Principal, Mergers & Acquisitions - Remote

Title: Principal, Mergers & Acquisitions
Department: Strategy, Planning and Learning
Reporting to: Chief Strategy, Planning and Learning Officer

Canada Compensation: $135K CAD - $170K CAD

Who we are:

World Education Services (WES) is a non-profit social enterprise that supports the educational, economic, and social inclusion of immigrants, refugees, and international students. For over 50 years, WES has set the standard for international academic credential evaluation, supporting millions of people as they seek to achieve their academic and professional goals. Through decades of experience as a leader in global education, WES has developed a wide range of tools to pursue social impact at scale. From evaluating academic credentials to shaping policy, designing programs, and providing philanthropic funding, we partner with a diverse set of organizations, leaders, and networks to uplift individuals and drive systems change. Together with its partners, WES enables people to learn, work, and thrive in new places. For more information about WES, please visit www.WES.org.

About the Opportunity:

The Principal, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) is a senior, hands-on transaction leader responsible for managing and executing WES's near-term acquisition activity. Reporting to the Chief Strategy, Planning and Learning Officer, this role will work closely with executive leadership and cross-functional teams to lead the financial evaluation, modeling, transaction planning, due diligence, structuring, negotiation, and closing of potential acquisitions and, as needed, divestitures.

The Principal will serve as the primary transaction lead once an opportunity progresses from strategic and business development evaluation into an active deal process. The role provides rigorous financial and transaction advice to senior management, including assessments of valuation, deal economics, financial projections, transaction risks, structuring alternatives, and financial implications.

As a strategic and financial advisor to senior management, the Principal will provide objective analysis of deal rationale, valuation, risks, synergies, financial implications, and strategic fit. Working closely with internal stakeholders and external advisors, this role will help ensure an effective transition from transaction execution through post-close integration.

What You'll Do:

Strategic & Opportunity Evaluation:

• Partner with executive leadership to develop and execute WES's M&A and portfolio strategy.
• Identify, evaluate, and prioritize potential acquisitions, mergers, divestitures, strategic investments, and other corporate development opportunities.
• Assess strategic rationale, market attractiveness, competitive positioning, operational fit, and value-creation potential.
• Develop investment theses and recommendations on potential M&A opportunities in partnership with senior leadership for presentation to executive leadership and relevant Board committees.
• Maintain and prioritize a pipeline of potential transaction opportunities.
• As needed, evaluate potential divestitures, carve-outs, and other portfolio optimization opportunities.

Financial Analysis & Valuation:

• Lead financial modeling and valuation of potential transactions, including DCF, comparable company, precedent transaction, accretion/dilution, and return analyses.
• Evaluate financial projections, business plans, capital requirements, synergies, and transaction economics.
• Develop scenario and sensitivity analyses to identify key value drivers and risks.
• Assess financial, accounting, tax, and capital structure implications of proposed transactions.
• Establish appropriate valuation ranges, transaction thresholds, and financial return criteria.

Due Diligence:

• Lead and coordinate comprehensive financial, operational, commercial, legal, technology, HR, tax, and other due diligence activities.
• Establish diligence scope, workstreams, timelines, responsibilities, and decision criteria.
• Identify and quantify material transaction risks, liabilities, opportunities, and potential synergies.
• Coordinate internal functional leaders and external advisors throughout the diligence process.
• Synthesize diligence findings and clearly communicate implications and recommendations to executive leadership.

Deal Structuring & Negotiations:

• Develop transaction structures and negotiation strategies designed to maximize value and mitigate risk.
• Lead or play a central role in negotiations with sellers, buyers, investors, management teams, advisors, and other stakeholders.
• Partner with Legal, Finance, Tax, and external advisors in negotiating letters of intent, purchase agreements, transition agreements, and other transaction documents.
• Evaluate trade-offs across valuation, structure, representations and warranties, indemnification, earn-outs, working capital, and other transaction terms.
• Maintain deal momentum while protecting WES's strategic and financial interests.
• Explore and propose optimal financing structures at the individual deal and portfolio level.

Transaction Closing & Execution:

• Manage the end-to-end transaction process from initial evaluation and indication of interest through signing and closing.
• Develop and manage transaction workplans, timelines, decision points, and executive approvals.
• Coordinate internal stakeholders and external advisors, including investment bankers, attorneys, accountants, consultants, and financing partners.
• Prepare materials and recommendations for executive leadership, the Board of Directors, and other governance bodies as appropriate.
• Ensure transaction requirements, approvals, documentation, and closing conditions are completed accurately and on schedule.
• Translate transaction assumptions and identified synergies into actionable post-close plans.
• Monitor achievement of revenue, cost, operational, and strategic synergies against the approved investment case.
• Conduct post-transaction reviews to evaluate performance against the original deal thesis and capture lessons for future transactions.

Executive & Stakeholder Leadership:

• Serve as a trusted M&A advisor to executive leadership.
• Present transaction opportunities, analyses, risks, and recommendations in a concise, decision-oriented manner.
• Build effective relationships across Finance, Operations, Legal, Tax, HR, IT, Sales, and other functional areas.
• Effectively challenge assumptions while building alignment among stakeholders with differing priorities.
• Represent WES professionally and credibly with acquisition targets, investors, advisors, and other external parties.

Required Skills and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, or a related discipline, or an equivalent level of work experience.
• Significant experience working in progressively senior roles with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, corporate development, investment banking, private equity, transaction advisory, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience executing transactions across multiple stages of the M&A lifecycle.
• Experience leading financial analysis, valuation, due diligence, deal structuring, and negotiations.
• Advanced financial modeling, valuation, and analytical capabilities.
• Strong understanding of financial statements, corporate finance, transaction structures, and deal economics.
• Strong commercial and strategic judgment, with the ability to connect financial analysis to business strategy.
• Demonstrated negotiation and influencing skills.
• Experience managing complex cross-functional projects involving senior executives and external advisors.
• Strong project and transaction management capabilities.
• Executive-level written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to synthesize large amounts of complex information into clear recommendations.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, judgment, and problem-solving skills, with the maturity and flexibility to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders across a range of disciplines.
• Ability to thrive in an environment that values transparency, accountability, collaboration, and an orientation toward results.
• Intellectual curiosity, openness to diverse ideas and perspectives, and a continued interest in learning, professional growth, and development.
• Strong alignment with WES's mission and values.

Desired Skills and Experience

• MBA or equivalent level of experience.
• Senior leadership experience across private, nonprofit, or social enterprise sectors.
• Experience with post-merger integration strongly preferred.
• Experience in education or workforce development.

Joining our team at WES means embarking on a purpose-driven career with global impact, where you contribute daily to making a tangible difference in the lives of people worldwide. You'll thrive in an employee-centric environment, with access to learning opportunities, pathways for personal and professional development, and recognition of your achievements. Our inclusive, mission-driven culture values employees and focuses on investing in our people through our culture, people framework, and programming while offering the flexibility of remote work options.

• Work-Life Harmony: We believe that success is about maintaining balance. Enjoy the flexibility of remote work alongside time-off and wellness programs designed to support your well-being.
• Rewards and Recognition: We recognize the importance of valuing employees' contributions through competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and recognition.
• Professional Growth and Development: We invest in learning, professional development, and opportunities that support continued growth.
• Innovation and Impact: Engage in work that supports WES's mission and creates meaningful impact for individuals and communities.
• Community and Connection: Be part of an inclusive, collaborative community that values different perspectives, backgrounds, and ideas.

• Opportunity - We open doors so people can build better futures.
• Inclusion - We become stronger, more creative, and more resilient when we embrace diversity.
• Equity - We uphold fairness and justice in our work and actions.
• Enterprising - We are resourceful, inventive, and driven.

We welcome all applicants, irrespective of whether their experience perfectly fits the job description, as we value diverse and innovative viewpoints. At our organization, individuals who thrive in a culture of continuous learning and inclusive teamwork excel. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible work environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported, and we welcome members of all backgrounds and perspectives to apply.

World Education Services is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace that reflects the rich tapestry of our communities, both in the US and Canada. We are dedicated to providing equal opportunities to all qualified individuals, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or genetics. This commitment extends to every aspect of employment, from recruitment and hiring to promotions, training, and benefits. We comply with all applicable federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws.

If you encounter challenges accessing or using our career site due to a disability, you may request reasonable accommodation by contacting [email protected]. Our Talent Acquisition team is dedicated to supporting qualified candidates by providing solutions that can meet their needs.

Please be advised that this email address is intended to receive and respond to inquiries concerning accessibility of the online application system and requests for assistance and accommodation during any part of the recruitment process. Résumés or applications sent to this email address will not be reviewed.

For more information about WES, please visit www.WES.org.

This position is an existing vacancy and is currently open for hire.