Senior Associate, Corporate Development & M&A (Platform & Strategic Investments)

Senior Associate, Corporate Development & M&A (Platform & Strategic Investments)

Established in 2015, Create Music Group is a leading music and entertainment company. The company operates as a record label, distribution company, and entertainment network which generates over 15 billion music streams each month on DSP's. Named #2 on the Inc 5000 Fastest Growth Companies in America in 2020, the company has grown exponentially by leveraging its owned IP with its media and technology platform. The company works with superstar artists, major and independent record labels, and global media brands. It operates a number of companies including Label Engine, one of the largest independent music distribution platforms in the world, with over 75,000 artists and 5,000 label clients; and Flighthouse, a digital entertainment brand focused on Gen Z, which has more than 300 million followers across social media. Create Music Group is based in Hollywood, CA and has 400 employees worldwide.

Reporting to the SVP, Corporate Development & M&A, the Senior Associate, Corporate Development & M&A (Platform & Strategic Investments) is an individual contributor responsible for identifying, evaluating, developing and executing acquisition, investment, label & publishing, and other strategic opportunities across the global music and entertainment ecosystem.

The role combines proactive deal sourcing and opportunity development with rigorous investment analysis, diligence, underwriting and execution. The Sr. Associate will apply strong commercial and analytical judgment to assess business quality, financial performance, market dynamics, valuation, risk, and strategic fit and help determine which opportunities warrant further consideration.

Working closely with the SVP, the Senior Associate will help develop the Corporate Development pipeline and investment theses, collaborating with M&A as opportunities progress into formal diligence and transaction execution and with Finance & Strategy on capital requirements, financing considerations, and broader enterprise financial impact.

The ideal candidate brings the analytical rigor of a private equity, investment banking, corporate development, or similar transaction background, along with the commercial instincts and relationship-building skills to identify and develop opportunities in the market.

Success in this role requires combining proactive sourcing and market development with disciplined analysis and diligence to help the Company identify investment opportunities with the potential to drive profitable growth and long-term enterprise value.

Responsibilities

• Identify and source acquisition, investment, label, publisher, joint venture, and other strategic opportunities across music, entertainment, digital media, technology, and adjacent sectors
• Help build and maintain a proprietary deal pipeline through market mapping, thematic research, targeted outreach, industry relationships, referrals, and intermediaries
• Build and cultivate relationships with founders, executives, label and publisher owners, investors, bankers, advisors, and other industry participants across markets and geographies, in partnership with the SVP, Corporate Development
• Support the SVP, Corporate Development in conducting preliminary financial, commercial, and strategic diligence of prospective opportunities
• Evaluate business models, historical financial performance, revenue quality, profitability, growth drivers, competitive positioning, market dynamics, concentration risks, and other key investment considerations
• Analyze financial and operating information, pressure-test assumptions and forecasts, and identify material risks or areas requiring deeper diligence
• Develop and contribute to investment theses and preliminary valuation, return, and scenario analyses to assess the financial and strategic attractiveness of opportunities
• Provide analysis and recommendations to the SVP, Corporate Development regarding opportunities under consideration for advancement into the formal M&A process
• Prepare concise investment cases/memos, diligence findings, financial analyses, and recommendations for review by the SVP and senior leadership
• Collaborate with the M&A team as opportunities progress into detailed diligence, valuation, structuring, negotiation, and transaction execution
• Coordinate with Finance & Strategy following initial opportunity vetting to support evaluation of broader financial implications, including capital requirements, financing considerations, and enterprise financial impact
• Monitor and research industry trends, emerging business models, market activity, and potential targets to identify new areas for investment and growth
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Business, Accounting, or a related discipline preferred; relevant professional experience in investment analysis, diligence, underwriting, corporate development, or a related field may be considered in lieu of a degree in these disciplines
• 2 - 4 years of relevant experience in private equity, growth equity, investment banking, corporate development, or a comparable investment or transaction environment
• Experience within entertainment, media, technology, or another relevant sector, including experience with an investment firm, investment bank, corporate development team, or institutional advisory environment, is a plus but not required
• Experience conducting financial, commercial, and/or strategic diligence in connection with acquisitions, investments, or other strategic opportunities
• Strong financial modeling, valuation, financial statement analysis, and investment underwriting capabilities
• Ability to evaluate business performance, pressure-test assumptions, identify key risks and opportunities, and develop well-supported analyses and recommendations
• Experience supporting deal sourcing and opportunity development through market research, market mapping, targeted outreach, relationship development, or industry networks
• Strong commercial instincts and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build productive relationships with founders, executives, investors, advisors, and other external stakeholders
• Experience contributing to investment theses, transaction analysis, investment cases, or other decision-making materials for senior leadership or investment committees
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex financial and commercial analysis into clear, concise insights and recommendations
• Highly analytical, intellectually curious, proactive, and comfortable working independently while collaborating closely with senior team members and cross-functional partners
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint required, with proficiency in Google Workspace.
• Familiarity with CRM and deal pipeline management platforms such as Salesforce, DealCloud, Affinity, or similar systems used for sourcing, relationship management, and deal tracking
• Familiarity with financial and market intelligence platforms such as Capital IQ, PitchBook, Bloomberg, FactSet, or comparable financial research and transaction databases; experience with data analytics and AI-enabled research and productivity tools is a plus

Pay Scale

• $125,000 - $185,000 per year plus variable compensation
• The final compensation within this range will be determined based on the candidate's experience, skills, and overall fit for the role.

Fair Chance Policy

In accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider employment for qualified applicants with criminal histories. We evaluate candidates based on their qualifications and the nature of the offense in relation to the job for which they are applying.