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Skill Check · General Management

Head of M&A / Corp Dev: skills & capabilities the market requires

Based on 313 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 (71%) and Financial Acumen (59%).

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Core capabilities for a Head of M&A / Corp Dev

  • Strategic Leadership — required in 71% of postings
  • Financial Acumen — required in 59% of postings
  • Go-to-Market & Sales — required in 51% of postings
  • Operational Excellence — required in 48% of postings
  • Executive Communication — required in 45% of postings
  • Cross-functional Leadership — required in 41% of postings
  • Stakeholder Management — required in 40% of postings

Most-required hard skills

  • Financial Modeling
  • Due Diligence
  • Financial Analysis
  • Deal Structuring
  • Valuation Analysis
  • Strategic Planning
  • Valuation

Leadership & soft skills

  • Leadership
  • Strategic Thinking
  • Stakeholder Management
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration

Scope, experience & pay

Head of M&A / Corp Dev roles expect deal / M&A experience in 86% of postings, IPO or capital markets in 12%, and transformation in 16%. Typical stated experience: 10 years. Pay signal from postings (base): $217K–$280K.

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