We are SGS – the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as the global benchmark for sustainability, quality and integrity. Our 97,000 employees operate a network of 2,650 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer and more interconnected world.

The SGS Connectivity & Products (C&P) Division is accelerating its development in North America (NAM) and we’re looking for an M&A Lead. Reporting to the C&P Vice President of Business Development for the region, your role will be to focus on acquisitions in new and existing markets. This will include our traditional Hardline and Softline services but also new markets for SGS such as Cyber Security and Internet of Things (IoT).

What will success look like in this position?

• Work with our Strategic Business Units to identify and qualify a list of target companies across North America and Canada. You will oversee the complete due diligence and negotiation process in partnership with our corporate M&A team.
• Act as the primary SGS representative and establish contact with key decision makers in your target companies. You will take the time to learn about them and assess whether they are going to be a strategic fit for SGS in terms of service offering.
• Develop and maintain M&A project plans and ensuring all milestones are completed in a timely manner. Identify key milestones and project ‘pinch points’ to incorporate into the project plan, and flag where potential issues may arise.
• Lead integration activity to ensure that the acquisition is efficiently merged into SGS. This will include tasks such as ensuring that new employees are properly onboarded into the business and have fully visibility of what is happening. Your stakeholders will include Legal, Finance, IT and HR.  
• Continuously search for new leads and constantly advise senior management on regional M&A trends. You will lead discussions and actions to prepare business cases for target acquisitions. This will involve highlighting risks and opportunities on the valuation and structural impact of the acquisitions.
• Contribute to the off-loading of SGS laboratories or businesses and other M&A activity across the business as appropriate. You could be handling multiple merger bids simultaneously. 
• Network within SGS and take the time to learn about our services, stakeholders, and laboratory network. This will develop your knowledge of our business and ultimately facilitate success in your new position.

To be successful, we would expect you to have:

• Substantial experience of leading M&A activity within a corporate setting and at an international level.
• Knowledge of the Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) industry is desirable, but we also want to hear from people working in industries where we see growth.
• Proven experience of working within a matrix and decentralized international organization.

We would like to hear from candidates based in the US but with a preference for the east coast. Regular travel will be required for this position.