Director Corporate Development

About the Company

Fortifi Food Processing Solutions ("Fortifi or the "Company") is seeking a strategic and analytical Director, Corporate Development to lead initiatives that drive growth, innovation, and long-term value creation in Europe. This role is central to our inorganic growth strategy, responsible for identifying, evaluating, and executing acquisition opportunities that align with our strategic objectives. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in finance, business strategy, and deal execution, with the ability to work cross-functionally and influence senior stakeholders. The Director, Corporate Development will be expected to drive pipeline development and acquisition management independently, including internal financial modeling, board approvals, and third-party activities (e.g., quality of earnings analysis and legal diligence and other supporting confirmatory diligence). The successful candidate is preferably based in Germany, Denmark, or Spain.

Responsibilities

M&A Strategy and Opportunity Identification

• Maintain a pipeline of potential acquisition targets and track industry trends.
• Monitor industry trends, competitive landscape, and emerging technologies to inform strategy.
• Conduct market and competitive analysis to identify acquisition opportunities and assess strategic rationale.
• Support long-term strategic planning and corporate roadmap development.

Deal Evaluation and Executive Communication

• Lead the end-to-end M&A process, including target identification, strategic fit assessment, valuation, due diligence, and integration planning.
• Develop financial models, valuation analysis, and due diligence to support acquisition decisions.
• Develop and present investment cases and strategic recommendations to executive leadership and obtain board approvals.
• Prepare and present deal recommendations and strategic insights to senior leadership and the board.

Deal Execution and Integration

• Manage deal execution from initial assessment through negotiation, closing, and integration (financial modeling, quality of earnings analysis, legal due-diligence, and other supporting confirmatory diligence).
• Collaborate with internal teams (finance, legal, operations, HR, product) to manage due diligence, deal execution, and initial integration.
• Negotiate deal terms and coordinate with external advisors, bankers, and legal counsel.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in business, finance, economics, or related field; MBA preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in corporate development, investment banking, private equity, or management consulting.
• Proven track record of leading M&A transactions and strategic initiatives.
• Strong financial modeling and analytical skills.

• Ability to network and form strong relationships within the food solutions industry.

• Preferred:

• Experience with post-merger integration and synergy realization.
• Understanding of legal and regulatory considerations in deal structuring.
• Experience working with industrials and/or manufacturing companies.
• Familiarity in using industry reports and market intelligence databases.

Required Skills

• Strategic mindset with strong business acumen and risk evaluation capabilities.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Collaborative leadership style with the ability to influence without direct authority.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a proactive, solutions-oriented approach.
• Ability to thrive in a high-growth, fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple priorities within a globally distributed organization.
• Team-oriented mindset, capable of integrating seamlessly into existing Strategy and Corporate Development team.

Travel Requirements

Ability to travel (approx. 50%) to potential M&A targets and Fortifi sites across Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia, as well as on an as needed basis to Fortifi HQ (The Woodlands, TX), and KKR offices in New York.