M&A & Strategic Projects Manager – (Ref: 100)
The role can be based at either Leicester / Salisbury / Bolton / Bristol or Wimbledon
Permanent
Full Time
Role Summary
WBR Group is seeking a commercially minded and highly organised M&A & Strategic Projects Manager to provide hands‑on support across the Group’s acquisition, proposition and transformation agenda.Initially focused on key strategic projects and wider M&A activity, the role will support the evaluation of opportunities, coordinate due diligence, help manage transaction execution and lead practical integration planning and delivery.This is not a traditional project management role. The successful candidate will be comfortable getting into the detail, analysing information, solving problems and personally driving actions through to completion. The role will provide additional execution capacity to the Chief Commercial Officer and work closely with senior stakeholders, subject matter experts and external advisers.The role will focus on opportunity evaluation, due diligence, execution and integration rather than deal origination, which will continue to be supported through WBR’s existing team and relationships.
Key Accountabilities
M&A and Due Diligence
- Support the assessment of potential acquisition opportunities, including co‑ordinating commercial and financial analysis.
- Coordinate financial, legal, regulatory, operational and technology due diligence workstreams with internal and external stakeholders.
- Work with internal subject matter experts and external advisers to obtain, review and analyse information.
- Maintain due diligence trackers, risks, dependencies and outstanding information requests.
- Distil complex information into clear findings, recommendations and decision points for senior stakeholders.
- Support transaction execution through to completion.
- Help develop and continuously improve WBR’s M&A playbook and supporting tools.
Post-Acquisition Integration
- Support stakeholders in developing practical integration plans for acquired businesses and portfolios.
- Coordinate delivery across relevant business subject matter experts, while ensuring workstream owners retain accountability for their specialist areas.
- Maintain overall visibility of actions, risks, dependencies and decisions.
- Identify delivery issues early and escalat e where necessary.
- Track progress against the acquisition rationale and agreed integration priorities.
- Support clear communications for employees, clients, advisers and other stakeholders where required.
Strategic Projects
- Support other transformation and growth initiatives, including Project Neo (our digital transformation project), where required.
- Undertake research and analysis to support commercial decisions and new propositions.
- Translate strategic objectives into practical plans, actions and deliverables.
- Step into emerging priorities where additional commercial and analytical capacity is required.
Governance and Reporting
- Prepare concise updates, business cases, presentations and decision papers for senior stakeholders where needed.
- Ensure actions have clear owners and are followed through to completion.
- Ensure risks and issues are understood, actively managed and escalated where appropriate in conjunction with the Risk and Compliance function.
- Comply with the Health & Safety Guidelines as set out in the Health & Safety Management System document.
- Demonstrate behaviours in line with our Company Values “PEER”.
- Ensure compliance with Company policies, procedures and guidelines.
- The role may be subject to credit and DBS checks.
Skills & Experience Required
Essential
- Exposure to acquisitions, due diligence, transaction execution or post‑acquisition integration.
- Strong numerical and analytical ability.
- Excellent organisation and the ability to manage several workstreams simultaneously.
- Ability to interrogate information, identify gaps and ask effective questions.
- Strong Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint skills.
- Excellent written communication, with the ability to summarise complex information clearly.
- Commercially curious and able to learn unfamiliar areas quickly.
- Confident working with senior stakeholders while remaining prepared to get into the detail.
- Strong personal ownership, sound judgement and a bias towards action.
- Able to work independently, prioritise effectively and move work forward without extensive direction.
- Pragmatic, solutions‑focused, resilient and adaptable.
- Comfortable challenging senior leaders respectfully and constructively.
Desirable
- Experience in audit, accountancy, corporate finance, transaction services, consulting or a comparable analytical environment.
- Experience within financial or professional services.
- Experience of working in a regulated environment.
- Knowledge of pensions, including SSAS or SIPP administration.
Qualification Requirements
Desirable
- Accountancy or finance qualification, or progress towards a relevant qualification, such as ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent.
- A relevant degree or equivalent practical experience in finance, accountancy, economics, business or a related discipline.
Application deadline: 30/10/2026
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