Principal Consultant, Mergers and Acquisitions - Infrastructure

Principal Consultant, Mergers and Acquisitions

Lead high-impact infrastructure transactions shaping a more sustainable future. In a rapidly evolving market where sustainability, infrastructure resilience, and responsible investment intersect, this Manhattan-based role places you at the center of high-value transactions influencing the global energy and infrastructure landscape. As a Principal Consultant, Mergers and Acquisitions, with ERM—the world's largest pure-play sustainability consultancy—you will guide major investors, infrastructure operators, and financial institutions as they evaluate and invest in assets that power the future.

You won't just advise on deals—you'll shape them. You'll lead multidisciplinary teams, deliver technical excellence, strengthen client relationships, and drive the continued expansion of our fast-growing M&A Infrastructure service line.

Why This Role Matters

ERM's M&A Infrastructure team is experiencing significant growth as client demand accelerates across technical, ESG, and EHS due diligence. With 50+ specialists already supporting global transactions, we are scaling to meet increasing demand from infrastructure funds, private equity firms, investment banks, and energy companies.

As a Principal Consultant, you play a crucial role in delivering complex, high-impact due diligence projects, ensuring quality, and advancing ERM's strategic vision. Your leadership helps clients understand operational, technical, and commercial risks, enabling responsible and profitable investments.

What Your Impact Is

• Shape investment decisions on major infrastructure assets through technical, operational, and business plan evaluation.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams to deliver complex, high-stakes buy-side, sell-side, and project financing due diligence.
• Strengthen ERM's client relationships while identifying opportunities to evolve services and grow key accounts.
• Elevate the Infrastructure service line through internal development initiatives, quality leadership, and mentoring consultants at all levels.
• Support proposals and commercial development to help the team capture increasing market demand.
• Ensure projects align with ERM's values, governance expectations, and uncompromising commitment to health, safety, and sustainability.

Required

• A solid academic background with an engineering bias (Civil, Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, or related). Or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 10 years of technical consulting, engineering, or operational experience in the energy or infrastructure sectors.
• Strong technical skills and the ability to identify risks and opportunities from documentation reviews, site visits, and technical discussions—covering asset integrity, operational performance, management systems, and business plans.
• Excellent organizational skills, self-motivation, and the ability to thrive in a fast-turnaround environment.
• Proven ability to promote, execute, and ensure quality work for yourself and your team.
• Advanced report-writing and presentation skills, including experience in client-facing roles.
• Experience reviewing EPC contracts, financial models, designs/specifications, and budgets for industrial projects.
• Experience assessing asset integrity and performance (HSE, maintenance, availability, etc.).
• Ability to manage or support complex project delivery involving multiple workstreams and client deliverables.

Preferred

• Previous management of external client projects or broader client-facing consulting experience.
• Prior experience in technical due diligence (preferred but not essential).
• Corporate finance qualification.
• Interest in domestic and international travel for site visits.
• Knowledge of reasonable Capex and Opex cost ranges for engineering assets/projects.
• Skill in reviewing permits, environmental/social plans, and familiarity with World Bank social requirements and the Equator Principles.
• Awareness of decarbonization strategies and emerging low-carbon technologies.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver compelling proposals, including company profiles, scopes of work, schedules, and commercial terms.
• Manage and successfully deliver large, complex, and/or multidisciplinary consulting and due diligence projects.
• Lead evaluations of technical, operational, and business plans for infrastructure investments.
• Coordinate deliverables such as Q&A submissions, management sessions, client meetings, and final reports.
• Collaborate with ERM technical communities and subcontracted SMEs to support project excellence and client interaction.
• Contribute to the development and functionality of the Infrastructure service line.
• Lead, performance-manage, hire, retain, mentor, and inspire team members.
• Build strong client relationships through proactive and professional engagement.
• Work independently with minimal oversight while meeting project goals and client expectations.
• Participate in construction monitoring visits and project site assessments.
• Adhere to ERM and client governance requirements, with a strong focus on health & safety.
• Identify opportunities for expanded services and follow-on sales.
• Support account management teams and contribute to meeting sales targets.

The anticipated annual base pay is $130,000 –$169,426 (USD). Actual pay will depend on factors such as education, experience, skills, location, performance, and business needs. In some cases, pay may fall outside this range. This role may be eligible for bonus pay (casual and fixed term/flex force employees are not bonus eligible).

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including paid time off, parental leave, medical, dental, vision, life, disability, AD&D insurance, 401(k) or RRSP/DPSP, and other applicable benefits to eligible employees.

Note: Bonuses, commissions, and other forms of additional compensation are not guaranteed and subject to the sole discretion of ERM and its policies and procedures.

ERM is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.