M&A Integration Lead

About Emergence and the Role

Emergence is a permanent-hold software holding company supported by the Pritzker Organization. It targets ownership and operation of leading B2B software firms in industries such as healthcare tech, automotive tech, cloud infrastructure, and supply chain tech. This position is the company's first dedicated M&A integration role based in the U.S., focusing on the operational side of acquisitions from early-stage diligence through integration and stabilization. The role is pivotal in establishing the integration frameworks that will standardize future acquisitions.

Key Responsibilities

• Engage early in deals, ideally prior to Letter of Intent, collaborating with deal teams to devise integration strategies and evaluate operational elements during due diligence.
• Draft comprehensive operational assessments outlining integration risks and implications for value creation prior to investment approval.
• Develop detailed integration plans ahead of deal closure, assigning clear responsibilities, timelines, risks, and decision milestones to ensure Day 1 execution.
• Coordinate Day 1 preparatory activities, including securing ERP migration resources, managing benefits renewals, and designing employee experience roadmaps.
• For carve-outs, assess and negotiate TSA scopes covering shared services such as duration, staffing, and service extent.
• Post-close, lead the integration management office with regular meetings, reports, and accountability oversight working with Operating Partners and portfolio CEOs.
• Oversee cross-functional integration workstreams including IT, HR, legal, CRM, and change management, ensuring finance and ERP migrations meet scheduled commitments.
• Maintain clear prioritization and escalation protocols to resolve obstacles and maintain progress.
• Build strong trust-based relationships with acquired management teams and collaborate closely with Operating Partners during integration.
• Ensure smooth handoff to the value creation team with ownership of any ongoing workstreams.
• Supervise junior integration project managers and external vendor activities.
• Track integration outcomes against expected deal metrics and share progress and recommendations with leadership.
• Conduct post-deal retrospectives to continuously improve integration processes and update playbooks accordingly.
• Identify investment needs within Emergence's shared services based on integration experiences across acquisitions.

Candidate Profile

• A minimum of 4 years' experience in M&A integration with direct accountability for integration planning, execution, and stakeholder management across multiple transactions.
• Proven exposure to pre-close operational diligence, readiness planning for Day 1, and separation or TSA activities during live deals.
• Ability to link integration initiatives directly to deal theses and value drivers, assessing impacts of system and team capabilities on timelines and costs.
• Strong judgment to navigate between strategic insights and practical execution.
• Operational experience within businesses preferred; consulting backgrounds supplemented with subsequent operational roles are valued.
• Familiarity with private equity environments, including cadence and stakeholder dynamics.
• Skillful in creating integration frameworks and playbooks from scratch rather than following established templates.
• Proven ability to influence cross-level stakeholders including executives and founders to achieve results.
• Experience managing multiple integrations concurrently across different phases.
• Demonstrated history of structured analytical work or equivalent achievements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience integrating B2B SaaS or specialized vertical software products.
• Background combining consulting or banking followed by operational portfolio company roles.
• History of involvement in PE or growth equity portfolio operations with add-on integration responsibilities.
• M&A advisory experience within a Big 4 firm’s integration practice.
• Expertise in carve-out transactions, including TSA scope definition and negotiation.
• Familiarity with operational tools such as Sage Intacct, Rippling, or Ramp.
• Utilization of AI tools to enhance diligence or integration processes.

Compensation and Location

The offered salary ranges from 150000 to 250000 USD annually, supplemented by a performance-based bonus and equity participation. Final salary placement depends on experience, skill set, qualifications, and candidate location.

• This is a full-time remote position for candidates based in the U.S., ideally near New York or San Francisco.
• Occasional in-person meetings with Emergence leadership and travel to portfolio companies during integration phases are expected.
• For select candidates, a contract-to-hire pathway may be considered.