Vice President, Corporate Development

WGI•West Palm Beach, FL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a highly motivated, intellectually curious, and analytical professional to join our team as the Vice President, Corporate Development executive in the West Palm Beach, FL office. The Vice President, Mergers & Acquisitions will own WGI's M&A Program end to end, from target identification through post-close integration. This role will be based at our West Palm Beach headquarters and reporting to the President, this leader will manage the acquisition pipeline, build relationships with owners and intermediaries, refine acquisition strategy, and direct the cross-functional teams that carry each deal through diligence, closing, and integration. At WGI, you will find talented, passionate associates providing exceptional service in collaborative, team-driven environments, all while having fun and enjoying the work they do. We work to stay ahead of the curve by investing in the latest tools and technology. As one of the nation’s top consulting firms, we consistently strive to promote efficiency, cultivate a culture our associates can proudly embrace, and empower our associates to advance their career growth at WGI, and beyond. WGI is always looking for remarkable individuals to join our team and help us grow in our vision. If you think you are an innovative, self-motivated team-player, and want to shape your community, join our WGI team today!

Requirements

Minimum of 10 years of M&A experience, with a track record of transactions led from origination through closing and integration.
Demonstrated experience leading M&A teams and directing cross-functional diligence and integration workstreams.
Experience in the Architecture and Engineering (AEC) industry, including familiarity with how professional services firms are valued, structured, and integrated.
Strong financial acumen, including valuation methods (EV/EBITDA, EV/Revenue), financial modeling, and quality of earnings analysis.
Working knowledge of transaction documents, including LOIs, purchase agreements, disclosure schedules, and escrow and earnout provisions.
Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, business, engineering, or a related field

Nice To Haves

MBA, CPA, CFA, or a related advanced degree or credential.
Corporate development experience at an AEC firm, or investment banking or private equity experience focused on the AEC sector.
Established relationships with AEC-focused brokers, bankers, and advisors.
Familiarity with government contracting, including FAR-based contracts, indirect rates, and A-E contract vehicles.
Experience with employee-ownership, profits interest, or other equity-based retention structures.
Doer –WGI needs someone who is a “doer” by nature. It requires a hands-on commitment to getting the work done as well as leading and managing.
Detail-oriented: Catches inconsistencies in data, models, and transaction documents, and holds advisors and teams to a high standard of accuracy.
Proactive: Anticipates issues before they become problems, drives deals forward without waiting for direction and seeks out new opportunities.
Excellent communicator: Builds trust with founders and owners, presents clearly to executives and the Board, and keeps large deal teams aligned.
Strong work ethic: Willing to work hard and put in the time required to meet demanding deal timelines and manage multiple transactions at once.
Sound judgment and integrity: Exercises discretion with confidential information and gives candid assessments of opportunities and risks.
Culture-minded: Understands that the people and culture of an acquired firm are central to a successful deal.
Innovation & Technology: Leans into emerging tools and technologies to improve performance, efficiency and the quality of their work. Embraces AI to expand their capacity.

Responsibilities

Build, maintain, and regularly update WGI's pipeline of acquisition opportunities, with clear status, priority, and next steps for each target.
Serve as WGI's primary point of contact for business brokers, investment bankers, and other intermediaries.
Establish and maintain relationships with owners and leaders that could lead to possible partnerships in the future.
Engage directly with owners of prospective firms to build relationships, assess fit, and cultivate proprietary (off-market) opportunities.
Report pipeline activity and deal status to the CEO, President, and executive leadership on a regular cadence, and prepare materials for the Board as needed.
Develop a deep understanding of WGI's acquisition strategy, including target geographies, service lines, client markets, and size thresholds.
Monitor market conditions, valuation trends, and competitor activity in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector.
Recommend adjustments to acquisition criteria and strategy as market conditions and WGI's priorities evolve.
Screen and evaluate opportunities against strategic, financial, and cultural criteria.
Lead valuation analysis and financial modeling and develop deal structures and terms.
Prepare investment memoranda and recommendations for executive and Board approval.
Negotiate and lead preparation of letters of intent and support negotiation of definitive purchase agreements with outside counsel.
Manage deal timelines, closing checklists, and coordination among internal teams, sellers, and outside advisors.
Lead and coordinate all diligence workstreams, including legal, financial, quality of earnings, tax, human resources and benefits, insurance, IT, operations, contracts, and project backlog.
Direct internal subject-matter experts and outside advisors (legal counsel, accountants, tax advisors, and others), setting scope, timelines, and deliverables.
Identify, document, and escalate key risks and issues, and translate findings into valuation adjustments, deal terms, or integration priorities.
Review transaction documents for accuracy and consistency across the deal.
Develop integration plans prior to closing, in partnership with operational leadership.
Lead integration workstreams, including people and culture, finance and accounting, HR and benefits, IT and systems, branding, and client communications.
Track integration milestones and post-close performance against the original investment case.
Manage post-close matters, including working capital true-ups, earnouts, and escrow releases.
Capture lessons learned and continuously improve WGI's M&A playbook.
Lead and develop WGI's M&A team, and direct cross-functional deal teams drawn from across the company.
Establish standard processes, templates, and tools for screening, diligence, and integration.