Director - Global M&A Integration (12 months, fixed-term)

What you’ll do:

• Partner in Due Diligence: Strategically collaborate with the Corporate Development team during due diligence, providing expert integration and separation insights to assess operational risks, potential cost and revenue synergies, integration costs, and overall deal viability, including evaluation of back-office system integration requirements.
• Conduct Operational Due Diligence: Lead and perform thorough operational due diligence to identify key operational risks, opportunities, and validate synergy potential and integration complexities.
• Set Integration Strategy: Define the overall integration approach, goals, and guiding principles for each transaction, developing comprehensive integration strategies and business cases that align with Xero's corporate objectives and the specific deal thesis. This includes early collaboration with Founders and outlining plans for their involvement.
• Identify & Quantify Synergies: Lead the identification, validation, and quantification of all synergy targets (cost and revenue). Work closely with Product, Go-to-Market (GTM), and operational teams to develop high-level execution plans for revenue synergies and cost savings.

Integration Planning & Execution:

• Develop Detailed Integration Plans: Lead the creation of comprehensive, cross-functional integration plans, with a strong focus on integrating back-office people, processes, and technology (e.g., Finance, HR, IT) to ensure seamless operations, enhanced collaboration, and a scalable foundation for future growth.
• Oversee Program Execution: Ensure the successful execution of multiple, complex, and concurrent M&A integration and separation programs, managing cross-functional teams and making critical decisions to meet time, budget, and quality expectations.
• Drive Cost Synergy Capture: Actively drive the realization of identified cost synergies through meticulous integration execution, operational restructuring, and diligent tracking of savings against targets.
• Lead Revenue Synergy Realization: Steer the capture of revenue synergies by working closely with GTM, Product, and Technology teams to implement plans, such as developing new/embedded products, defining new sales motions, and integrating sales operations.
• Provide Strategic Counsel: Offer ongoing expert advice to Xero’s leadership (including ELT) and business units on post-acquisition structuring, integration execution, and value realization, including strategies for partnering with Founders to scale products and GTM approaches.

Executive Stakeholder Management & Collaboration:

• Execute Stakeholder Engagement Plans: Develop and implement strategic stakeholder engagement plans for complex M&A projects, ensuring alignment and buy-in from senior executives (Board, ELT, Senior Leaders) across Xero and acquired companies, with a focus on strong Founder relationships.
• Lead Executive Reporting: Oversee the preparation and delivery of high-impact reports, strategic papers, and presentations on M&A integration progress, risks, and outcomes to the Board, ELT, and other senior stakeholders.
• Champion Cross-Functional Collaboration: Cultivate a culture of deep collaboration, partnering with leaders in Product, Technology, GTM, Finance, Legal, HR, and IT to ensure cohesive integration, especially for back-office systems.

Team Leadership & Development:

• Manage Performance & Development: Work with junior team members to set performance expectations and development goals, provide timely feedback, and support career progression through coaching and strategic assignments.
• Support Overall Team Growth: Assist the GM of Global M&A Integration in team development, strategic resource planning, budget management, and cultivating an innovative, inclusive, and results-driven culture.
• Advance M&A Capability: Spearhead the definition, continuous refinement, and global implementation of Xero's M&A integration and separation playbooks, frameworks, and best practices to build and maintain a world-class M&A capability.

Success looks like:

• Strategic Impact: Successful leadership and delivery of Xero's most complex and strategic M&A transactions, demonstrably contributing to Xero's accelerated growth, market leadership, and long-term strategic objectives.
• Value Maximization: Consistent achievement or overachievement of synergy targets and strategic objectives outlined in acquisition business cases; effective minimization of stranded costs and value erosion in separation scenarios. This includes successfully partnering with Founders to achieve agreed-upon performance targets and effectively restructure operations where necessary.
• Execution Excellence: Flawless Day 1 execution and consistent delivery of integration and separation programs on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards, evidenced by robust post-implementation reviews and stakeholder feedback.
• Stakeholder Endorsement: Strong buy-in, confidence, and active support from the Xero Board, Executive Leadership, and acquired company leadership, including Founders, throughout the entire M&A integration and separation lifecycle.
• Product & GTM Integration Success: Successful integration of acquired products and technologies, achieved in collaboration with Founders, leading to enhanced Xero offerings and accelerated GTM success.
• Operational Scalability & Efficiency: Successful integration and streamlining of back-office systems (e.g., CRM, ERP, financial systems) and processes, resulting in enhanced communication, improved collaboration between Xero and acquired entities, long-term operational scalability, and measurable efficiencies.
• Best-in-Class Frameworks: Establishment, adoption, and continuous evolution of Xero’s M&A integration and separation playbooks, methodologies, governance frameworks, and toolkits.
• High-Performing Team: A highly engaged, exceptionally skilled, and motivated M&A integration team that is recognized internally and externally for its strategic expertise, execution capability, and ability to deliver outstanding results.
• Operational Readiness & Governance: For every transaction, ensuring a clearly defined strategic rationale, detailed integration or separation plans with comprehensive cross-organizational and Board approval, robust governance structures, and well-defined Transitional Services Agreements (TSAs) where applicable.

Critical competencies:

• Strategic & Visionary Leadership: Develops, articulates, and champions a clear vision for M&A integration success, inspiring teams and stakeholders.
• Advanced Program & Portfolio Management: Leads, governs, and manages multiple large-scale, complex global M&A integrations and separations from concept to full realization.
• Executive Stakeholder Influence: Engages, influences, builds consensus, and establishes trusted advisor relationships with senior executives (C-suite, Board), founders, and diverse stakeholders.
• Deep M&A Integration/Separation Expertise: Expert knowledge of the M&A lifecycle (due diligence, strategy, planning, execution, change management, value capture). Experience with Founder collaboration post-acquisition (teams, products, operations) and leading back-office system integration (Finance, HR, IT).
• Complex Problem-Solving & Analytical Acumen: Superior analytical and critical thinking to dissect complex issues, identify root causes, and develop innovative, data-driven solutions.
• Financial & Commercial Acumen: Strong understanding of financial statements, valuation, synergy modeling, cost analysis, and key M&A commercial drivers.
• Change Management Leadership: Expertise in guiding organizations through M&A-related transformation, fostering engagement, ensuring adoption, and minimizing disruption.
• Exceptional Communication: Outstanding ability to synthesize and convey complex information clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences, including executives.
• Team Development & Coaching: Builds, leads, and mentors high-performing, diverse teams in a collaborative, inclusive, and growth-oriented environment.

Experience:

• 10-12+ years in M&A integration and separation leadership, primarily in global tech or SaaS.
• Prior top-tier management consulting experience in M&A, PMI, or corporate strategy
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, or non-business degree with an MBA.
• Proven track record leading multiple complex, large-scale M&A integrations/divestitures from strategy to value capture in fast-paced, global settings.
• Deep understanding of SaaS business models, key metrics, and the tech landscape is highly preferred.
• Extensive experience with operational and commercial due diligence for acquisitions/ separations to inform strategy and planning.
• Demonstrated success in developing, quantifying, and delivering significant synergy/value creation in complex M&A.
• Strong experience managing and influencing senior executives, including C-suite and Board interactions.
• Significant experience leading, managing, and developing high-performing teams (direct and project-based).