Head of M&A / Investment Banking

ABOUT THE ROLE Lead M&A transactions at an AI-powered fintech company building software to deliver investment banking services more efficiently. This role combines senior deal ownership with close collaboration with engineers to shape and improve the platform through real transaction work. WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Manage M&A deals from mandate through closing, including process execution, client advice, buyer negotiations, and transaction details.
• Hire and lead the initial execution team, building capacity as the business grows.
• Identify recurring manual deal tasks, define workflows engineers can automate, and test solutions on live transactions.
• Build client relationships, win mandates, and take on more advisory work as software supports execution. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
• Typically 4 to 10 or more years of relevant experience, including 2 to 4 years at a leading investment bank followed by meaningful experience at a high-growth startup, growth equity fund, venture capital firm, or small to mid-market private equity fund.
• M&A execution experience at a major investment bank or established advisory firm, at Senior Associate, Vice President, Executive Director, or Managing Director level.
• End-to-end ownership of live transactions, including process management, client advisory, negotiation, and execution.
• Commercial judgment, confidence managing client relationships, and readiness to hire and lead an execution team.
• Ability to translate manual deal work into clear requirements and assess whether engineering solutions work in practice. LOCATION On-site in San Francisco, California.