American Operator is looking to add a Director of M&A Integration who will own and scale the company’s integration & performance management capability across the full deal lifecycle. This role partners closely with executive leadership, functional teams and management teams to ensure acquisitions are efficiently integrated, value creation initiatives are executed, and deal objectives are realized in a high-velocity M&A environment. This role is based at our office in Austin, TX and will report to the CEO.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Build and lead the M&A integration function, including ownership transitions, value-creation projects, and portfolio performance.
Execute the function for the first cohort of acquisitions, developing relationships with our Owner-Operators, building playbooks, and standing up reporting processes.
Partner with the Investment team during diligence to assess integration risks, readiness, and value creation opportunities.
Lead pre-close integration planning, Day 1 execution, and post-close integration across all functions.
Drive cross-functional value-creation projects across Operations, Technology, Finance, HR, and Shared Services.
Establish and manage company-level KPIs and budgets as well as portfolio-level KPIs and dashboards.
Serve as a trusted partner to executives and acquired company leadership.
Travel to portfolio companies as needed to support integration execution.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
8+ years of experience in M&A integration, corporate development, or value creation.
4+ years leading cross-functional M&A integrations in a fast-paced environment.
Experience across the full M&A lifecycle (diligence through post-close integration).
Proven ability to manage multiple integrations simultaneously.
Strong operational, financial, and program management skills.
Exceptional stakeholder management and executive communication abilities.
Willingness to travel as required.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Background building or scaling an integration playbook or IMO from the ground up.
Strong FP&A skills with experience owning budget and plan creation.
Experience supporting high-volume acquisition strategies at a roll-up or LMM private equity fund.
Diverse industry experience.
American Operator exists because we believe the American Dream is worth protecting, and that small businesses are the backbone of our communities. To do this well, we need a team that reflects the real world: operators, builders, investors, and problem-solvers from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.
We know that diversity of thought, discipline, and lived experience leads to better decisions and stronger businesses. We’re intentional about bringing together people who care deeply about ownership, stewardship, and keeping great companies in capable hands. Our work depends on collaboration, humility, and a shared belief in the value of Main Street.
We’re a team shaped by different industries, hometowns, and career paths, and we believe those differences are exactly what prepare us to serve small-business owners and future CEOs across the country.
MISSION-DRIVENEvery company claims to be mission-driven, but our mission is simple, tangible, and urgent: preserve the legacy of America’s small businesses and create more pathways to meaningful ownership.
We partner with operators who want to step into leadership, take responsibility for great companies, and continue the work that founders spent decades building. When we succeed, communities keep their employers, families keep their livelihoods, and operators get the chance to build wealth through real ownership.
We work hard because we know what’s at stake: generational businesses that deserve to thrive, and talented operators who deserve the chance to lead them. And while we measure our success in deals closed and businesses grown, the real reward is seeing these companies continue to serve their people and their towns, stronger than before.
Where else do you get the opportunity to help someone become a CEO, preserve a founder’s life’s work, and strengthen a community, all in the same job? That’s what makes our work both serious and incredibly fulfilling.
What We Do
American Operator is reviving the American Dream by transitioning great small businesses to the next generation of local ownership. We acquire each business alongside a talented operator and allow our ownership to be incrementally bought back until the business is majority-owned by that operator.
