Associate, Corporate Development

Location: Preference for Toronto, but open to remote candidates within Canada or the United States.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead generation & develop M&A pipeline: proactively identify and source software companies that align with investment goals, building a robust pipeline.
• Outreach: initiate and build key relationships through strategic, targeted outbound prospecting, establishing rapport with business owners and senior leadership.
• Relationship Management: act as a trusted partner, nurturing long‑term relationships with decision‑makers and positioning Harris as the acquirer of choice.
• CRM Discipline: maintain a disciplined pipeline in the CRM, track deal stages, forecast pipeline health, and document interactions with relentless activity cadence.
• Transaction Support: support M&A site visits and prospecting trips, coordinate due‑diligence requests and information flow, and work closely with the M&A team.
• Acquisitions: deliver transactions as the ultimate outcome of pipeline efforts.

Requirements

• Business acumen with substantial hands‑on financial and business experience in fast‑paced, high‑performing environments.
• Deep M&A experience: fluent in the M&A process, valuations, and exit strategies; experienced in engaging founders and senior executives.
• Exceptional relationship builder: skilled conversationalist with genuine curiosity, strong listening skills, and ability to build trust by focusing on owners’ stories and goals.
• Natural, outgoing connector: comfortable reaching out, connecting, and fostering relationships with business owners.
• Highly efficient research and outreach skills: able to profile, assess, and interpret a company and its leaders quickly and initiate tailored outreach.
• Intellectual curiosity: continuously observes, analyzes, and learns from each interaction to gain deeper insight.
• High achiever: proven track record of outstanding performance, committed to achieving a high rate of meaningful connections.
• Patiently persistent and resourceful: uses thoughtful and creative approaches to engage business owners.
• Financial literacy: ability to interpret financial statements and discuss basic valuation drivers.
• Commitment: career history of ≥3 years with each employer.
• Advanced communication and interpersonal skills.
• Exceptional self‑drive, meticulous organization, and relentless execution of daily tasks.
• Extraordinary work ethic with a sense of urgency.
• “Hunter” mentality: demonstrable success in cold outreach.
• Long‑term mindset: extensive meaningful long‑term relationships in personal life.
• Travel: 10–20 % within Canada/USA for founder meetings and industry events.

Preferred Backgrounds

• K‑12 or higher‑education industry experience.
• SME investment sourcing/origination.
• Outbound SaaS sales.
• Investment banking or other investing roles.
• Growth/GTM experience (early/growth stage or sponsor‑backed).

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Robust training and development, including mentorship from experienced M&A professionals and exposure to the full deal lifecycle.
• Career growth within an acquisitive, growth‑oriented, decentralized organization with long‑term advancement opportunities.

Pay

Target earnings $120,000 to $140,000 total compensation, consisting of $80,000–$100,000 base salary plus a $40,000 variable component.