Head of M&A / Corp Dev: skills & capabilities the market requires
Based on 524 real Head of M&A / Corp Dev job postings, here is what companies actually require for this role today: the capabilities that define it, the hard skills named most often, the scope expected, typical experience and pay. The market leans hardest on Strategic Leadership (64%) and Financial Acumen (50%).
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Core capabilities for a Head of M&A / Corp Dev
- Strategic Leadership — required in 64% of postings
- Financial Acumen — required in 50% of postings
- Executive Communication — required in 45% of postings
- Go-to-Market & Sales — required in 43% of postings
- Operational Excellence — required in 41% of postings
- Stakeholder Management — required in 35% of postings
- Negotiation & Vendor — required in 31% of postings
Most-required hard skills
- Due Diligence
- Financial Modeling
- Financial Analysis
- Deal Structuring
- Strategic Planning
- Valuation Analysis
- Valuation
Leadership & soft skills
- Leadership
- Strategic Thinking
- Communication
- Stakeholder Management
Scope, experience & pay
Head of M&A / Corp Dev roles expect deal / M&A experience in 81% of postings, IPO or capital markets in 10%, and transformation in 14%. Typical stated experience: 10 years. Pay signal from postings (base): $209K–$253K.
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