At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead post-deal execution for cross-border acquisitions and ensure smooth integration.
- Company: Join a high-growth international group with a focus on M&A.
- Benefits: Remote-first role with competitive salary and opportunities for international travel.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with opportunities for professional growth and cultural integration.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by driving successful integrations and working with senior leadership.
- Qualifications: Experience in post-merger integration and strong stakeholder management skills required.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 € per year.
Location: UK (remote-first) 12 month FTC
Travel: Frequent international travel – UK, China, Middle East
The Opportunity
A high‑growth international group is strengthening its M&A capability and is appointing an Integration Manager to lead post‑deal execution across cross‑border acquisitions. This role owns the full integration lifecycle operating model, people, process, systems and governance, delivering synergy realisation while maintaining operational stability and stakeholder confidence. Reporting into senior leadership, you will run disciplined integration programmes from pre‑close readiness through Day‑1/Day‑100 and optimisation, providing clear governance, pace and decision support.
Key Responsibilities
- Integration Planning & Readiness (Pre‑Close to Day‑1)
- Shape the integration approach in pre‑close; translate deal thesis into an executable plan.
- Lead functional readiness assessments (Finance, HR, IT, Legal, Operations); confirm scope, dependencies and risk.
- Establish governance, workstreams, resourcing, milestones and RAID with unambiguous ownership.
- Deliver Day‑1 and Day‑100 readiness to protect continuity, controls and communications.
- Integration Programme Delivery (Multi‑Workstream / Multi‑Region)
- Run end‑to‑end integration delivery across functions and regions; set cadence, standards and pace.
- Own the master plan and reporting: milestones, dependencies, benefits, RAID and governance rhythm.
- Minimise disruption; safeguard customers, revenue and BAU performance during transition.
- Remove constraints rapidly; escalate with options, trade‑offs and recommendations.
- Hold workstream leads to account; maintain momentum through to stabilisation and optimisation.
- Stakeholder Leadership
- Establish credibility with executives and local leaders; become the central point of integration control.
- Align acquiring and acquired leadership on decisions, sequencing and priorities.
- Drive decisions on org design, operating model, governance and systems.
- Provide crisp, decision‑ready updates; manage escalations and risk appetite with senior stakeholders.
- Organisational Change & Cultural Integration
- Integrate teams and leadership structures; clarify roles, decision rights and ways of working.
- Partner with HR to deliver stakeholder communications and engagement across the change curve.
- Lead cultural integration in a way that respects local context while aligning to group expectations.
- Protect and retain critical talent; anticipate people risks and intervene early.
- Systems, Process & Operational Integration
- Integrate systems, data and core processes; ensure secure, compliant and scalable operations.
- Assure legal, regulatory and operational compliance across jurisdictions.
- Define and manage TSAs and continuity plans where required.
- Embed controls and standardisation without undermining local performance.
- Synergy Realisation & Continuous Improvement
- Own benefits realisation tracking; monitor KPIs, synergy delivery and value creation.
- Report progress, cost and risk with transparency; surface decisions required and recommended actions.
- Course‑correct quickly to protect value and accelerate outcomes.
- Codify lessons learned; strengthen the integration playbook for future deals.
About You
You are an integration leader with strong programme discipline and commercial judgement—able to impose structure, governance and pace in complex, ambiguous environments. You influence credibly at executive level, operate confidently across cultures, and deliver outcomes through aligned stakeholders, clear decisioning and rigorous execution.
Skills & Experience (Key Requirements)
- Proven post‑merger integration leadership (multi‑workstream, multi‑site), ideally across multiple acquisitions.
- Background in programme leadership / transformation / consulting / corporate development with strong governance and reporting rigour.
- Executive stakeholder management: influence, challenge and alignment across competing agendas.
- Demonstrated ability to mobilise cross‑functional, geographically distributed teams and external advisors.
- Fluent Mandarin (spoken and written) – essential.
- Commercial acumen; strong judgement balancing speed, risk and value.
- Structured problem‑solver; comfortable with ambiguity, pace and high consequence decisioning.
- High EQ and cultural intelligence; effective in change environments.
Qualifications
- Degree qualified (or equivalent professional experience).
- Programme/project management certification desirable (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2, MSP, Agile).
What’s on Offer
- Core role within an ambitious international M&A agenda; high visibility with senior leadership.
- Ownership of complex cross‑border integrations with clear accountability for outcomes and benefits realisation.
- Autonomy, pace and breadth, working across operating model, people, process and systems.
- Remote‑first UK base with frequent, purposeful international travel.
Key Relationships
Key stakeholders include: Executive leadership and regional management, Corporate Development, Strategy and Finance, HR leadership and Operational leadership, IT, Data and Transformation, External advisors and integration partners, Leadership teams within newly acquired businesses.
Integration Manager in Reading employer: Simpson Booth Limited
As an Integration Manager at our high-growth international group, you will thrive in a remote-first UK environment that champions autonomy and accountability. We offer a dynamic work culture that prioritises employee growth through exposure to complex cross-border integrations and high visibility with senior leadership, alongside the unique opportunity for frequent international travel to diverse regions such as China and the Middle East. Join us to be part of a transformative M&A agenda where your contributions directly impact synergy realisation and operational stability.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Integration Manager in Reading
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend relevant events, and don’t be shy about asking for introductions. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can land you that dream job.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. We recommend practising common interview questions and tailoring your answers to highlight your integration management skills. Show them you’re the perfect fit for their team!
✨Tip Number 3
Follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in keeping you top of mind. We suggest mentioning something specific from your conversation to show you were engaged and genuinely interested.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’ve got loads of opportunities waiting for you, and applying directly can sometimes give you an edge. Plus, it’s super easy to navigate and find the right role for you.
We think you need these skills to ace Integration Manager in Reading
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV speaks directly to the Integration Manager role. Highlight your experience in post-merger integration and any relevant programme leadership roles. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of your past successes in integration and how you can bring that expertise to StudySmarter.
Showcase Your Cultural Intelligence:Given the international nature of this role, it's crucial to demonstrate your ability to work across cultures. Share experiences where you've successfully navigated diverse environments and built strong relationships.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows us you’re keen on joining the StudySmarter team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Simpson Booth Limited
✨Know Your Integration Lifecycle
Familiarise yourself with the full integration lifecycle, from pre-close readiness to Day-100. Be ready to discuss how you would shape the integration approach and manage the various workstreams involved in cross-border acquisitions.
✨Demonstrate Stakeholder Management Skills
Prepare examples of how you've established credibility with executives and local leaders in past roles. Highlight your ability to align competing agendas and drive decisions on organisational design and governance.
✨Showcase Your Cultural Intelligence
Given the international nature of the role, be prepared to discuss how you would approach cultural integration. Share experiences where you've successfully navigated different cultural contexts while maintaining alignment with group expectations.
✨Be Ready for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills in ambiguous environments. Think about past challenges you've faced in integration projects and how you managed risks while ensuring operational stability.
