Product Technology M&A Director

Grant Thornton • Chicago, IL

15h • Hybrid

About The Position

As a Product Technology Director you’ll focus on evaluating software platforms
through an integrated commercial, operational, and financial lens. The team
provides investment-grade insights that tie product architecture and roadmap
credibility directly to valuation, growth, and margin sustainability. Lead
Product Technology Diligence engagements for Private Equity and strategic
clients, assessing software platforms across technical architecture, product
strategy, operational scalability, and financial sustainability. This role
requires the ability to tie commercial, operational, and financial performance
of a software platform directly to its technology architecture and roadmap.

From day one, you’ll be empowered to help clients make the moves that will help
them achieve their vision and help you achieve more, confidently.

Requirements

• 10+ years in product architecture leadership, product tech diligence, CTO advisory, or software platform strategy
• Experience in PE-backed or high-growth SaaS environments
• Deep understanding of SaaS business models, cloud-native architectures, data platforms, and DevOps
• Experience tying technology findings to commercial and financial outcomes
• Executive presence
• Strong commercial acumen
• Ability to translate architecture into valuation impact
• Structured and hypothesis-driven thinker
• Ability to operate in deal timelines
• Ability to travel up to 50%

Responsibilities

• Lead buy-side and sell-side Product Technology Diligence engagements
• Assess product architecture, scalability, security, and extensibility
• Evaluate roadmap credibility against commercial growth thesis
• Analyze technical debt and modernization requirements
• Evaluate AI and data platform maturity
• Assess DevOps, SDLC maturity, and engineering productivity
• Tie product roadmap to ARR growth, NRR expansion, pricing power, and customer acquisition efficiency
• Assess technical enablers and constraints impacting margin structure and hosting costs
• Evaluate engineering cost base and R&D investment requirements
• Develop forward-looking capital investment views and EBITDA impact assessments
• Support valuation narratives based on platform strength and scalability
• Evaluate engineering organization structure and scalability
• Assess product management maturity and governance
• Analyze release cadence and roadmap execution risk
• Identify talent gaps and key person dependencies
• Lead management interviews (CTO, CPO, Engineering Leads)
• Develop executive-ready reports with investment implications
• Present findings to PE deal teams and portfolio leadership
• Mentor Managers and Senior Consultants
• Support proposal development and commercial structuring

Benefits

• Whether it's your work location, weekly schedule, or flex time off, we empower you with the options to work the way that it best serves your clients and your life. Consistent with the firm's hybrid work model, this position will require in-person attendance at least three days per week, either at a GT office or client site.
• Here, you are supported to prioritize your overall well-being through work-life integration options that work best for you and those in your household.
• We understand that your needs, responsibilities and experiences are different — and we think that’s a good thing. That’s why we support you with personalized and comprehensive benefits that recognize and empower all the identities, roles and aspirations that make you, well, you.
• Grant Thornton interns are eligible to participate in the firm’s medical, dental and vision insurance programs and the firm’s employee assistance program. Interns also receive a minimum of 72 hours of paid sick leave, and are paid for firm holidays that fall within their internship period.
• Grant Thornton seasonal employees are eligible to participate in the firm’s medical, dental and vision insurance programs and the firm’s employee assistance program. Seasonal employees may also be eligible to participate in the firm’s 401(k) savings plan and employee retirement plan in accordance with applicable plan terms and eligibility requirements. Seasonal employees receive a minimum of 72 hours of paid sick leave.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed