Vice President of Acquisitions & Financial Planning

Esquire Law • Palm Beach Gardens, FL

13d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Vice President of Acquisitions and Financial Planning will lead Esquire Law Services' enterprise financial planning and analysis function and its acquisition program. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, this executive will create an integrated view of operating performance, cash, capital and growth; build and manage a disciplined acquisition pipeline; lead financial underwriting and transaction execution; and maintain accountability through post-close integration and value realization. The Vice President will serve as a central advisor to the CEO and Board of Directors and coordinate leaders, acquisition targets, lenders, legal counsel, accountants and other transaction partners. Integrated ownership mandate: Connect enterprise forecasts and capital decisions to acquisition strategy, deal economics and integration results. Every material forecast, investment decision and transaction should have documented assumptions, clear ownership, timely executive reporting and measurable outcomes.

Requirements

• At least 8 years of progressive experience across FP&A, strategic finance, private equity, corporate development, investment banking, transaction advisory or a closely related field, including enterprise planning and full-cycle transaction execution.
• Direct private equity, sponsor-backed corporate development or comparable transaction experience, with demonstrated ownership of acquisitions from sourcing or evaluation through diligence, negotiation, closing and integration.
• Expert ability to build integrated financial statements, driver-based forecasts, cash-flow analyses, valuations, return models, transaction models and scenarios.
• Deep understanding of profitability, working capital, liquidity, leverage, capital allocation, deal structures and the operating drivers behind business results.
• Demonstrated ability to create Board-ready materials, explain complex financial and transaction matters clearly, and challenge assumptions constructively.
• Track record leading teams, advisors and cross-functional workstreams through competing priorities, sensitive information and fixed deadlines.
• Advanced Excel and financial-modeling skills plus experience with ERP or accounting systems, planning tools and business-intelligence platforms.
• Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, economics, business or a related field; equivalent directly relevant experience may be considered.

Nice To Haves

• MBA, CPA, CFA or a comparable finance, accounting or investment credential.
• Experience in legal services, professional services, healthcare, multi-site operations or another regulated, people-intensive business.
• Experience in a private equity-backed, sponsor-owned, acquisitive or investor-reporting organization.
• Experience implementing or optimizing enterprise planning software, Power BI or comparable analytics and reporting tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead annual budgeting, rolling forecasts and long-range planning across entities, offices, practice areas and operating functions.
• Build linked income statement, balance sheet, cash-flow and operating models that incorporate organic initiatives, acquisitions and operational changes.
• Translate case volume, intake conversion, staffing, productivity, marketing, settlement timing, fees and other operating drivers into financial outcomes.
• Maintain KPIs, dashboards and scorecards that make revenue, profitability, productivity, cash generation and strategic execution clear and measurable.
• Measure forecast accuracy, explain material variances and continuously improve assumptions, source data and planning methods.
• Translate enterprise growth priorities into target profiles, market theses, investment criteria and actionable sourcing plans.
• Build and maintain a qualified pipeline through direct outreach, referrals, advisors, industry relationships and proprietary research.
• Assess strategic fit, ownership objectives, transaction readiness, financial profile, operating quality, cultural alignment and probability of close before resources are committed.
• Develop trusted relationships with owners, sellers, intermediaries and key decision-makers while protecting confidentiality and maintaining momentum.
• Analyze historical and projected revenue, earnings, cash flow, working capital, debt, owner adjustments, concentration, productivity and operating drivers.
• Develop valuation ranges, stand-alone and combined forecasts, and return analyses using appropriate multiples, discounted cash flow, comparable transactions and scenario-based methods.
• Model purchase price, financing needs, cash at close, earnouts, seller financing, rollover equity, holdbacks, working-capital adjustments, synergies, integration costs and downside protections.
• Partner with leadership and legal, tax and finance advisors to evaluate transaction structures and negotiate key business terms within approved parameters.
• Identify assumptions, sensitivities, risks and value-creation levers and provide the CEO and Board with an independent, evidence-based recommendation.
• Build and manage a coordinated diligence process covering financial, legal, tax, regulatory, technology, cybersecurity, human capital, benefits, facilities, insurance and operations.
• Maintain the data room, deal calendar, responsibility matrix, issue and decision logs, transaction budget, approval record and closing checklist.
• Direct the work of attorneys, accountants, quality-of-earnings providers, lenders, consultants and internal subject-matter experts.
• Coordinate business input into letters of intent, term sheets, purchase agreements, disclosure schedules and ancillary agreements, and secure required CEO, Board and other approvals before commitments are made.
• Confirm financing, funds flow, consents, regulatory requirements, employment matters, transition services and closing conditions, then lead the final transaction cadence and post-close handoff.
• Begin planning during diligence so Day 1 priorities, communications, leadership decisions and operational dependencies are resolved before closing.
• Develop and govern a 30/60/90-day plan with owners, milestones, risks and success measures across people, finance, technology, operations, brand, facilities and compliance.
• Convert the approved investment case into measurable revenue, cost, talent, technology and operating targets and monitor actual performance against those assumptions.
• Escalate variances, drive corrective action and conduct lessons-learned reviews that strengthen future acquisitions and integration playbooks.
• Prepare concise monthly and quarterly reporting for the CEO and Board of Directors that explains results, drivers, risks, opportunities and required actions.
• Develop decision-ready financial narratives, investment summaries, scenario analyses, approval recommendations and post-close performance updates.
• Evaluate market expansion, staffing, marketing, technology, facilities, service expansion and operating-model choices using return, payback, cash and risk measures.
• Work with functional leaders to turn performance gaps and strategic priorities into accountable actions, measurable outcomes and timely decisions.
• Prioritize organic and acquisition investments based on strategic fit, expected return, cash requirements, timing and execution risk.
• Forecast cash availability, working-capital needs and downside liquidity under normal and stressed operating conditions.
• Analyze debt, equity and hybrid financing alternatives and their impact on leverage, liquidity, control, covenants and returns.
• Evaluate financing proposals, pricing, maturities and commercial terms and clearly explain their financial and operational implications.
• Maintain documented assumptions, validation checks, version control, source ownership, audit trails and disciplined access standards for material models and transaction information.
• Improve planning platforms, ERP and accounting data, business intelligence, workflow automation and governed self-service reporting.
• Maintain repeatable FP&A and acquisition playbooks, templates, approval thresholds, diligence standards and transaction records.
• Build and develop a high-performing FP&A and transaction capability with clear roles, service expectations, analytical standards, accountability and succession planning.
• Protect sensitive client, employee, target, seller, financial, legal, lender, shareholder and Board information and ensure unresolved material risks remain visible to decision-makers.

Benefits

• Connect enterprise forecasts and capital decisions to acquisition strategy, deal economics and integration results.
• Every material forecast, investment decision and transaction should have documented assumptions, clear ownership, timely executive reporting and measurable outcomes.
• The role provides financial, commercial and transaction leadership but does not independently provide legal, tax, audit, broker-dealer or investment-banking services or bind the company to a transaction without written authorization.
• Responsibilities may evolve as the organization expands, completes acquisitions and strengthens its planning, reporting and integration capabilities.
• Reasonable accommodations will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable law.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive