M&A & Integration Delivery Lead (London, UK)

Based at the global headquarters, the M&A & Integration Delivery Lead operates in close coordination with Global Business Services (GBS). The mandate of this position is to maintain, evolve, and execute the group’s central M&A delivery framework. Operating under a hybrid model that requires three days of in‑office presence per week, the lead serves as a central coordinator across more than 30 internal corporate stakeholders, GBS leaders, and divisional operations teams.

The position focuses on complex corporate transactions, coordinating technology due diligence, operational frameworks, and transition timelines from pre‑deal phases through to close and handback. The lead does not have direct P&L ownership but is held accountable for standardising integration processes, managing execution, and tracking post‑close synergy realisation to ensure that acquisitions deliver projected shareholder value.

Functional Responsibilities

• The M&A & Integration Delivery Lead is responsible for coordinating the M&A lifecycle from pre‑deal operational assessment through to final GBS handover.
• Governance & PMO: Maintain the group’s M&A delivery framework, establish PMO structures for transactions, manage integration budgets, and report progress to executive leadership.
• Due Diligence & Pre‑Deal Management: Coordinate the technical evaluation of systems, lead due diligence assessments, articulate target risk profiles, and transition deal responsibilities cleanly to the Integration Team during mobilisation.
• Strategy and Diligence Integration Plan: Partner with Architects and technology business partners to establish the integration plan, defining scope, work packages, cost estimates (recurring "Run" and one‑off "Integration" costs), and known technology risks.
• Stage‑Gate Governance Assurance: Navigate transactions through the formal Technology Governance Lifecycle, ensuring all integration initiatives successfully pass the Group Portfolio and Enterprise Architecture governance boards.
• Non‑Technical Integration Oversight: Manage vital non‑technical workstreams, including evaluating target company supplier contracts to determine future corporate vendor dispositions, mapping people operating models, and restructuring organisation charts.
• ERP & System Mapping: Oversee the migration of legacy target ledgers into SAP S/4HANA Cloud and Oracle Fusion Cloud environments, coordinating with IT workstreams.
• Financial Optimisation: Partner with GBS teams to standardise order‑to‑cash, record‑to‑report, and procure‑to‑pay processes across newly acquired entities.
• HR System Transition: Coordinate with regional people partners to migrate employee databases to Workday, map global benefits, and align pension plans with UK regulations.
• Synergy & Performance: Partner with divisional finance teams to track cost and revenue synergies against the transaction model.
• Capability Development: Conduct post‑integration reviews to capture lessons learned, update playbooks, and refine tools and templates.

Requirements and Qualifications

• This position requires an experienced program manager with a strong understanding of corporate development and systems integration.
• Full Lifecycle M&A Experience: Minimum of 6 years of experience in M&A integration, with a proven track record of managing transactions across the entire end‑to‑end M&A deal lifecycle (including active pre‑deal due diligence and post‑close implementation).
• Systems & IT Knowledge: Proven experience coordinating enterprise IT integrations, with hands‑on exposure to SAP S/4HANA and Oracle Fusion platforms.
• HR System Expertise: Demonstrated experience with HCM migrations, specifically integrating benefits and payroll structures into Workday.
• Financial Literacy: Strong understanding of balance sheet consolidations, accounting standards, transaction modelling, and synergy tracking.
• PMO Methodologies: Certification in program management (e.g., PMP, Prince2) and experience with integration platforms (e.g., Navima).
• Strategic matrix orchestration: Exceptional ability to lead, influence, and coordinate through complex networks and corporate matrices; this role is focused on program governance and does not directly manage the technical delivery or build of systems.
• Soft Skills: Excellent communication and facilitation skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to manage cross‑functional stakeholder groups.