactions or system integrations. • Deep understanding of higher education finance, governance, and institutional operations. • Proven experience managing senior client relationships at the president, board, or CFO level. • Strong financial modeling, valuation, and scenario analysis skills. • Exceptional communication and presentation ability — able to distill complexity into clarity for diverse audiences. • Demonstrated success in building and scaling a practice, business line, or team. • Entrepreneurial mindset: thrives in a growth-oriented, mission-driven organization. Core Attributes • Builder Mentality: Creates new systems and structures where none exist. • Strategic Operator: Connects vision to execution with precision and pace. • Collaborative Leader: Works across practice areas to deliver unified, high-impact outcomes. • Mission-Driven: Believes in strengthening independent institutions through shared capability and modernization. Apply tot his job Apply To this Job