By joining our rapidly growing Business Transformation practice (and working closely with our Private Equity practice) you will serve as a trusted partner to our premiere PE-backed clients. You’ll bring your first-hand experience, unique perspectives, and functional knowledge to deliver tailored integrated solutions that help our PE-backed clients solve today's challenges and drive value creation. As an Associate Director, you will be responsible for a mix of client delivery, leading teams and developing junior team members, and participating in business development activities. The successful candidate will lead and manage M&A integration programs for middle market private equity clients, ensuring seamless transitions and maximizing value creation from transactions. If you enjoy business transformation and driving value creation in the fast-paced world of Private Equity, this is a unique opportunity to become part of our growing and collaborative team!

What You'll Do:

• Lead M&A integration projects from planning through execution, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives

• Set up the IMO, define its governance structure, roles, and responsibilities, and ensure it operates effectively to manage all aspects of the integration process

• Develop and implement integration strategies, including transformation initiatives and risk mitigation

• Create detailed integration plans that outline key milestones, timelines, dependencies, and resource requirements, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives

• Identify and implement synergy opportunities across operations, finance, technology, and roles to maximize value creation from transactions

• Identify, document, and track the progress of Transition Service Agreements, ensuring a streamlined transaction process and TSA exit

• Engage with key stakeholders, including private equity firms, portfolio companies, and internal teams, to ensure alignment and collaboration throughout the integration process for a smooth integration of operations, systems, and culture

• Lead change management initiatives to ensure successful adoption of new processes, systems, and cultures within the integrated organization

• Manage the IMO cross-functionally, monitor and report on integration progress, identifying and addressing issues proactively

• Continuously assess and refine integration processes to improve efficiency and effectiveness, leveraging best practices and lessons learned from previous integrations

• Assist portfolio companies with executing scalable ‘buy-and-build’ strategies by developing and implementing repeatable integration playbooks

• Provide thought leadership and best practices in M&A integration within the middle market private equity space

• Lead client engagements, facilitate workshops, and build roadmaps of prioritized strategic initiatives to accelerate time to value

• Execute engagements utilizing agile principles – scrums, sprints, kanban, etc.

• Leverage expertise in leading business processes (e.g., Procure-to-Pay, Opportunity-to-Cash, Record-to-Report including Financial Planning/Analysis and Close, Recruit-to-Hire-to-Retire and Master Data Management) and cross-functional dependencies to implement best practices and provide value-added insights

• Utilize knowledge of finance tools, automation, data analytics, and cutting-edge solutions to meet client needs

• Support Business Transformation projects, including system strategy, process improvement, operational performance enhancement, change management, program management, data analytics, stakeholder management, and business analysis

• Effectively transition solutions back to private equity portfolio companies

• Develop and maintain relationships with portfolio company representatives and Private Equity sponsors, collaborating with CrossCountry team members to scope, clarify, and deliver excellent client service

• Seek opportunities to integrate additional solutions and service lines into clients to deliver full-scale transformation services aligned with client needs

• Play an active role in talent acquisition, including interviewing, hiring, and retaining top-tier professionals who embody our core values

• Serve as a coach and mentor to team members, fostering their professional growth and development

• Actively participate in business development opportunities and market a full range of services to prospective clients including using existing relationships to generate new opportunities

What You'll Bring:

• 10 + years of experience in M&A integration and project management

• Proven track record of managing complex integration projects within the middle market private equity space

• Strong understanding of private equity transactions and middle market dynamics

• Experience delivering to middle-market Private Equity Sponsors and their portfolio companies

• Experience selling to and delivering for senior executive client leaders (e.g., Operating Partners, Portfolio Support Teams, CFO, Controller)

• Experience delivering in fast paced environments with competing priorities and multiple key stakeholders

• Experience conversing with the Controllership/Accounting and FP&A teams, including fluent knowledge of the main elements and drivers of revenue recognition, income statements, balance sheet, statement of cash flow, budgets and forecasts.

• Knowledge of end-to-end Office of CFO (FP&A, Accounting, etc.)

• Experience with agile methodologies

• Advanced expertise of Microsoft Excel (e.g., macros, pivot tables, etc.) and PowerPoint

• Knowledge of financial systems and data analytics and related tools (e.g., Salesforce, NetSuite, Intacct, Dynamics, Adaptive, Coupa, OneStream, FloQast, Blackline, Tableau, Alteryx, SQL) a plus

• Experience mentoring and developing junior team members and helping project teams resolve issues

• Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or related area of study from an accredited university

• 9+ years’ experience working in a client-facing role at a public accounting firm or equivalent consulting firm

• Industry experience within the OCFO a plus

• MBA, CPA, CFA, CSM a plus

• Willingness to travel up to 40% as needed; travel varies based on client preferences.