Director, Corporate Development

About the Role

Updater is seeking an ambitious, strategic, and results-driven leader to spearhead our corporate development and growth agenda. In this role, you will source and evaluate opportunities that fuel Updater's next stage of growth - including acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and initiatives that expand or enhance existing business lines.

You will own the assessment of the market and competitive landscape across priority verticals, serving as a trusted advisor to the executive team. From identifying opportunities through executing and integrating transformative deals, you will ensure Updater capitalizes on the right partnerships and acquisitions that accelerate our strategic vision.

This is a unique opportunity to join a rapidly expanding business and to play a major role in shaping Updater's future as a category-leading B2B2C platform with:

• A massive TAM across partner, service, and consumer verticals
• Strategic whitespace in high-growth sectors with fragmented competitive landscapes
• Rich data and integration opportunities through our enterprise partnerships
• An executive team aligned on acquisitive growth as a top strategic lever

Key Responsibilities

Growth Strategy & Pipeline Development

• Own the long-term corporate development strategy in close partnership with the CEO, CFO, and senior leadership
• Develop a deep understanding of the competitive landscape and emerging business models across our priority verticals, advising the executive team on market opportunities and whitespace plays
• Proactively source, evaluate, and prioritize acquisition and partnership opportunities in priority verticals, leveraging deep industry knowledge and networks
• Build and maintain a robust pipeline of targets, balancing strategic fit, financial return, and integration potential
• Partner with the CEO, CFO, and executive team to align targets with strategic growth initiatives

Deal Evaluation & Execution

• Lead all stages of the deal process - from initial outreach and valuation through diligence, negotiation, and closing
• Partner with cross-functional teams (Finance, Legal, Product, GTM) to assess deal synergies, risks, and integration requirements
• Develop and present investment cases and recommendations to the executive team

Market & Competitive Intelligence

• Continuously monitor market trends, competitive dynamics, and emerging business models in target sectors
• Identify adjacency plays and "build vs. buy" opportunities that can strengthen Updater's competitive position
• Advise GTM teams on strategic business development opportunities

Relationship Building & Networking

• Build and maintain senior-level relationships across investment banks, private equity, venture capital, and industry operators to enhance deal flow
• Represent Updater as a thought leader in key sectors at conferences, panels, and industry events

M&A Integration Leadership

• Oversee M&A integration planning and execution for acquired companies to ensure seamless onboarding, value capture, and cultural alignment
• Partner with functional leaders to establish post-close KPIs and monitor acquisition performance against deal theses
• Partner with the Strategic Finance team to model acquisition opportunities, including but not limited to detailed three-statement financial models, revenue and cost synergies, and working capital requirements

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in corporate development, M&A, investment banking, private equity, or venture capital
• Strong understanding of Generative AI and Agentic Commerce
• Proven track record of sourcing, structuring, and closing acquisitions in relevant industries
• Deep network of relationships across private equity, venture capital, and corporate dealmakers
• Strong financial acumen, with the ability to build and evaluate complex valuation models and ROI analyses
• Experience leading due diligence, negotiation, and integration in both buy-side and sell-side contexts
• Exceptional strategic thinking with the ability to translate business goals into actionable deal strategies
• Business development experience preferred
• Strong communication and influencing skills; able to articulate deal rationale and value creation opportunities to executives, boards, and external stakeholders
• Empathetic, pragmatic, and collaborative leadership style
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to convey strategic value to executives, boards, and external stakeholders
• Experience working with a remote-first team distributed across multiple time zones

Compensation

The new hire salary range for this position is $250,000-$280,000 annually. Factors which may affect the starting pay within this range include skills, experience, and other qualifications aligned with Updater's internal leveling guidelines.

Benefits

The Company offers the following benefits for full-time positions, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Flexible PTO
• 13 paid company holidays annually
• Updater Stock Options
• 401(k) with employer match
• Wellbeing Subsidy
• One Medical membership
• Virtual on-demand healthcare through Teladoc and Talkspace
• Flexible spending account (FSA)
• Health savings account (HSA)
• Supplemental Short & Long Term Disability Insurance
• Supplemental Life Insurance
• Paid Parental Leave