Corporate Finance Associate Director/Director (Financial Services)

More than you expected

Grant Thornton UK LLP is part of a global network of independent audit, tax and advisory firms, made up of some 73,000 people in over 150 countries. We're a team of independent thinkers who put quality, inclusion and integrity first. All around the world we bring a different experience to our clients. A better experience. One that delivers the expertise they need in a way that goes beyond. Personal, proactive, and agile. That's Grant Thornton.

Job Description:

NEW GROUND WON’T BREAK ITSELF.  

Every day our teams help people in businesses and communities to do what is right and achieve their goals. 

We are an award winning and growing Corporate Finance Advisory team who provide advice to a wide range of clients, including large and mid-sized companies, shareholders, management teams and private equity on a variety of transactions including, selling and buying businesses, through to raising debt and equity capital for growth.

We operate in a highly dynamic and fast-moving environment, managing multiple live transactions but also developing relationships with new business opportunities for both us and the broader firm.

Within the Corporate Finance team, we have a rapidly growing Financial Services sub-team who focus on transactions across the sector, with particular focus on Insurance, Wealth & Asset Management, Specialist Finance, Services into FS and Fintech.

We are seeking self-motivated candidates with a view to supporting their career development within this exciting service line embedded in a strong team culture.

We’re happy to talk flexible working and consider reduced hours and job shares, we’ll support you to balance your work and life.  

A look into the role  

As an Associate Director within our Financial Services Corporate Finance Advisory team: 

• The work that you will do has a major impact on our financial services sector clients and our firm. We pride ourselves on the high-level standards we have for the work that we do and our reputation within the markets we serve; 
• As an Associate Director, you will be a key member of a deal team with day-to-day responsibility for managing projects. You will be leading and reviewing the drafting of sales documents (information memoranda, teasers etc), project managing assignments and having a key influence on the outcome of the deal through the deployment of your sector knowledge and understanding, financial analysis, commercial understanding and negotiation skills
• You will also have a key role in leading, or supporting on, business development initiatives, including developing and producing sector thought leadership, and leading on proposals and pitches
• A day-in-the-life of a corporate finance adviser is varied, so you will be responsible for managing your workload, being the key point of contact for your clients and prioritizing in line with demands of each project you are working on;
• You will be part of an established, tight-knit team with strong team-spirit and an attitude of getting things done. The Financial Services Corporate Finance team is collaborative, with ideas always welcome and in return you will have support from all members of the team. It is an exciting time to be joining the Financial Services Corporate Finance team, with a very strong pipeline and a growing team, you will have significant opportunities to take on responsibility and develop;
• You will be responsible for delivering well-presented documents in house style, researching and gaining a better understanding of businesses (e.g. potential buyers for sell-side mandates, acquisition targets for buy-side mandates, and target research for business development), and carrying out illustrative financial modelling, analysis and valuations of companies. You will be expected to appropriately delegate work to, and manage, more junior colleagues, and help them with their own personal development;
• Collaboration with other stakeholders is vital, and you will be encouraged to build your own brand with internal colleagues across audit, tax and advisory as well as externally with key intermediary contacts within law firms, banks and private equity.

Knowing you’re right for us  

Joining us as an Associate Director, the minimum criteria you’ll need is to have:

• Applicants must have a background in, or demonstrable knowledge of the Financial Services sector, and we would particularly welcome applicants with a background in the wealth and asset management sector;
• All applicants must have substantial and relevant deal experience in a big 4, mid-tier accounting firm, investment bank, CF boutique or in-house M&A / Corporate Development team.

It would be great if you had some of the following skills, but don’t worry if you don’t tick every box, we’ll help you develop along the way.  

• Applicants should ideally be professionally qualified (ACA, ACCA, CIPFA or equivalent), but this is not essential;
• Communication and relationship building skills with clients, targets and colleagues
• Analytical skills and the ability to commercially analyse financial data to develop an understanding of a company
• Strong Excel and Power Point skills to carry out financial analysis and prepare client and target documentation (e.g. IM, teaser, pitch decks etc.)
• Demonstrable practical experience of managing multiple deliverables, showing prioritisation skills and meeting deadlines within an expected timeframe

Knowing we’re right for you

The culture at Grant Thornton is what sets us apart, we’re known for our inclusive culture and creating environments where all our people can flourish. The things that set you apart, we value them, and this helps us all to perform at our best.

Our values are the unwavering principles that shape our daily behaviours and decisions, alongside our drive to do the right thing. We’re looking for people who align with our values and are purposefully driven, actively curious and candid but kind. You can learn more about our values in practice here.

It’s not just about our culture and values, in addition to a competitive salary and reward package, us you’ll also get:

• Tailored development programmes and access to coaching
• Flexible bank holidays – allowing you to celebrate the days that are important to you
• Benefits including pension, life assurance and private medical, additional holiday purchasing and health benefits
• Any benefits giving you access to shopping discounts, gym memberships, financial advice

And more. Visit our benefits section to read more.

How we work

We have a trust-based way of working, driven by responsible people who have the best interests of our firm and our clients at heart. Our how we work framework gives flexibility in where, how, and when we work to deliver the best results for our clients, whilst helping you keep a balance between work and life. Life is more than work, the things you do, and the people you’re with outside of work matter, that’s why we’re happy to look at flexible working options for all our roles.  That is how it should be.
We’re looking for people who can help drive the business forward, who want to contribute, spark fresh ideas and go beyond expectations. People who want to be able to proudly do what’s right, for the firm, our clients, our people and themselves. It’s how it should be.

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