Core Education · 2 days ago
Practice Area Lead, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
United States
Full-time
Remote
Director/Executive
10+ years expCore Education is a dynamic organization dedicated to transforming the business model of higher education through innovative programs and partnerships. The M&A Practice Area Lead will own and scale Core’s Mergers, Acquisitions, and Partnerships (MAP) practice, guiding institutions through the full lifecycle of strategic transactions.
EducationSmall and Medium BusinessesTrainingUniversities
Responsibilities
Lead and grow Core’s M&A / MAP practice area, establishing methodology, playbooks, and success metrics for transaction design and integration
Serve as a senior advisor to presidents, boards, and CFOs on mergers, affiliations, partnerships, and system formation
Build a strong pipeline of engagements in collaboration with Core’s business development and partnerships team
Represent Core in sector forums, conferences, and board-level discussions, articulating the value of system-enabled growth
Oversee all phases of M&A engagements - including strategy development, opportunity screening, financial and operational modeling, due diligence, and post-transaction integration design
Direct multi-disciplinary Core teams (finance, technology, HR, and governance) to deliver coordinated, data-driven analyses and recommendations
Lead deal structuring and LOI-to-agreement progression, working in concert with institutional and legal counsel
Ensure that every engagement aligns with Core’s mission of strengthening independence through shared capacity
Manage project economics, staffing, and resource allocation across engagements
Partner with Core’s finance team to establish deal budgets, forecasts, and margin targets
Track and report on practice-level performance indicators, driving continuous improvement
Shape Core’s intellectual capital in M&A and system design, developing frameworks, case studies, and best practices
Mentor emerging leaders across the firm to strengthen expertise in transaction design and institutional integration
Contribute to the evolution of Core’s Private Systems model as a platform for multi-institution collaboration and growth
Qualification
Required
10+ years of experience in higher education strategy, M&A advisory, investment banking, or management consulting - with a strong record of leading complex transactions or system integrations
Deep understanding of higher education finance, governance, and institutional operations
Proven experience managing senior client relationships at the president, board, or CFO level
Strong financial modeling, valuation, and scenario analysis skills
Exceptional communication and presentation ability — able to distill complexity into clarity for diverse audiences
Demonstrated success in building and scaling a practice, business line, or team
Entrepreneurial mindset: thrives in a growth-oriented, mission-driven organization
Company
Core Education
Core Education is an organization with the goal of assisting small and mid-sized institutions by providing creative shared services.
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageTotal Funding
$43.15M2025-02-03Series Unknown· $23.65M
2024-12-27Series Unknown· $19.5M
Leadership Team
Doug Kennedy
Interim CFO
Daniel J. Jenuwine
Executive Vice President, Partnerships
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