Integration Lead (Interim)

The successful candidate previously worked at BCG.

This company was supported by Max, Freelance Team Lead.

An in-depth description of the role

PE-backed North American e-commerce business; $1,000 – $1,250 per day – 9-12months – Toronto

Length: 9-12 months with potential extension

Location: Toronto-based

Start date: asap

Visa required: work eligibility for Canada or US; and ideally EU

About the business

We are the UK market leader in our vertical and are currently in the process of acquiring a similar North American business. Prior to the acquisition, the business turned over more than £100m.

We are PE-backed and are growing fast. A new CEO has recently joined to help lead the business in its next stage in growth. The founders are still heavily involved in the business and are helping to drive international growth.

Integration Lead

The Integration Lead will report into the CEO and working alongside the CEO and Chief Commercial Officer of the acquiring e-commerce retailer.  You will also work closely with members of the PE investor executive team. 

The deal is nearing completion and your work starts with operational due diligence and the integration strategy.  Post-deal, you will plan and lead the integration of a newly acquired North American e-commerce business.

The role is on an interim contract basis, estimated at 9 months from deal completion (i.e., 9-12 months in total). For the right candidate, there will be potential for this role to become permanent in North America or the UK.

The role is based on the ground in Canada, with a scope including the US businesses.

Key responsibilities will include

Pre-deal:

• Support the development of a joint strategy and target operating model for the combined entities incl. organisational structure, fulfilment operations, support functions etc.
• Conduct operational due diligence – including assessment of processes, systems and people capability – to identify cost and revenue synergies (operating models, sourcing/fulfilment strategy, and organisational design).
• Leading integration planning including Strategy Articulation, Day 1 planning, Value Creation Management, People, Culture and Org Design. 

Post-deal: 

• Structure of the project workstreams and lead their implementation.  Prepare timeline, budget, deliverables – and stick to them
• Analyse robustness of Finance function:  Accounting, FP&A, Transaction Processing
• Work constructively with the “mothership” in the UK and the existing North American business, so that the integration strategy and plan are consonant with the global strategy and capability.
• Manage stakeholders in four areas: the Board (PE investors plus founders), UK mothership, acquiring American business, acquired Canadian business. 
• Provide both leadership and supervision to colleagues in the North American businesses
• Regular reporting of progress for Steering Committees and Board meetings
• Work with the PE fund’s Head of Portfolio Operations to develop a playbook for integrating future acquisitions
• Work with the CEO to recruit and onboard a General Manager for the North American combined business

Deliverables

• Primarily, a successful integration – a smoothly functioning combined business – delivered on time, on budget, yielding the synergies
• This will be achieved through a phased integration plan.  The scope of this role includes delivery of the integration strategy, complete overall plan, plus the implementation of the first phase. 
• Successful handover to a great General Manager
• A significant contribution to the overall acquisition integration playbook

About you

We’re looking for someone with consulting experience up to manager level, who can exhibit the following:

• Experience leading PMI projects
• Industry experience in e-commerce, ideally including operations (warehouse, distribution, customer care)
• Pragmatic, hands-on multi-tasker who is able to deal with ambiguity
• Ability to manage stakeholders with different agendas and ways of working
• Happy to be based, and eligible to work, in Canada
• Previous North America experience
• Previous international expansion/market entry experience is a plus

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