Operational Deal Services Manager in Leeds

At Grant Thornton we do things differently - looking to the future, driving ambitious growth and pioneering positive change in our industry. Providing audit, tax and advisory services, we empower clients through strategic insight, curiosity, and genuine partnership. And we empower our people with real opportunity, an inclusive culture and work life balance.

Every day our teams help people in businesses and communities to do what is right and achieve their goals. Our Operational Deal Services team advises clients on the operational aspects of transactions and on how to maximise their value. We also specialise in supporting clients with the design and implementation of organisation-wide change programmes that create a sustainable legacy well after the deal is done. We pride ourselves not just in providing insights during the pre‑deal phase but in becoming a transformation partner and critical friend for our clients during the deal and beyond; helping them to solve complex problems effectively.

We work pre and post‑deal, for corporate, private equity and other institutions, across a range of sectors. We support transactions ranging from owner‑managed business being sold, to £billion+ mergers. Our core service offerings are:

• carve‑outs/separations (buy side and sell side)
• synergy assessments
• integrations
• operational due diligence (buy side and sell side)
• post‑deal operational improvement/value creation

As part of the wider Consulting team within Grant Thornton, we work with a high calibre team of subject matter experts in IT, HR, People and Finance as with the other Grant Thornton Advisory teams working across the transaction life cycle. Our work is mainly UK‑based but often has an international dimension where clients have, or are looking to acquire, operations in other territories. We work closely with other Grant Thornton International member firms in delivering international work and our team is one of several Operational Deals capability centres of excellence globally.

We’re happy to talk flexible working and consider reduced hours and job shares, we’ll support you to balance your work and life.

A look into the role:

• Have end‑to‑end ownership of workstreams on larger engagements, work closely with the engagement lead on such engagements and being the lead for smaller client engagements
• Apply existing consulting‑based approaches to identify solutions and build recommendations into structured, manageable implementation workstreams
• Play a key role in effectively communicating concepts, analysis and outcomes to the client and your team
• Support with business development activities, including preparation of discussion and proposal documents, including liaising with members of other service lines across Grant Thornton
• Help to further develop and grow our team’s expertise, ensuring that we continuously learn from the issues which we encounter on client engagements and benefit from further adapting our approaches for future use

Knowing you’re right for us:

Joining us as a Manager, the minimum criteria you’ll need is to have:

• A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)
• Significant knowledge and experience of at least one (and ideally more than one) of the core Operational Deal Services offerings: (i.e. carve‑outs/separations, synergy assessments, integrations, operational due diligence, and post‑deal operational improvement/value realisation)
• Demonstrated experience of managing small teams
• Experience in a professional services firm or operating in a similar advisory capacity (while working as part of teams) on transactions
• Extensive experience of preparing high quality written reports, Excel analysis and presentations
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Project management and/or change management and/or transformation skills
• Strong analytical skills
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills, particularly PowerPoint and Excel

It would be great if you had some of the following skills, but don’t worry if you don’t tick every box, we’ll help you develop along the way:

• Foreign language skills
• An accountancy or other finance qualification
• A programme management qualification

Knowing we’re right for you:

Embracing uniqueness, the culture at Grant Thornton thrives on the contributions of all our people, we never settle for what is easy, we look beyond to deliver the right thing, for everyone. Building an inclusive culture, where we value difference and respect our colleagues helps our people to perform at the best of their ability and realise their potential. Our open and accessible culture means you’ll interact with leaders who are interested in you and everything you bring to our firm. The things that set you apart, we value them. That’s why we give you the freedom to bring your whole self to work and pursue your passions inside and outside of work.

Beyond the job:

Life is more than work. The things you do, and the people you’re with outside of work matter, that’s why we’re happy to look at flexible working options for all our roles, and we’ll always do our best to keep your work and life in balance. The impact you can make here will go far beyond your day job. From secondments, to fundraising for local charities, or investing in entrepreneurs in the developing world, you’ll be giving back to society. It’s that drive to do the right thing that runs through our every move, grounded in our firm’s values – purposefully driven, actively curious and candid but kind. We’re looking for people who want to contribute, spark fresh ideas and go beyond expectations. People who want to be able to proudly do what’s right, for the firm, our clients, our people and themselves. It’s how it should be.