Senior Manager of Corporate Development

Harbor is seeking a highly analytical, deal-oriented Senior Manager of Corporate Development to join the corporate development team. This individual will be a key driver of our inorganic growth strategy – leading M&A pipeline management, supporting active transactions, and coordinating with our executive leadership to execute strategic acquisitions.

In addition to M&A execution, this person will also support strategic analysis and financial planning initiatives that inform corporate priorities, market positioning, and capital deployment decisions. The role offers significant exposure to the executive team, the PE sponsor, and external advisors across all phases of the deal lifecycle.

While we are open to remote candidates, preference is for those located near our Chicago headquarters.

Responsibilities:

M&A Sourcing & Pipeline Management

• Lead the development and ongoing management of the company’s acquisition pipeline across core and adjacent solutions.

• Identify and evaluate potential targets through both proactive outreach and inbound opportunities.

• Conduct market mapping and maintain active relationships across the target ecosystem.

• Prioritize opportunities based on strategic fit, financial performance, cultural alignment, and growth potential.

Transaction Execution

• Serve as a key member of the deal team, supporting all phases of the M&A process – from initial valuation and diligence through negotiation and close.

• Play lead role in financial modeling, valuation, and business case development for prospective acquisitions.

• Coordinate cross-functional diligence efforts with internal leaders and external advisors (legal, accounting, consulting).

• Partner with integration and business leaders to ensure key deal assumptions and value drivers are reflected in post-close plans.

Strategic Analysis & Executive Support

• Support the executive team with strategic market, competitive, and financial analyses to inform growth priorities and capital allocation.

• Partner with Finance and business unit leaders on strategic analysis initiatives, including scenario modeling, market sizing, and profitability analysis.

• Develop insights on industry trends, service line adjacencies, and emerging opportunities relevant to the company’s M&A and growth strategy.

Stakeholder & Sponsor Engagement

• Collaborate closely with the leadership on investment theses, transaction prioritization, and value creation initiatives.

• Prepare and present materials for internal investment committee, executive leadership, and board discussions.

• Maintain ongoing visibility into market trends, competitive dynamics, and benchmarks to inform M&A strategy and positioning.

Experience & Background:

• 6+ years of experience in investment banking, private equity, or corporate development, preferably with exposure to professional or business services, consulting, or other people-intensive sectors.

• Proven experience managing or executing multiple live M&A processes simultaneously.

• Strong understanding of corporate finance, valuation, and transaction execution.

• Experience working in or alongside private equity–backed companies preferred.

Skills & Attributes:

• Exceptional financial modeling, valuation, and analytical skills.

• Strong commercial judgment with the ability to assess both quantitative and qualitative factors

• Advanced strategic thinking and ability to translate data and analysis into actionable insights for senior executives.

• Excellent communication and presentation skills; capable of synthesizing complex deal or market information for executive and board audiences.

• Highly organized, proactive, and comfortable managing multiple concurrent priorities under tight deadlines.

• Collaborative, low-ego team player with a strong bias for execution in a dynamic, entrepreneurial environment.

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field; MBA or CFA a plus.

About Us:

Harbor is the preeminent provider of expert services across strategy, legal technology, operations, and intelligence. Our globally integrated team of 800+ strategists, technologists, and specialists navigate alongside our clients – leading law firms, corporations, and their law departments – to provide essential resources and invaluable insights. Anchored in a rich heritage of deep knowledge, steadfast relationships, and mutual respect, our unwavering dedication lies in shaping the future of the legal industry and fostering enduring partnerships within our community and ecosystem.

Harbor is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil union status, national origin, ancestry, age, parental status, disabled status, veteran status, or any other legally protected classification, in accordance with applicable law.