Upwork ($UPWK) is the world’s work marketplace. We serve everyone from one-person startups to large, Fortune 100 enterprises with a powerful, trust-driven platform that enables companies and talent to work together in new ways that unlock their potential.
Last year, more than $3.8 billion of work was done through Upwork by skilled professionals who are gaining more control by finding work they are passionate about and innovating their careers.
The Vice President of Corporate Development and M&A will spearhead Upwork's growth initiatives through strategic mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships. This role involves crafting and executing Upwork's M&A strategy, leading all aspects of the deal process, and ensuring successful post-merger integrations. By working closely with Upwork's CFO and leadership team, you will play a critical role in shaping Upwork's future, driving long-term value creation and sustaining our position as a leader in the global freelance marketplace. This role will have one direct report.
Your Responsibilities:

• Strategic M&A Leadership: Formulate and refine Upwork's M&A strategy to support our growth objectives and competitive positioning.
• Deal Execution Excellence: Lead the end-to-end M&A process, including target identification, due diligence, negotiations, and transaction closure.
• Seamless Post-Merger Integration: Oversee the integration of acquired companies, ensuring strategic objectives are met and value is maximized.
• Strategic Partnerships: Cultivate relationships with potential M&A targets, investment banks, venture capital firms, and other relevant entities.
• Market Intelligence: Conduct in-depth market and competitive analysis to identify emerging trends, opportunities, and potential threats.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Engage closely with Finance, Legal, and operational teams to evaluate financial implications and operational synergies of M&A activities.

What it takes to catch our eye:

• Proven Experience: At least 15 years of professional experience with a significant focus on M&A. Prior strategic consulting experience with top firms (e.g., McKinsey, Bain, BCG) is highly desirable.
• Strategic and Analytical Thinking: Exceptional capability in analytical problem-solving, strategic planning, and executing complex projects.
• Leadership and Influence: Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional projects and influence senior leadership decisions.
• Operational Expertise: Strong operational focus with the ability to dive deep into business drivers and identify opportunities for improvement and value creation.
• Communication Skills: Excellent communication abilities to articulate strategic visions, negotiate deals, and lead integration efforts effectively.

Come change how the world works.
At Upwork, you’ll shape talent solutions for how the world works today. We are a remote-first organization working together to create exciting remote work opportunities for a global community of professionals. While we have physical offices in San Francisco and Chicago, currently we also hire full-time employees in 19 states in the United States.
At the core of our vibrant culture are shared values that form the foundation of our organization. These values revolve around trust, risk-taking, customer focus, and excellence. Our overarching mission is to create economic opportunities so that people have better lives. We foster an environment where individuals are encouraged to bring their authentic selves to work, nurturing personal and professional growth through development opportunities, mentorship programs, and participation in Upwork Belonging Communities.
We take pride in providing exceptional benefits to our employees. These include comprehensive medical insurance coverage for both you and your family, unlimited paid time off, a 401(k) plan with matching contributions, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. To explore these benefits in detail, as well as gain insights into our company values, working principles, and the overall employee experience, we invite you to visit our Life at Upwork page.
Check out our Careers page to learn more about the employee experience.
Upwork is proudly committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we never discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.
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