Corporate Development Analyst

M&A / Transaction Advisory Manager — Principal-Side Opportunity Chicago We are working with a private equity-backed, acquisition-driven company that is building a national platform in a highly fragmented industry. This is a unique opportunity for someone coming out of Financial Due Diligence / Transaction Advisory who wants to move to the principal side and become a broader M&A professional. The immediate mandate is clear: own financial diligence. You’ll work directly with senior leadership and the private equity sponsor on an active acquisition pipeline, owning the financial diligence process from start to finish. You’ll dig into businesses that often have less-than-perfect financials, determine what they actually earn, identify and defend EBITDA adjustments, analyze normalized working capital, pressure-test assumptions, and help the deal team make better investment decisions. But this isn’t a career destination in QoE. You’ll sit inside the deal team and gain exposure to the full acquisition lifecycle—valuation, diligence, transaction execution, seller interaction, investment decisions, and ultimately sourcing and broader corporate development. The profile we’re looking for: Approximately 4–7 years of experience, with meaningful time in FDD / TAS / Transaction Services Strong hands-on Quality of Earnings experience Experience independently running diligence engagements or major workstreams Deep understanding of normalized EBITDA, EBITDA adjustments, and working capital Comfortable getting into messy financials and figuring out what really matters Strong accounting foundation; CPA and/or prior audit experience is a plus Experience working with private equity clients and lower-middle-market businesses is especially attractive This is best suited for someone who is technically strong but wants to get closer to the investment decision—and who is ready to own more than an advisory work product. The role can be based in Chicago and will involve meaningful travel as the company continues acquiring businesses across the country. If you’re currently in Transaction Advisory / FDD and have been thinking about moving to the principal side, I’d be happy to share more confidentially. #J-18808-Ljbffr Grayson Search Partners, LLC