Senior Associate, Corporate Development & M&A (Platform & Strategic Investments)

Create Music Group•Los Angeles, CA

9d•$125,000 - $185,000

About The Position

Reporting to the SVP, Corporate Development & M&A, the Senior. Associate, Corporate Development & M&A (Platform & Strategic Investments) is an individual contributor responsible for identifying, evaluating, developing and executing acquisition, investment, label & publishing, and other strategic opportunities across the global music and entertainment ecosystem. The role combines proactive deal sourcing and opportunity development with rigorous investment analysis, diligence, underwriting and execution. The Sr. Associate will apply strong commercial and analytical judgment to assess business quality, financial performance, market dynamics, valuation, risk, and strategic fit and help determine which opportunities warrant further consideration. Working closely with the SVP, the Senior. Associate will help develop the Corporate Development pipeline and investment theses, collaborating with M&A as opportunities progress into formal diligence and transaction execution and with Finance & Strategy on capital requirements, financing considerations, and broader enterprise financial impact. The ideal candidate brings the analytical rigor of a private equity, investment banking, corporate development, or similar transaction background, along with the commercial instincts and relationship-building skills to identify and develop opportunities in the market. Success in this role requires combining proactive sourcing and market development with disciplined analysis and diligence to help the Company identify investment opportunities with the potential to drive profitable growth and long-term enterprise value.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Business, Accounting, or a related discipline preferred; relevant professional experience in investment analysis, diligence, underwriting, corporate development, or a related field may be considered in lieu of a degree in these disciplines
2 - 4 years of relevant experience in private equity, growth equity, investment banking, corporate development, or a comparable investment or transaction environment
Experience conducting financial, commercial, and/or strategic diligence in connection with acquisitions, investments, or other strategic opportunities
Strong financial modeling, valuation, financial statement analysis, and investment underwriting capabilities
Ability to evaluate business performance, pressure-test assumptions, identify key risks and opportunities, and develop well-supported analyses and recommendations
Experience supporting deal sourcing and opportunity development through market research, market mapping, targeted outreach, relationship development, or industry networks
Strong commercial instincts and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build productive relationships with founders, executives, investors, advisors, and other external stakeholders
Experience contributing to investment theses, transaction analysis, investment cases, or other decision-making materials for senior leadership or investment committees
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex financial and commercial analysis into clear, concise insights and recommendations
Highly analytical, intellectually curious, proactive, and comfortable working independently while collaborating closely with senior team members and cross-functional partners
Advanced proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint required, with proficiency in Google Workspace.

Nice To Haves

Experience within entertainment, media, technology, or another relevant sector, including experience with an investment firm, investment bank, corporate development team, or institutional advisory environment, is a plus but not required
Familiarity with CRM and deal pipeline management platforms such as Salesforce, DealCloud, Affinity, or similar systems used for sourcing, relationship management, and deal tracking
Familiarity with financial and market intelligence platforms such as Capital IQ, PitchBook, Bloomberg, FactSet, or comparable financial research and transaction databases; experience with data analytics and AI-enabled research and productivity tools is a plus

Responsibilities

Identify and source acquisition, investment, label, publisher, joint venture, and other strategic opportunities across music, entertainment, digital media, technology, and adjacent sectors
Help build and maintain a proprietary deal pipeline through market mapping, thematic research, targeted outreach, industry relationships, referrals, and intermediaries
Build and cultivate relationships with founders, executives, label and publisher owners, investors, bankers, advisors, and other industry participants across markets and geographies, in partnership with the SVP, Corporate Development
Support the SVP, Corporate Development in conducting preliminary financial, commercial, and strategic diligence of prospective opportunities
Evaluate business models, historical financial performance, revenue quality, profitability, growth drivers, competitive positioning, market dynamics, concentration risks, and other key investment considerations
Analyze financial and operating information, pressure-test assumptions and forecasts, and identify material risks or areas requiring deeper diligence
Develop and contribute to investment theses and preliminary valuation, return, and scenario analyses to assess the financial and strategic attractiveness of opportunities
Provide analysis and recommendations to the SVP, Corporate Development regarding opportunities under consideration for advancement into the formal M&A process
Prepare concise investment cases/memos, diligence findings, financial analyses, and recommendations for review by the SVP and senior leadership
Collaborate with the M&A team as opportunities progress into detailed diligence, valuation, structuring, negotiation, and transaction execution
Coordinate with Finance & Strategy following initial opportunity vetting to support evaluation of broader financial implications, including capital requirements, financing considerations, and enterprise financial impact
Monitor and research industry trends, emerging business models, market activity, and potential targets to identify new areas for investment and growth
Other duties as assigned