Director Mergers and Acquisitions

Director I Mergers & Acquisitions

Ahold Delhaize is exploring acquisitions in support of its growth strategy and is looking to add an experienced Director to its global mergers & acquisitions team. The Director Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) will report and closely work with the Vice President M&A to develop and execute an acquisition strategy aligned with Ahold Delhaize’s growth plans. The individual will be responsible for screening and evaluating potential transactions from internal and external sources and will initiate, prepare and leas all aspects of the transaction process, from overseeing target identification and diligence to transaction structuring and negotiation, to closing and merger integration planning.

About Ahold Delhaize

We’re Ahold Delhaize, one of the world’s largest food retail groups and a leader in both supermarkets and e-commerce. Together with our 19 strong local retail brands all over the world, we aim to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our customers, our people and the world around us. We offer a highly dynamic, international work environment in which our employees thrive.

Your new work environment

As Director M&A US, you will be involved in transactions with corporate wide impact and will closely collaborate with our operating Companies / Brands in the US. You will be given the freedom and responsibility to take ownership of your work and broaden your horizons by working together with knowledgeable colleagues from different countries who have an abundance of expertise in many areas. We will continuously support you and help you build on your talents and skills for the future.

You will be given the freedom and responsibility to take ownership of your work and broaden your horizons by working together with knowledgeable colleagues from different countries who have an abundance of expertise in many areas. We will continually invest in you and help you build on your talents and skills for the future.

Key responsibilities of your role

Your role is highly diverse and encompasses various responsibilities. Here are the key ones:

Lead and coordinate M&A transactions

•  Manage all aspects of deal execution, including transaction coordination, deal modeling and valuation, structuring, due diligence, negotiation and integration planning. 

•  Act as multidisciplinary and cross-regional M&A project manager, coordinating the transaction team to meet key M&A process milestones. Proactively identify critical issues and ensure timely communication to relevant stakeholders. 

•  Collaborate with the VP M&A to allocate resources effectively across projects and facilitate seamless coordination between internal teams (brands, functions within the group) and external advisors, such as lawyers, consultants, and investment bankers.

Market Analysis & Network 

•  Working with senior leadership to analyze possible new opportunities for Ahold Delhaize to explore. 

•  Research and assess potential acquisition, merger, or divestment opportunities within target markets identified by senior leadership. 

•  Perform analysis and provide preliminary data and target insights to the VP M&A and senior leadership for initial evaluation.  

•  Maintaining relationships with bankers, lawyers, private equity investors, entrepreneurs and other industry executives to stay informed of any potential acquisition opportunities and relevant market intelligence 

Due Diligence

•  Assist in managing the due diligence process, working closely with internal stakeholders, including Group staff, operating companies (OpCo) management, and external advisors. 

•  Review due diligence findings, prepare summaries, and support the preparation of reports for the steering committee and senior leadership. 

Valuation

•  Build valuation model based on the input/business case from the operating companies (OpCo)

•  Assess value creation as well as other key valuation metrics 

•  Ensure leadership can review proposals in a consistent and comparable manner across projects

Project Proposals 

•  Collaborate with OpCo management in preparing proposals for projects that involve OpCos, ensuring alignment with business goals. 

•  Work alongside the VP M&A on project proposals for corporate-wide transactions or joint ventures, providing detailed analysis and recommendations.

Negotiate M&A contract

•  Participate in or support negotiations, ensuring timely approvals and mandates are obtained from senior leadership. 

•  Prepare and present insights on potential purchase prices, contractual terms, and their implications on organizational policies. 

•  Work closely with the legal team to ensure contract terms align with business objectives and are executed efficiently. 

What’s in it for you?

Aside from what we ask of you in this role, we also have a great deal to offer you: plenty of growth opportunities and various cross-brand career options; flexible working hours; a hybrid working model (we ask you to spend at least 50% of your working time at the office); and the chance to drive meaningful change on a global scale. You can look forward to a good work-life balance, and the chance to work in an inclusive environment that wholeheartedly encourages growth and welcomes you just the way you are.

Requirements

We think you’ll be best geared for success if you meet the following requirements:

•   University Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or related major required. 

•   5-8 years of experience in M&A/corporate finance, ideally in investment banking at a top-tier investment bank or in an in-house corporate development department, with exposure to retail and consumer industries.

•   Demonstrated involvement and success in managing transaction processes, from initial target identification and due diligence to negotiation, deal structuring, and post-merger integration.  

•   Good understanding of the industry landscape, market trends, and competitive dynamics to identify strategic opportunities and potential risks.  

•   Strong project and stakeholder management skills and the ability to coordinate cross-functional teams, both in the role of team member and as a project manager, preferably with experience working in a matrix setting. 

•   Deep knowledge of deal structures, including mergers, acquisitions, LBOs, divestitures, spin-offs/split-offs, joint ventures, minority investments, and their accompanying financing structures. 

•   Experience in interacting with senior management and high-profile experts appropriately, with confidence and ease, as well as impeccable standards of integrity and political sensitivity. 

•   An active network of industry participants in the deal ecosystem, including investment bankers, M&A attorneys, consultants, and industry experts. 

•   Superior financial modeling skills, with the ability to build merger models and precedent transaction analyses as well as to independently interpret and discuss analytical data. 

•   Complex problem-solving capabilities grounded in structuring creativity and negotiating finesse with disparate counterparties. 

•   Sound judgment and decision-making based in strong analytical and valuation skills as well as both quantitative and qualitative due diligence 

Aside from these hard skills, we think you should also bring some much-valued soft skills to the table: an entrepreneurial mindset, outspoken communication skills and a proactive approach. In addition to these, a high level of creativity, empathy, and enthusiasm will take you far. 

Apply now!

Are you keen to join the team? Even if you don’t tick all the boxes, but you still believe you have the personality and skills that make you a suitable candidate, we strongly encourage you to reach out to us. Apply now via the button on this page, or feel free to contact Katie Hillman via katie.hillman@adusa.com if you have any questions.

At Ahold Delhaize and our local brands, we broadly define diversity as being inclusive of thoughts and skills, generational differences, LGBTQ , gender, race and ethnicity, disabilities, nationalities and more, and we accept all people for who they are.