Join our team.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and dynamic Synergy, Integration & Separation Associate Director / Manager?to join our growing boutique consultancy.

If you think Cortus Advisory Group sounds like a team you would like to join, please send your CV to [email protected].

About us:

We support Companies, Financial institutions and Private Equity investors through the provision of M&A services including financial due diligence, corporate finance, data analytics, financial modelling, turnaround and transformation, synergies and integration. In just over three years of trading, Cortus Advisory Group has become one of the fastest growing independent financial advisory boutiques in the UK with Group revenue growing from zero to ￡4m.

Cortus Advisory Group now operates across four UK offices: Leeds, Manchester, Preston and Nottingham.

The overall vision for Cortus is to create a truly collaborative and inclusive professional services business where everyone can have a varied, enjoyable, and successful career. A vehicle to facilitate positive social change and challenge the norms.

Our own working philosophy is particularly supportive, and you will have access to our market leading training and development programme, RISE, which focuses on technical skills, complex behavioural skills and coaching. As well as being mentored by our experienced team.

We are proud that many of our (repeat) clients put environmental concerns and ESG policies at the heart of their own business agendas.

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About the role:

?Launched at the start of 2024, our fast-growing Synergy, Integration and Separation (“SIS”) team is one of few firms nationally providing SIS services, and the only one dedicated to the mid-market. We work with both acquirers and sellers on acquisitions, mergers and divestments both pre- and post-deal.? Our three main propositions are:?

?Synergies: Looking at the potential cost/revenue benefits and associated one-off costs that can be achieved through an acquisition.? We typically work with clients to support the development of their synergy case and track those benefits post deal.?

?Integration: Developing the initial integration principles to drive the synergy case, building detailed Day One plans, including employee engagement and stakeholder communication and mobilising and establishing your integration programme. We roll up our sleeves and support clients to develop the integrated target operating model by function, help write and deliver detailed integration plans and provide ongoing support, both pre- and post-deal.?

?Separation: Achieving a seamless separation on Day One and beyond is the objective of any carve out programme. We support clients to evaluate all areas of separation complexity with a clear focus on the value implications for the retained business, as well as the business being sold. We start with an initial Separation Impact Assessment, identifying the critical areas by function and work with management teams to develop detailed functional plans focusing on how the businesses operate today, on Day One, and once fully separated/standalone.??

The role is ideally Manchester based, but travel to other offices / client locations expected (as required) with flexibility to also work from home.

About you:

We expect a successful Associate Director / Manager within SIS to:?

• Lead the design of engagements and take responsibility for leading day-to-day project delivery?
• Works with the engagement and concurring Partners appropriately, raising all key issues as appropriate?
• Fully understands and deals with risk management issues (including engagement letters, client acceptance procedures)?
• Build deep client relationships and be seen as the 'go to' person by our clients?
• Support the partner with pursuit and conversion of a pipeline of business development opportunities?
• Build and maintain a strong external network?

Your day-to-day client project responsibilities may include:?

• Development of initial synergy / integration / separation outputs and deliverables to required timescale, ready for partner review.??
• Lead client meetings to develop our outputs?
• Understanding how a business works across all functional areas (sales, marketing, supply chain, back office etc) and how interdependencies may arise?
• Problem-solving to build solutions for the integrated / separated business?
• Development of excel based workbooks to capture financial synergy or separation standalone cost analysis?
• Project management of an integration / separation programme?
• Coaching of more junior team and able to motivate different individuals?

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You will possess the following qualities:?

• ?Hands on experience working with senior stakeholders (C-suite), finance and functional teams within a business?
• Ability to work in ambiguity, work at pace, prioritise tasks and meet deadlines?
• Strong academic track record / professional qualifications?
• Strong problem-solving and analytical capabilities?
• Ability to evaluate complex challenges and deliver recommendations that can be implemented by the business?
• Strong financial acumen?
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including report writing?
• Fluency in or native English is essential?