Director, Corporate Development M&A

Job description

**WHO WE ARE** Lindblad Expeditions is a true pioneer in Expedition Travel. From taking the first citizen explorers to Antarctica in 1966, opening the Galapagos and Easter Island to tourism in 1967, leading the first tourist expedition through the Northwest Passage in 1984, and launching our innovative partnership with National Geographic in 2004, we're now taking almost 30,000 guests a year to some of the world’s most remote and pristine locations on our fleet of 20 ships, and are committed to ensuring our guests experience the “Exhilaration of Discovery”. # Role Summary The Director, Corporate Development & M&A will partner with the SVP of Corporate Development & Strategy to identify, evaluate, negotiate, and execute acquisitions and strategic initiatives that strengthen Lindblad Expeditions' portfolio of experiential travel businesses. This role leads the end-to-end M&A process, develops acquisition strategy and pipeline, manages relationships with target companies and advisors, and serves as a key advisor to executive leadership on strategic investment opportunities. ### ### ESSENTIAL DUTIES **M&A Strategy & Transaction Leadership** - Lead acquisitions from sourcing through closing, including valuation, financial analysis, due diligence, transaction structuring, negotiation support, and integration planning. - Direct cross-functional diligence teams while managing external advisors including investment bankers, legal counsel, tax, and accounting firms. - Develop sophisticated financial models and investment analyses to support strategic decision making. - Ensure transactions remain on schedule, within budget, and aligned with strategic objectives. **Pipeline Development & Relationship Management** - Own the acquisition pipeline by identifying strategic opportunities across expedition travel and adjacent markets. - Develop and maintain relationships with target company executives, owners, investors, bankers, and industry partners to generate proprietary deal flow. - Continuously evaluate market trends, competitive dynamics, and strategic adjacencies. **Executive & Board Communications** - Lead development of investment memos, Board presentations, Executive Leadership Team materials, and strategic recommendations. - Present investment opportunities, financial analyses, risks, and recommendations to executive leadership. **Strategic Partnership & Integration** - Partner with Finance, Legal, Operations, Marine, Hotel, Sales, Marketing, and other business leaders throughout the transaction lifecycle. - Lead post-acquisition integration planning, synergy realization, and value capture initiatives. **GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS** ### Education & Experience - Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, or a related field. MBA strongly preferred. - 8–12+ years of progressive experience in Corporate Development, Investment Banking, Private Equity, Strategy Consulting, or a related M&A environment. - Demonstrated experience leading acquisitions from sourcing through closing, including valuation, due diligence, transaction structuring, and integration planning. - Advanced expertise in financial modeling, valuation methodologies, investment analysis, and capital allocation. - Proven experience managing cross-functional transaction teams and coordinating external advisors including investment bankers, legal counsel, tax, and accounting firms. - Strong strategic thinking with the ability to identify acquisition opportunities aligned to long-term business objectives. - Experience developing investment recommendations and presenting to executive leadership, investment committees, or Boards of Directors. - Excellent negotiation, influencing, and stakeholder management skills. - Proven ability to manage multiple complex transactions simultaneously. - Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint. ## **Preferred Experience** - Experience leading Corporate Development within the travel, cruise, hospitality, leisure, or consumer services industries. - Experience developing acquisition strategy and generating proprietary deal flow. - Experience leading post-merger integration and synergy realization initiatives. - Existing network of investment bankers, private equity firms, founders, and strategic advisors. - Experience evaluating adjacent markets, vertical integration opportunities, and strategic partnerships. - MBA, CFA, CPA, or equivalent advanced financial credential.