Associate, Corporate Development

KeHE Distributors, LLC•Naperville, IL

About The Position

The Corporate Development Associate will play a key role in evaluating and executing mergers and acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and other corporate development initiatives. The role works directly with senior leadership to drive inorganic growth and long-term value creation. The employee is expected to act consistently with KeHE’s Mission, Vision, and Values. The position leads financial analysis and supports all phases of M&A transactions, including target identification, valuation, due diligence, deal structuring, negotiation support, and closing. It also includes sourcing and screening potential acquisition targets, managing the corporate development pipeline, coordinating cross-functional due diligence, and partnering with integration teams on readiness planning and post-close execution. The Associate conducts industry and competitive research, prepares Board-ready presentations and investment committee memoranda, and supports strategic projects such as divestitures, joint ventures, minority investments, partnership evaluations, and capital allocation analyses. Other duties and projects may be assigned.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, or a related field.
Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in investment banking, including M&A, leveraged finance, or coverage groups with significant M&A exposure.
Expert-level financial modeling and valuation skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, with advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills.
Strong analytical and quantitative skills and exceptional attention to detail.
Ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously under tight deadlines.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to distill complex analyses into clear, executive-level narratives.
Experience using AI-driven tools to optimize data extraction and analysis and enhance decision-making processes.

Nice To Haves

Exposure to the consumer goods, food and beverage, distribution, or retail sectors.
Familiarity with industry databases and tools such as Capital IQ and PitchBook.
MBA or progress toward CFA designation.
Experience in middle-market or large-cap M&A advisory.

Responsibilities

Lead financial analysis and support all phases of M&A transactions, including target identification, valuation, due diligence, deal structuring, negotiation support, and closing.
Build and maintain financial models, including DCF analyses, pro forma synergy analyses, comparable company analyses, precedent transaction analyses, and ESOP-specific valuation considerations.
Source and screen acquisition targets and maintain and manage the corporate development pipeline.
Coordinate cross-functional due diligence across finance, operations, legal, tax, HR, and IT, and synthesize findings into recommendations.
Conduct industry research, competitive landscape assessments, and market mapping to identify trends, white-space opportunities, and potential targets.
Partner with integration teams on Day 1 readiness planning, synergy identification, and post-close execution tracking.
Prepare Board-ready presentations, investment committee memoranda, and management updates on deal rationale, financial impact, and strategic fit.
Support strategic projects, including divestitures, joint ventures, minority investments, partnership evaluations, and capital allocation analyses.
Perform other duties and projects as assigned.