Senior Director, Corporate Development

Wiley•Hoboken, NJ

3d•$189,700 - $278,567

About The Position

Wiley is seeking a Senior Director in its Corporate Development team to drive the company's growth and shape its enterprise portfolio through transformative transactions globally. This role is crucial during Wiley's strategic transformation, focusing on opportunities in research & discovery, AI, content, and data services. Reporting to the Corporate Vice President, Head of Corporate Development, the Senior Director will manage the full M&A lifecycle, from origination to closing, in a fast-paced environment. This is a high-visibility position with C-suite exposure, suitable for a self-directed dealmaker who thrives with autonomy.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required.
8–10+ years of progressive experience in investment banking (M&A or coverage), private equity, venture capital, or corporate development at a company undergoing significant transformation.
Candidates with both investment banking and corporate development experience strongly preferred.
Deep expertise across the full M&A transaction lifecycle — origination, valuation, diligence, negotiation, and close.
Proven track record of leading multiple complex, time-sensitive transactions with real financial and strategic accountability.
Exceptional financial modeling skills with the ability to independently build and stress-test deal models.
Executive presence and communication skills, with the ability to influence and present to C-suite and Board-level stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to operate with a high degree of autonomy and self-direction in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.

Nice To Haves

MBA from a top-tier business school or graduate degrees in related discipline strongly preferred.
Experience in publishing, education technology, information services, or life sciences data is a strong plus.

Responsibilities

Build and maintain a disciplined M&A pipeline aligned with Wiley's strategic priorities in life sciences data services, AI-enabled publishing, and adjacent content and technology verticals.
Leverage market intelligence capabilities to deliver competitive intelligence and strategic foresight that informs the acquisition agenda.
Translate market dynamics into strategic recommendations that inform M&A prioritization.
Proactively identify and cultivate acquisition targets and partnership opportunities through market intelligence, industry relationships, and competitive analysis.
Expand and deepen relationships with external partners in investment banking, venture capital, financial sponsors, and other thought leaders.
Own the deal thesis from initial screen through executive and Board-level presentation.
Support investor relations and corporate marketing in articulating Wiley's M&A narrative and strategic differentiation.
Lead rigorous financial modeling and valuation work, including DCF, comparable company analysis, precedent transactions, and accretion/dilution modeling.
Assess risk-adjusted returns and strategic fit, framing trade-offs for senior decision-makers.
Partner closely with Finance to ensure disciplined assumptions and integration of strategic plans into financial frameworks.
Translate financial objectives to inform deal structuring and key transaction terms.
Own deal structuring and negotiation support, partnering with Legal to optimize transaction terms.
Lead all phases of due diligence — commercial, financial, legal, operational — coordinating cross-functional workstreams and external advisors.
Manage multiple simultaneous deals in a fast-paced transformation environment.
Collaborate with functional leaders and external vendors to develop integration plans that capture synergies and protect deal value.
Establish KPIs and performance frameworks to track post-close value creation.