At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategic M&A initiatives and drive operational transformations in a fast-paced environment.
- Company: Join BibliU, an award-winning tech company revolutionising the educational content industry.
- Benefits: Enjoy 35 days holiday, flexible hours, and a supportive work culture.
- Other info: Collaborative team culture with excellent growth opportunities across UK and US.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in higher education while working with cutting-edge technology.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in corporate development or transaction advisory with strong financial acumen.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
BibliU is an award-winning, technology-led B2B company transforming the $65bn educational content industry. With a 90% CAGR the past 5 years, we are just getting started. We've cracked the code on Day 1 access to affordable digital course materials for students, while delivering comprehensive campus store solutions that foster human relationships and increase our stickiness in the world of AI.
The result? Measurable impact: 10% higher student retention, 1-point GPA increases, and partnerships with 170 universities serving 600,000 students each year. We've fundamentally changed how universities procure, distribute, and manage learning content. We partner with 4,000+ publishers, including Pearson, Oxford University Press, and Wiley to deliver content to universities, and provide rich engagement data and interactive tools like quizzes that help students actually learn.
Founded in late 2015 as an Oxford University spin-out, we've grown explosively with 90% CAGR over the last five years, including 65% in FY25, reaching $100m in annual revenue. Our Series B raised $23m led by Nesta Impact Investments (with Guinness Asset Management, Stonehage Fleming, and Oxford Sciences Enterprises). In late 2023, we acquired Texas Book Company (now 'BibliU Campus') to become the only fully vertically integrated player in the market, driving US organic growth which now represents 90% of our business.
We're hungry for more. We're actively building our M&A pipeline as we compete head-to-head against legacy bricks-and-mortar providers to improve the faculty and student experience while boosting the financial sustainability of universities. Our culture is collaborative, high-growth, and agile. You’ll join an experienced and motivated executive team with backgrounds from Instructure (Canvas) and other successful edtech companies with exit experience. We operate as a distributed team across the UK and US, with offices in London.
Position Overview
BibliU transforms higher education by ensuring students receive essential learning resources from their very first day, leveraging our cutting-edge digital ecosystem and comprehensive campus store solutions. We are actively seeking a high-caliber FM&A Lead to take complete end-to-end ownership of our highest-priority strategic initiatives.
In this high-growth role, you will spearhead M&A transactions, capital raises, and commercial partnerships in tandem with external advisers, direct multi-faceted operational transformations, and synthesize intricate datasets into decisive strategic recommendations for executive leadership and board directors. Partnering closely with our CEO, Executive VP, CFO, and General Counsel, this position demands a rare combination of advisory precision and operator agility—ideal for a proactive leader who thrives on executing details, managing strategy, and delivering high-impact business outcomes.
What you will be doing:
- Strategic transactions: Spearhead buy-side and sell-side M&A activity and growth investments, driving execution alongside investment banking, legal, and accounting partners. Take full ownership of execution roadmaps, including workstream tracking, diligence requests, weekly working groups, and driving cross-functional accountability. Direct counterparty interactions from initial outreach through NDA execution (with Legal), maintaining detailed logs of engagement history and information flow. Architect and manage virtual data rooms, structuring information release strategically while maintaining strict confidentiality protocols.
- Materials and storytelling: Craft high-impact company teasers, investor presentations, management decks, and comprehensive diligence responses for executive and board audiences. Orchestrate product and engineering deep dives with functional leaders, leading agenda design, deck preparation, dry runs, and post-session deliverables.
- Due diligence and advisers: Evaluate, select, and manage third-party advisors spanning financial, commercial, tax, and operational diligence streams. Collaborate with Finance to build rigorous business unit models, financial projections, and detailed headcount analyses.
- Operating-model projects: Drive cross-departmental operational initiatives alongside Legal and Finance, encompassing entity rationalization, contract mapping, and shared services integration. Lead vendor selection for outsourced operations by sourcing partners, benchmarking commercial proposals, preparing information packages, and facilitating vendor diligence.
- Commercial analysis and research: Conduct enterprise-wide reviews of client agreements and procurement documents (evaluating assignment, duration, control, and fulfillment terms) using AI tools in partnership with Legal. Perform market intelligence and target assessments, synthesizing complex sector trends into actionable strategic briefings for executive leadership.
Who you will work with:
- Internal Stakeholders: CEO, Executive VP, CFO and finance team, General Counsel, product and engineering leaders, operations, sales, and the people team.
- External Partners: Investment banks, external legal counsel, accounting and advisory firms, investors, strategic partners, and operating vendors.
What we are looking for:
- Must have: 3+ years of experience within corporate development, transaction advisory, private equity, or strategic management consulting. Proven track record facilitating strategic M&A, equity raises, or deal diligence alongside investment banking and professional advisers. High degree of financial acumen with deep experience analyzing P&L statements and constructing complex financial models. Exceptional project management capability, with the ability to drive cross-functional alignment across multiple fast-moving workstreams. Superior narrative structuring and deck-building expertise, delivering polished materials for executive leadership and board directors. Flawless professional integrity and discrete handling of highly sensitive institutional data. Proactive adopter of modern AI technologies to accelerate market research and analytical throughput. Demonstrated agility operating across distributed teams with regular overlap between UK and US working hours.
- Good to have: Previous entrepreneurial background or direct hands-on operating experience in early-stage environments. Active involvement in early-stage venture funding or angel investing initiatives. Deep sector familiarity across edtech platforms, higher education, academic publishing, or course material supply chains. Proven exposure to negotiating complex vendor agreements, vendor outsourcing partnerships, or commercial contracts. Practical experience managing cross-border transactions and operational workstreams spanning US and UK jurisdictions.
Benefits
Our benefits are all aimed at supporting a healthy work-life balance and cultivating a company culture where you can bring your whole, human self to work. Here’s what we offer:
- 35 days holiday per year (excluding public holidays!) - yep, that’s not a typo!
- Your birthday off
- 12 scheduled company wellness Fridays off per year
- Enhanced maternity & paternity allowance
- Flexible working hours - we’re a remote team spread across the US and UK
- Work-from-home allowance to help you set up your dream WFH station
- Cycle-to-work scheme (UK)
- Life Insurance up to 4 x salary
- Private health insurance
- Annual eye test and up to £100 towards frames for glasses required for DSE work
We strongly encourage candidates of all different backgrounds, experiences and identities to apply. Each new hire is an opportunity for us to bring in a different perspective and BibliU is committed to building an inclusive and supportive workplace where everyone can do rewarding work.
Please note: We do not work with external recruiters/recruitment agencies. This position will be filled directly by BibliU and we kindly request that external recruiters/recruitment agencies refrain from submitting candidates for this role.
FM&A Lead in London employer: BibliU
At BibliU, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer that fosters a dynamic and inclusive work culture in the heart of London. Our team enjoys a range of benefits including flexible working arrangements, opportunities for professional development, and the chance to work closely with senior stakeholders in a rapidly growing ed-tech environment. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking company that values innovation and employee growth.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land FM&A Lead in London
✨Tip Number 1: Get Involved in Consulting Case Competitions
Look for case competitions hosted by universities and consulting firms. They’re a fab way to showcase your problem-solving skills and meet industry players. Plus, winning one can seriously boost your CV, which we know is key when applying for roles like FM&A Lead at BibliU!
✨Tip Number 2: Leverage Alumni Networks
Tap into your university’s alumni network; many consultants love to help out new talent. Reach out to alumni who are working in management consulting, they might have insider knowledge about openings at firms like BibliU or be willing to refer you for that FM&A Lead position!
✨Tip Number 3: Attend Industry Events and Conferences
Keep an eye on management consulting events, workshops, or panels. These are prime opportunities to network with top professionals and get your name out there. You might even bump into someone from BibliU who’s on the lookout for their next FM&A Lead star!
✨Tip Number 4: Polish Your Consulting Skills Online
Engage with online platforms that offer consulting simulations or courses. Prove your chops by completing relevant projects — this not only beefs up your experience but also gives you concrete examples to chat about during interviews for that full-time FM&A Lead role at BibliU!
We think you need these skills to ace FM&A Lead in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Problem-Solving Skills:In management consulting, it's all about problem-solving—so make sure your CV highlights your analytical and critical thinking skills. Include examples from your studies or previous roles where you tackled complex issues or came up with innovative solutions. Quantify your achievements whenever possible to demonstrate your impact!
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to explain why you're a perfect fit for the consulting world. Focus on your motivation for joining the industry and how your skills align with the requirements of the role at BibliU. Remember to mention any relevant coursework or projects that showcase your understanding of strategic frameworks or business models!
Highlight Team Experience:Consultants often work in teams, so it's vital to showcase your collaborative skills. Include experiences where you've worked effectively with others, whether in academic group projects or internships. Discuss your role in the team and how you helped achieve common goals, demonstrating you can thrive in a consultancy environment.
Professionalise Your Online Presence:Make sure your LinkedIn and any other professional profiles are up to date, reflecting your career aspirations in management consulting. Connect with industry professionals and follow relevant groups—show you’re serious about entering this field. Applying through our website is a great way to get noticed, so showcase your personality and enthusiasm there!
How to prepare for a job interview at BibliU
✨Master the Case Study Game
In management consulting, case study interviews are all the rage. Make sure to practice structuring your thoughts and analysing data on the fly. Use resources like example case studies to get comfortable with frameworks and solutions. Remember, it’s not just about getting the right answer but showcasing your thought process, so talk us through your reasoning!
✨Know Your Numbers
Be prepared for some numerical and analytical questions. Brush up on your mental math and be ready to interpret data from charts or graphs. We might throw some business scenarios at you that require a quick turnaround on numerical analysis, so practice these skills to feel confident and swift!
✨Show Your Leadership Flair
As this is a full-time role, we want to see your potential as a seasoned consultant. Be ready to discuss experiences where you've led a project or a team. Think about times you've influenced decisions or navigated challenges—this is your chance to show how you can thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
✨Be a Cultural Fit
We’re not just looking for brains; we want to see if you vibe with our company culture at BibliU. Prepare to share how your values align with ours. Have a think about what makes a great team environment for you and how you can contribute to that. A good cultural fit goes a long way in management consulting!