Director – M&a

Join Xylem in the global mission to #LetsSolveWater! As a leading water technology company with 23,000 employeesoperating in over 150 countries, Xylem is at the forefront of addressing the world’s most critical water challenges. We invite passionate individuals to join our team, dedicated to exceeding customer expectations through innovative and sustainable solutions.

Job Summary 

Xylem, a leading global water technology company, is seeking a dynamic Director of Business Development to identify and cultivate potential acquisition targets and lead key partnerships within our $1.7B-revenue Measurement and Control Solutions (MCS) segment. This role requires a proactive leader with relevant management and exceptional analytical skills, and the ability to build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders. This role will serve as the liaison between MCS’s leadership team and enterprise colleagues throughout the entire capital deployment and portfolio management process from cultivation through integration. 

Key Responsibilities:

Identify Acquisition Targets:

• Conduct thorough research to identify potential strategic partners and acquisition targets.
• Evaluate industry trends, competitor activities, and market dynamics to pinpoint strategic acquisition and partnership opportunities.
• Develop and maintain the segment’s pipeline of inorganic targets.

Align with MCS Segment Strategy Leader:

• Work closely with the MCS segment strategy team to accelerate the segment’s M&A strategy and goals (including divestitures), and integrate acquisition initiatives into the broader company strategy.
• Provide insights and recommendations to align acquisition targets with long-term strategic goals and enterprise best practices.
• Support segment’s special projects and ad-hoc strategic requests.

Collaborate with Business Line Leaders:

• Partner with business line leaders to understand their strategic needs and identify acquisition targets that align with their goals.
• Facilitate regular communication and collaboration to ensure acquisition strategies support business line objectives.

Engage with the Xylem Innovation Labs (XIL) innovation team:

• Support evaluation of where key technology growth drivers are best suited for internal development, partnership, and/or acquisition.
• Ensure MCS segment, corporate strategy, and XIL teams are aligned on MCS strategy and prioritization of key technology focus areas.
• Provide input into selection of companies/technologies for evaluation.

Cultivate Relationships:

• Establish and maintain relationships with potential acquisition targets, industry experts, and other key stakeholders.
• Represent the company at industry events, conferences, and networking opportunities to enhance visibility and gather intelligence.

Due Diligence and Analysis:

• Collaborate with Corporate Development on due diligence processes, including financial analysis, risk assessment, and strategic fit evaluation.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to assess potential acquisitions and develop comprehensive business cases.

Strategic Planning:

• Support development of the acquisition strategy in collaboration with senior leadership.
• Prepare detailed reports and presentations to communicate findings and recommendations to executive management.

Negotiation and Execution:

• Assist in the negotiation and structuring of partnership and acquisitions.
• Coordinate with legal, finance, and other departments to ensure seamless execution of partnership and acquisition agreements.

Partnership Management:

• Support development of highly-qualified acquisition funnel of early-stage technology providers as a supplement/proxy for R&D.
• Once graduating from partnerships program, manage relationship with key technology partners transitioned from corporate innovation team to business unit, ensuring key objectives of partnership agreement are met.
• Support assessment and negotiation of long-term commercial arrangements with technology partners (i.e. JV, resell, license, private label, acquire, etc.)

Post-Acquisition Integration:

• Support post-acquisition integration efforts to ensure smooth transitions and alignment with company goals.
• Monitor the performance of acquired companies and provide ongoing support to optimize their integration and growth.

Skills and Experiences:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, or a related field; MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in business development, mergers and acquisitions, or corporate strategy within the industrial or technology sectors.
• Relevant industry experience in enterprise software, smart metering, utility services or analytical instrumentation with water-specific experience an added bonus. 
• Proven track record of identifying, evaluating, and executing successful acquisition deals.
• Strong financial acumen and experience with financial modeling, valuation, and due diligence.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence and build relationships at all levels.
• Strategic thinker with a deep understanding of market dynamics and industry trends.
• Highly organized, self-motivated, and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Additional Details 

• Travel: 25%-40% including some international travel
• Candidate location: Washington, DC or Raleigh, NC 

#LI-NH1

Salary range:

$130,100.00 - $234,200.00

Join the global Xylem team to be a part of innovative technology solutions transforming water usage, conservation, and re-use. Our products impact public utilities, industrial sectors, residential areas, and commercial buildings, with a commitment to providing smart metering, network technologies, and advanced analytics for water, electric, and gas utilities. Partner with us in creating a world where water challenges are met with ingenuity and dedication; where we recognize the power of diversity, equity and inclusion in driving innovation and allowing us to compete more effectively around the world.