Job Description

M&A Associate - Integration & Diligence

Location: Wiltshire Area, hybrid 2/3 days in office

Sector: Financial Services

Salary: Up to £75,000 + Bonus

We are delighted to be partnering with a leading financial services group to appoint an Integration & Diligence Associate. This pivotal role sits at the heart of the firm's acquisition and integration strategy, supporting the continued expansion of its partnership network through rigorous due diligence, seamless onboarding and successful business integration.

This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of key workstreams across the transaction lifecycle, ensuring acquired advice firms, client books and franchisees are integrated efficiently, compliantly and with minimal disruption. Working closely with advisers and a broad range of internal stakeholders, you will play a critical role in delivering adviser lifecycle initiatives and helping to drive the firm's ambitious growth strategy.

Offering significant exposure to senior stakeholders, excellent career development opportunities and involvement in high-profile acquisitions, this role is ideal for a commercially minded professional seeking to make a tangible impact within a fast-paced and growing organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Performing detailed operational, financial and client book analysis on acquisition targets.
• Leading the day-to-day coordination of data collection and validation from target firms, ensuring accuracy, completeness and consistency.
• Supporting the development of due diligence reports and integration risk assessments to inform strategic decision-making.
• Analysing adviser and client data to assess transition implications, commercial opportunities and compliance considerations.
• Building and maintaining financial models, dashboards and reporting templates to evaluate business performance, revenue quality and client segmentation.
• Supporting the planning and execution of integration activities across operations, client transitions, technology and compliance functions.
• Managing project plans, stakeholder communications and documentation throughout the integration lifecycle.
• Collaborating with internal teams and advisers to ensure the timely delivery of integration milestones and business objectives.
• Providing ad hoc analysis on acquired businesses and supporting ongoing performance monitoring and value creation initiatives.
• Supporting the assessment of investment opportunities within acquired firms, including technology enhancements, recruitment initiatives and operational improvements.
• Collaborating with the Valuation & Structuring team on financial modelling, market analysis and business case development.

The Ideal Candidate

• Experience within the intermediated or retail financial services sector, with exposure to acquisitions, due diligence, integration, business transformation or project management.
• A professional qualification such as ACA, CFA, or a recognised project management certification would be advantageous.
• Strong understanding of the UK financial advice market, including FCA regulations, adviser business models and client servicing frameworks.
• Commercially minded, with the ability to identify risks, assess opportunities and develop effective mitigation strategies.
• Familiarity with business systems, contractual arrangements and regulatory requirements.
• Strong project management and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to coordinate complex integration programmes effectively.
• Excellent analytical capabilities, with the ability to interpret complex data sets and generate meaningful commercial insights.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to engage effectively across all levels of the organisation.
• High levels of emotional intelligence, with the ability to manage adviser and client transitions sensitively and professionally.
• A proactive, adaptable and solutions-focused approach, with the ability to work independently and take ownership of key initiatives.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands and manage multiple workstreams in a dynamic environment.

For more information, please apply for this role or contact Alba Amigo at alba.amigo@phippscameron.com.