Group Strategy & Corporate Development Manager

Hello, we’re Starling. We built a new kind of bank because we knew technology had the power to help people save, spend and manage their money in a new and transformative way. We’re a fully licensed UK bank with the culture and spirit of a fast-moving, disruptive tech company. We’re a bank, but better: fairer, easier to use and designed to demystify money for everyone. We employ more than 3,500 people across our London, Southampton, Cardiff and Manchester offices.

We are looking for a highly motivated, curious and technically proficient Manager to join our Group Strategy and Corporate Development team. This is a critical role that supports the Group's inorganic and organic growth initiatives, offering you the opportunity to leverage your analytical rigor and strategy development experience in a dynamic, rapidly scaling FinTech environment.

You will play a hands-on role in leading strategic projects, supporting M&A execution, and contributing to the long-term strategic planning for both the Bank and our global SaaS business, Engine.

Responsibilities

Strategy & Transaction Ownership

• Project Leadership: Own and execute defined workstreams within complex strategic projects, translating high-level objectives into structured workplans, and delivering data-driven recommendations.
• Deal Execution: Support the end-to-end transaction lifecycle for M&A, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships, including financial due diligence, detailed valuation, and preparation of transaction materials.
• Stakeholder Communication: Prepare clear, concise, and compelling presentations and papers for the C-Suite, Group Board, and external investors, ensuring all materials are flawless.

Analysis & Financial Acumen

• Financial Modelling: Develop financial models and business cases for corporate activities, ensuring the clear testing of assumptions and a strong understanding of Starling’s key value drivers.
• Valuation: Lead on valuation exercises, including comparable company analysis, precedent transactions, and DCF modelling.
• Market Analysis: Conduct rigorous market research and monitor the competitive landscape (FinTech, Banking, and TMT) to inform strategic positioning and opportunity identification.

Team & Culture

• Mentorship: Actively coach and guide Analysts and Associates on best practices in financial analysis, structuring strategic problems, and high-quality output generation.
• Execution Rigour: Drive a culture of high-velocity execution, managing multiple competing workstreams and ensuring timely delivery of high-quality work.
• Collaboration: Develop and maintain strong, collaborative relationships within Finance and other teams across the Group.

Requirements:
Experience & Background

• 3-5 years of experience in a high-calibre environment, with a significant portion spent in one of the following:
• Investment Banking (Associate level): Ideally within a FIG, FinTech, or TMT coverage group at a top-tier bulge bracket or elite boutique bank, with demonstrable transaction exposure.
• Strategy Consulting Firm (Senior Associate to Manager): Experience in complex, hypothesis-driven strategic projects and commercial due diligence projects.
• Private Equity or Corporate Development: Relevant experience in deal execution and strategic analysis, in a fintech or banking sector.

Technical & Analytical Skills

• Financial Modeling: Highly proficient in financial modelling and with a strong understanding of bank-specific technicals, valuation techniques (DCF, multiples).
• Problem Solving: Exceptional analytical skills with the ability to disaggregate ambiguous problems and structure them into clear, actionable workstreams.
• Presentation & Communication: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to create clear, data-backed commercial narratives suitable for senior audiences.

Attributes

• First-Principles Thinking: A logical, data-driven approach to solving new and complex problems.
• Commercial Instinct: An acute focus on the drivers of value and the bottom-line impact of strategic decisions.
• Execution Focus: A bias for action, high attention to detail, and a commitment to driving workstreams to a conclusion with autonomy.
• Stakeholder Management: Confident engaging with and influencing internal stakeholders across all levels of the organisation.
• Adaptability: Thrive in a fast-paced, high-pressure, and fluid environment where priorities can shift rapidly
• Low Ego: The ability to successfully work as part of a team with little hierarchy

Benefits:
• 25 days holiday (plus take your public holiday allowance whenever works best for you)
• An extra day’s holiday for your birthday
• Annual leave is increased with length of service, and you can choose to buy or sell up to five extra days off
• 16 hours paid volunteering time a year
• Salary sacrifice, company enhanced pension scheme
• Life insurance at 4x your salary
• Private Medical Insurance with VitalityHealth including mental health support and cancer care. Partner benefits include discounts with Waitrose, Mr&Mrs Smith and Peloton
• Generous family-friendly policies
• Perkbox membership giving access to retail discounts, a wellness platform for physical and mental health, and weekly free and boosted perks
• Access to initiatives like Cycle to Work and Salary Sacrificed Gym partnerships

About Us

You may be put off applying for a role because you don't tick every box. Forget that! While we can’t accommodate every flexible working request, we're always open to discussion. So, if you're excited about working with us, but aren’t sure if you're 100% there yet, get in touch anyway.

We’re on a mission to radically reshape banking – and that starts with our brilliant team. Whatever came before, we’re proud to bring together people of all backgrounds and experiences who love working together to solve problems.

Starling Bank is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster diversity & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment at Starling Bank are considered without regard to race, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

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