Ernst & Young
Provides consulting, assurance, and tax services
Manager – HR M&a Transactions
About the job
- Experience across HR Mergers and Acquisitions, HR transformation, restructuring and people consulting.
- Proven ability to lead complex HR workstreams in both domestic and international contexts, working with diverse EY and client teams.
- Strong focus on the employee proposition, with a clear understanding of key risks, best practices and delivery within agreed time, cost and risk parameters.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, with confidence engaging senior client leadership.
- Strong analytical capability combined with clear, structured communication and high‑impact presentation skills.
- Deliver complex HR M&A engagements by leading key people workstreams across the full deal lifecycle, including Due Diligence, Sell & Separate, and Buy & Integrate.
- Shape and deliver people-led transformation programmes that enhance organizational performance and maximize deal value.
- Support in the preparation of high-quality RFP responses and client proposals, ensuring timely, professional and compelling submissions.
- Ensure full compliance with EY’s Quality and Risk Management requirements from client acceptance through to programme close.
- Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with clients and multi-disciplinary EY delivery teams.
- Uphold EY’s quality, risk and commercial standards across all engagements.
- Contribute to strengthening EY’s reputation as a trusted advisor in HR M&A and people-led transformation.
- Act as a coach and mentor within the HR M&A team.
- Drive capability development, drawing on SMR experience and practical insight.
- Foster a collaborative, inclusive and high-performing team culture.
- Role-model EY values, quality and client service excellence.
- Support ongoing growth of the practice by building strong day-to-day relationships with clients and internal EY stakeholders, becoming a trusted “go-to” advisor.
- Support the sales process by contributing to the development of client propositions, presentations and collateral.
- Play an active role in go-to-market initiatives.
- Contribute to the development of EY tools, methodologies and points of view.
- Translate complex data, regulatory requirements and operational detail into clear, concise and actionable insights for clients.
- Operate as an SMR across the M&A lifecycle, with strong knowledge across key HR disciplines including organisational design and effectiveness, employee and industrial relations, benefits, communications and change management.
- Support sector development, representing the M&A People proposition and building collaborative cross-functional relationships across EY.
- Experience across both buy-side and sell-side transactions, as well as organisational restructuring.
- Professional HR qualifications (e.g. CIPD) or a relevant degree.
- Experience working in large, global or highly regulated environments.
About the company
EY (Ernst & Young) is a global professional services firm that provides consulting, assurance, tax, and transaction advisory services across industries such as energy, healthcare, financial services, and real estate. Its work centers on helping clients solve critical business challenges by offering high-value advisory support in areas like supply chain, cybersecurity, sustainability, and digital transformation; revenue comes from fees for consulting, audit, and advisory services. What sets EY apart is its breadth of services across multiple disciplines, deep industry knowledge, and emphasis on thought leadership and research to inform clients’ strategic decisions. The firm aims to help organizations improve operational efficiency, navigate regulatory environments, and stay ahead of market trends by delivering practical, evidence-based guidance and execution support.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
London, United Kingdom
Founded
1991
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- EY.ai Agentic for Sales launched March 2, 2026 with Snowflake and Canva.
- EY uses client-zero deployments, scaling Copilot across 400,000 people by May 2026.
- EY’s 2026 AI assurance push monetizes client demand for governance, controls, and risk reviews.
What critics are saying
- Sabah filed RM2.4 billion audit-negligence claims against EY on July 30, 2026.
- EY set aside £188 million in March 2026 after NMC, Shell, and Made.com scrutiny.
- Repeated audit failures can destroy trust, trigger client defections, and shrink the franchise permanently.
What makes Ernst & Young unique
- EY Canvas processes 1.4 trillion journal-entry lines across 160,000 global audits.
- EY-Microsoft invested US$1b+ in May 2026 to industrialize enterprise AI delivery.
- EY launched agentic audit AI on April 7, 2026, spanning Assurance and AI assurance.
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Benefits
Professional Development Budget
Flexible Work Hours
Remote Work Options
Company News
Ernst & Young's US division is allocating $100 million this fiscal year to bonus payments rewarding employees who demonstrate adaptability, innovation, and judgement. Individual spot awards reach $500, whilst employees or teams making significant contributions can receive between $10,000 and $25,000, five times the previous programme's ceiling. The initiative also covers AI experimentation. "What we recognise signals what we value," said Ginnie Carlier, chief talent and culture officer for EY Americas. The bonuses form part of a broader strategy to reshape employee development across all career levels. Other professional services firms are pursuing similar approaches. KPMG restructured its audit internship this summer to emphasise critical thinking, whilst PwC US introduced training combining AI proficiency with human qualities like empathy. EY reported AI-related revenue grew 30% year-over-year in 2025.
EY-Parthenon has acquired SparkOptimus, a Dutch digital strategy consultancy founded in 2010. The Amsterdam-based firm employs around 50 consultants and specialises in AI transformation, digital business model redesign and technology-driven transformation. SparkOptimus founders Alexandra Jankovich and Tom Voskes, both former McKinsey consultants, said joining EY-Parthenon will create significant value for clients and staff whilst providing access to broader capabilities. The acquisition marks EY-Parthenon's first European deal since 2021. EY-Parthenon, established in 2014, is EY's strategy consulting and transactions advisory business with around 25,000 professionals globally. Mark Reich, Partner at EY-Parthenon Netherlands, said SparkOptimus' expertise will complement existing capabilities in the Dutch market. The deal closes on 1 September 2026. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The UK Government has awarded a contract worth up to £456 million to KPMG and EY to train civil servants, the Financial Times reported, citing government procurement tracker Tussell. Under the arrangement, the firms will train officials across various skills areas, including AI, between 2026 and 2028. KPMG's share is capped at £319 million, representing almost a quarter of its total UK advisory net sales from last year. EY's portion is worth £137 million, equivalent to around 13% of its UK consulting revenue. The deal is the largest single contract awarded to Big Four companies since Tussell started tracking records in 2012. The previous record was a £322 million deal between the Foreign Office and PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2012.
EY has introduced an "invisible" AI router to manage internal AI spending, helping cut token consumption by up to 60% since its April rollout. The router sits behind specialised AI tools and directs employee queries to the most appropriate model for each task, rather than defaulting to the most powerful option. Token costs have become a growing concern as AI providers increasingly charge based on usage. EY's AI Pulse survey found that 82% of senior leaders at companies investing in AI were worried about token usage. The router has been deployed on department-specific platforms, including tax and risk functions, though not on the general Microsoft Copilot chatbot available to all staff. EY has also implemented token budgets based on employees' roles and departments. The firm's global consulting AI leader Dan Diasio said companies should focus AI investment on areas with the deepest impact rather than spreading resources thinly.
The UK's Financial Reporting Council has fined EY nearly £1.2m and audit partner Julie Carlyle £49,000 for failings in their 2021 audit of Made.com. Both received severe reprimands for breaching international auditing standards regarding going concern and deferred tax assets. The FRC said the auditors relied on management forecasts without sufficient challenge or adequate testing. Made.com, an online furniture retailer that listed on the London Stock Exchange in June 2021, entered administration in November 2022 after reporting a £35.3m loss. EY later disclaimed its opinion on Made.com's 2022 interim statements due to material uncertainty about the company's ability to continue operating.