Director (Commercial Due Diligence)

Why  Grant Thornton | Stax Transactions

• Work directly with leading private equity firms, growth investors, and Fortune 500 executives on high-stakes strategic and transaction decisions.
• Lead high-impact engagements with real ownership—Directors shape the work, drive client outcomes, and influence investment decisions from day one.
• Experience the best of both worlds: the entrepreneurial culture and agility of a boutique consulting firm combined with the scale, reach, and platform of Grant Thornton.
• Gain broad exposure across industries, transaction types, and growth challenges in a model designed to accelerate commercial judgment and leadership development.
• Operate in lean, collaborative teams where senior leaders are accessible, mentorship is real, and contributions are visible.
• Help build a rapidly growing platform post-acquisition, with opportunities to shape capabilities, develop new offerings, and contribute to firm-wide growth initiatives.
• Deliver meaningful client impact without the traditional road-warrior consulting lifestyle through a more sustainable, low-travel operating model.
• Join a high-performance culture that values intellectual curiosity, initiative, collaboration, and merit-based advancement.

As a Commercial Due Diligence Director, you’ll play a leadership role in Grant Thornton | Stax Transactions , partnering with corporate leaders and private equity investors to evaluate growth potential, downside risk, and value creation opportunities across transactions.

You’ll combine deep commercial diligence expertise, strong client leadership, and business development acumen—serving as a trusted advisor while helping grow the firm’s Commercial Due Diligence capability.

Your day‑to‑day may include:

• Lead complex buy‑side and sell‑side due diligence engagements for corporate and private equity clients
• Evaluate market opportunity, growth sustainability, customer behavior, competitive positioning, and revenue risk
• Translate analyses into executive‑level and investment‑committee‑ready insights that influence deal decisions
• Serve as a senior client advisor, building long‑term relationships and managing executive stakeholder expectations
• Drive integrated diligence delivery, partnering closely with Financial DD, Value Creation, IT, and Human Capital leaders
• Oversee engagement economics, quality, and delivery across multiple concurrent transactions
• Lead and contribute to business development, including proposals, client presentations, and account expansion
• Develop thought leadership, methodologies, and go‑to‑market materials aligned to Commercial DD and Value Creation
• Recruit, mentor, and develop managers and team members; provide career coaching and performance feedback
• Contribute to firm‑building initiatives and practice growth efforts
• Other duties as assigned

You have the following technical skills, qualifications, and abilities:

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Economics, Finance, Strategy, or a related field
• Typically, 8–10+ years of experience in commercial due diligence, strategy consulting, transaction advisory, or private equity
• Proven experience leading PE‑backed and corporate M&A diligence engagements
• Strong expertise in:
  • Market sizing and growth assessment
  • Customer and revenue analysis
  • Competitive and industry dynamics
• Demonstrated ability to influence executive and investor decision‑making
• Track record of managing teams, client relationships, and complex engagements
• Exceptional communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills

Preferred

• Private equity or investment committee‑facing experience
• Advanced degree (MBA or equivalent)
• Experience supporting post‑close value creation or growth strategy

Locations:

• Chicago, Boston, and NYC.
• Consistent with the firm’s hybrid work model, this position requires in-person attendance three days per week at a firm office or client site.