Business Development

Crete Professionals Alliance•New York, NY

About The Position

Founded in 2023, Crete Professionals Alliance (Crete PA) delivers big four firepower to local American firms. Our rapid growth has made us a magnet for leading firms nationwide, eager to join our revolution in accounting. We empower small to mid-market firms with PE-backed capital, strategic technology partnerships, and innovative workforce solutions—including national recruiting and offshore support—while preserving a personal, local touch. With a presence in over half the US, 25+ regional offices, 1,000+ dedicated professionals, and offshore operations in Asia, we're the fastest-growing accounting firm in the nation and well on our way to the top 20. At Crete PA, our culture and relationships are the cornerstone of our success, and we’re always looking for talented, ambitious people to join our team. Since founding, Crete has partnered with 23 leading accounting firms to date, with significant growth anticipated through the remainder of the year. Our co-founders from ZBS Partners have a track record of launching four past successful companies, with combined enterprise value exceeding $3 billion, several now majority-owned by respected private equity firms. We plan to invest $500 million in the next two years to acquire accounting firms and equip them with artificial intelligence. In addition to ZBS, Crete is backed by leading technology investors Thrive Capital and Bessemer Venture Partners. Our partnership with Thrive and their recently launched Thrive Holdings strategy is accelerating our deployment of artificial intelligence, process automation, and advanced software into our partners companies. As a member of our Business Development team, you will be a key leader in our high-growth roll-up of accounting firms. This role is integral to our growth strategy and requires an experienced professional with a background in investment banking, private equity, or corporate development / M&A. You will partner closely with the VP of M&A (ex-Bain and New Mountain Capital) supporting and executing our M&A activities, identifying potential targets, conducting due diligence, and helping to drive the acquisition process from start to finish.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business, or related field
4+ years of experience in M&A, with a strong background in consulting, investment banking, private equity, or corporate development.
Proven track record of supporting and successfully closing M&A transactions; within the professional services industry preferred but not required.
Exceptional financial acumen and organization skills.
Strong project management capabilities and the ability to work across cross-functional teams.
Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills for engaging with stakeholders and presenting M&A opportunities.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Impeccable integrity and ethical
Self-aware, accepting, honest, open, and respectful of team members and stakeholders both internal and external
Ability to manage, train and mentor team members.
Excitement about creating an improved business model for local and regional accounting and professional services firms.

Nice To Haves

Extensive experience in supporting M&A activities in a high-growth roll-up environment.
In-depth knowledge of the accounting and professional services industry.
Strong network within the M&A and finance community.

Responsibilities

Support the end-to-end M&A process, including target sourcing, transaction structuring, due diligence, transaction execution, and hand-off to our core operational team.
Develop and maintain a robust pipeline of potential acquisition targets aligned with our business strategy.
Evaluate potential deals, conduct financial analysis, and prepare comprehensive business cases.
Work closely with legal, financial, compliance, insurance, and benefits advisors to drive efficient deal processes.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure successful post-acquisition integration.
Be willing to travel around the U.S., and at times potentially internationally, for business development meetings, as well as to our back office headquarters in Tampa, FL, as needed.
Share in Crete’s core values, while adding to Crete’s distinctive company culture.
Foster relationships with potential acquisition targets and industry contacts.
Conduct thorough due diligence, assessing financials, legal, operational, and cultural aspects of target companies.
Work closely with the VP of M&A to align M&A efforts with the company's strategic goals.
Encourage a culture of innovation within the operations function, exploring new technologies, processes, and methodologies to drive efficiency and competitive advantage.