Business Development Director - Mergers & Acquisition and Transactional Solutions

Business Development Director, Mergers & Acquisitions and Transaction Solutions

Aon is seeking an AMATS Business Development Director to lead market development activities across AMATS clients and prospects. This role will be responsible for expanding AMATS revenue opportunities through targeted engagement of existing Aon clients, private equity sponsors, portfolio companies, law firms, and other M&A ecosystem participants.

The Business Development Director will serve as the primary AMATS growth leader for the market, working closely with AMATS producers, AEs, Enterprise Client Leaders, Market Leadership, business development, and marketing partners to identify opportunities, build relationships, and execute a coordinated go-to-market strategy. The role is expected to create new opportunities, strengthen key referral channels, and improve AMATS visibility across the private equity and M&A community.

This is a hybrid opportunity with the ability to work out of the following Aon offices:

New York City or Chicago, IL. We may consider other Aon offices on a case-by-case basis. 

Aon is in the business of better decisions

At Aon, we shape decisions for the better to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world.

As an organization, we are united through trust as one inclusive team and we are passionate about helping our colleagues and clients succeed.

What the day will look like

The AMATS Business Development Director will spend significant time engaging clients, prospects, referral sources, and Aon stakeholders to accelerate growth across Transaction Solutions, Transaction Advisory Services, and Portfolio Solutions offerings.

This individual will be expected to create and execute a market-level growth strategy that aligns AMATS capabilities with the private equity, corporate M&A, and legal advisor ecosystem. The role will act as both a relationship builder and strategic connector, helping AMATS gain greater access to opportunities while improving collaboration across Aon's client-facing teams.

Key Responsibilities:

Market Development & Go-to-Market Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive AMATS growth strategy.
• Partner with Aon Leadership, AMATS leadership, business development, and marketing teams to identify priority growth segments and target accounts.
• Build annual and quarterly market plans focused on revenue generation, pipeline development, relationship expansion, and strategic growth initiatives.
• Identify market trends, industry changes, competitive developments, and M&A activity that may create new business opportunities.

Existing Aon Client Engagement

• Partner with Enterprise Client Leaders, Account Executives, and Producers to identify existing Aon clients with potential need for Transaction Solutions, Transaction Advisory Services, or Portfolio Solutions capabilities.
• Build relationship maps and engagement plans across priority accounts.
• Identify whitespace opportunities within strategic Aon clients and coordinate pursuit strategies.
• Facilitate introductions between AMATS specialists and client stakeholders.
• Increase awareness and adoption of AMATS capabilities across existing Aon client relationships.

Private Equity Sponsor Development

• Identify, prioritize, and engage private equity firms that align with Aon's target client profile.
• Develop relationships with deal professionals, operating partners, portfolio leaders, and firm leadership.
• Create strategic coverage plans for priority private equity firms and their portfolio companies.
• Coordinate AMATS engagement strategies with regional sales teams and industry leaders.
• Drive awareness of Aon's differentiated capabilities across the deal lifecycle.

Law Firm and M&A Advisor Channel Development

• Partner with AMATS colleagues who are focused on building relationships with law firms and other advisors.
• Develop referral and relationship-building strategies focused on attorneys, transaction advisors, investment bankers, and other deal participants.
• Increase AMATS visibility through networking, thought leadership, educational programs, and market events.
• Partner with marketing and AMATS leadership to develop advisor-specific value propositions and engagement programs.
• Create and maintain a structured advisor coverage strategy and referral tracking process.

Relationship Management & Client Leadership

• Build and maintain executive-level relationships across key market stakeholders and buying centers.
• Act as a trusted advisor by understanding business objectives, transaction activity, growth strategies, and emerging risks.
• Coordinate internal resources to deliver a unified Aon experience.
• Leverage Aon's full suite of capabilities to create value for clients and prospects while identifying appropriate opportunities for AMATS engagement.

Marketing & Commercial Collaboration

• Partner closely with business development, marketing, and sales enablement teams to execute campaigns aligned with priority growth segments.
• Support development of market events, roundtables, webinars, sponsorship opportunities, and thought leadership initiatives.
• Help shape messaging, target lists, promotional strategies, and follow-up plans.

Ensure marketing activities support measurable pipeline creation and relationship development goals.

Pipeline Development & Opportunity Management

• Generate, qualify, and advance new opportunities through proactive market engagement.
• Maintain visibility into target accounts, key relationships, prospecting activities, and sales pipeline.
• Utilize CRM, relationship mapping, and market intelligence platforms to support business development activities.
• Coordinate pursuit efforts with AMATS producers and solution leaders.
• Track key business development metrics, pipeline progression, and market performance indicators.

How this opportunity is different

The AMATS Business Development Director will spend significant time engaging clients, prospects, referral sources, and Aon stakeholders to accelerate growth across Transaction Solutions, Transaction Advisory Services, and Portfolio Solutions offerings.

This individual will be expected to create and execute a market-level growth strategy that aligns AMATS capabilities with the private equity, corporate M&A, and legal advisor ecosystem. The role will act as both a relationship builder and strategic connector, helping AMATS gain greater access to opportunities while improving collaboration across Aon's client-facing teams.

Skills and experience that will lead to success

• 10+ years of business development, sales, client leadership, consulting, insurance brokerage, transaction advisory, investment banking, legal advisory, or private equity-related experience.
• Demonstrated success building executive relationships and generating new business opportunities.
• Strong understanding of the M&A ecosystem, including private equity sponsors, portfolio companies, law firms, investment banks, and transaction advisors.
• Experience developing and executing market-level growth strategies.
• Strong understanding of consultative selling and strategic relationship management.
• Proven ability to work effectively within a complex, matrixed organization.
• Experience partnering with senior leaders and influencing without direct authority.

Leadership Characteristics

• Commercially driven and growth oriented.
• Strategic thinker capable of translating market opportunities into actionable plans.
• Exceptional relationship builder with strong executive presence.
• Collaborative and highly effective in cross-functional environments.
• Strong communication, presentation, and networking skills.
• Self-starter with the ability to independently identify and pursue opportunities.

Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent years of industry experience.

For positions in San Francisco and Los Angeles, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction record in accordance with local Fair Chance ordinances.

Aon is not accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms for this position. If you are a search firm, you will not be compensated in any way for your submission of a candidate, even if Aon hires that candidate.

Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Pay Transparency Laws

The salary range for this position (intended for U.S. applicants) is $225,000 to 250,000 annually. The actual salary will vary based on applicant’s education, experience, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.  The salary may also be adjusted based on applicant’s geographic location.

This position is eligible to participate in one of Aon’s annual incentive plans to receive an annual discretionary bonus in addition to base salary.  The amount of any bonus varies and is subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan.

A summary of all the benefits offered for this position:

Aon offers a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and regular part-time colleagues, including, but not limited to: a 401(k) savings plan with employer contributions; an employee stock purchase plan; consideration for long-term incentive awards at Aon’s discretion; medical, dental and vision insurance, various types of leaves of absence, paid time off, including 12 paid holidays throughout the calendar year, 15 days of paid vacation per year, paid sick leave as provided under state and local paid sick leave laws, short-term disability and optional long-term disability, health savings account, health care and dependent care reimbursement accounts, employee and dependent life insurance and supplemental life and AD&D insurance; optional personal insurance policies, adoption assistance, tuition assistance, commuter benefits, and an employee assistance program that includes free counseling sessions.  Eligibility for benefits is governed by the applicable plan documents and policies.

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