Head of Corporate Development

Job summary

You will own the M&A deal engine, including sourcing, evaluating, and executing acquisitions to drive the company's growth strategy. You will also lead cross-functional due diligence and collaborate with the executive team and investment partners to develop investment theses.

Job details

THE OPPORTUNITY You will own the deal engine at Corel, a leading consumer and prosumer software platform and a Vector Capital portfolio company. Corel is pursuing an ambitious acquisition strategy, and you will be at the center of it including sourcing, evaluating, structuring, and executing acquisitions that shape the company’s portfolio and next phase of growth. Reporting directly to the CEO and eventually the CFO, you will work hand-in-hand with Vector Capital’s investment team. A DAY IN THE LIFE * Build and own Corel’s M&A pipeline — sourcing consumer, prosumer, and desktop software targets across US, Canada, and Europe through banker relationships, direct founder outreach, and thematic research. * Lead transaction execution end-to-end: valuation and financial modeling, IOI/LOI drafting, deal structuring, negotiation, and coordination through signing and close. * Develop investment theses and board-ready materials — deal memos, valuation analyses, and market maps — in partnership with the CEO, executive team, and Vector Capital. * Direct cross-functional due diligence across finance, legal, tax, product, and technology, managing outside advisors and keeping fast-moving processes on track. * Cultivate a durable network of bankers, founders, and advisors so Corel sees the right opportunities early — and partner with integration leaders post-close to ensure each deal delivers on its thesis. HOW WE WORK (OUR VALUES) Culture matters at Corel. As we build the next chapter of this business, how we work together is as important as what we build. Accountability comes first. When we commit to something, we own the outcome and learn quickly when things don’t go as planned. Customer obsessed. We focus on real customer impact, constantly asking: “What’s in it for the customer?” We debate ideas openly and respectfully. Strong opinions and healthy disagreement are encouraged, but once a decision is made, we align and move forward together. Move fast. Be resourceful. We value speed and pragmatism — testing ideas quickly, learning from customers, and proving what works before scaling. WHAT YOU BRING To succeed in this role, you have: * 8+ years of experience across some combination of investment banking, private equity, venture/growth investing, and/or corporate development — ideally with exposure to consumer software and technology. * Direct deal execution experience — you have driven transactions from sourcing through close, owning the model, the diligence, and the negotiation. * Strong financial modeling skills — you can build LBO models, Merger Models, and comparable company analyses from scratch and defend the assumptions behind them. * A genuine interest in consumer software roll-ups — experience with consumer, prosumer, or desktop software businesses is highly relevant. * Sound commercial and operational judgment — you form a view quickly on what a business is worth, why it wins, and more importantly, how it fits with the rest of Corel. * Strong executive presence with the ability to communicate and influence at the C-suite, board, and sponsor level. * Comfort managing multiple concurrent workstreams — pipeline, active diligence, and live negotiations — in a lean, fast-moving team. It’s a bonus if you also have: * Experience operating in a PE-backed or sponsor-owned environment, executing buy-and-build strategies. * An established network of technology bankers, founders, and advisors across the US and Canadian markets. ABOUT COREL Corel is a beloved and trusted industry titan fueled by make-everything-easier flexibility. With a 40+ year legacy of innovation, we understand where you’ve been, and we’re uniquely equipped to get you where you want to be. Our comprehensive collection of creative, collaborative, and productivity solutions propel your teams on their journey. From meeting your deadlines to realizing your dreams, Corel empowers all you do. Our products enable millions of connected knowledge workers around the world to do great work faster. Our success is driven by an unwavering commitment to deliver a broad portfolio of innovative applications – including CorelDRAW®, MindManager®, and WinZip® – to inspire users and help them achieve their goals. It is our policy and practice to offer equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, age, religion, national origin, sex, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetics, or any other protected characteristic. Corel is committed to an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection process and work environment. If you are contacted for a job opportunity, please advise us of any accommodation that is required. Appropriate accommodation will be provided upon request as required by Federal and Provincial regulations and Company Policy. Any information received relating to accommodation will be treated as confidential. As part of our evaluation process, we utilize an AI tool to assess candidates.

What you’ll do

You will own the M&A deal engine, including sourcing, evaluating, and executing acquisitions to drive the company's growth strategy. You will also lead cross-functional due diligence and collaborate with the executive team and investment partners to develop investment theses.

Requirements

Candidates must have 8+ years of experience in investment banking, private equity, or corporate development with a strong background in financial modeling and deal execution. Excellent communication skills and the ability to influence at the C-suite and board level are essential for this role.

Listed skills

• Financial analysis · Preferred
• Project management · Preferred

Other relevant skills

Identified from the job description. Confirm important requirements above.

• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Financial Modeling
• Deal Structuring
• Due Diligence
• Valuation
• Investment Banking
• Private Equity
• Corporate Development
• Strategic Planning
• Market Research
• Negotiation
• Executive Communication
• Project Management
• Consumer Software
• Financial Analysis
• Executive Presence
• MindManager
• Influencing Skills
• Resourcefulness
• Influencing Without Authority
• Accountability
• Executive Contracts and Deal Structuring
• Quick Learning
• Research
• Mergers And Acquisitions
• Artificial Intelligence
• Computing Platforms
• Investments
• Communication
• Valuation Using Multiples
• Debating
• CorelDRAW (Corel Software)
• Finance
• Innovation
• Leveraged Buyout
• Memos
• Coordinating

Job areas

• Finance & Accounting
• Management & Leadership
• Software
• Consulting
• Technology
• Corporate Development Director
• Corporate Development Manager
• Finance Managers
• Financial and Investment Analysts

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