Business Development / Corporate Strategy — M2

BUSINE1.BUSINESS44BD.M2

M2M2 — Manager IIhigh0.90approvedglobalv1

Management track for the corporate strategy and corporate development function: leading teams that drive strategic planning, market/competitive analysis, M&A origination, due diligence, valuation, deal negotiation, and post-close integration. Distinct from Finance/FP&A (focus is inorganic growth and strategy, not operational budgeting/accounting) and from Sales/Account Management (focus is internal strategy and transactions, not external client revenue ownership).

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Level

M2 · M2 — Manager II · 5–8 yrs

Function · Focus

Business Development / Corporate Strategy · Business Development / Corporate Strategy

Market pay (median)

$118k ($93k–$151k)

Pay basis

function-anchored · wide bars

Focus — Business Development / Corporate Strategy

Responsibilities by level

What this person actually does at each level on the management track — escalating scope, not one generic blob. Your level is highlighted.

Supervises a unit of analysts and associates conducting market research and financial modeling, allocating day-to-day workload across active diligence and strategy projects
Reviews team-produced financial models, valuation outputs and Excel data analyses for accuracy before they reach mid-level project leads
Coordinates due diligence task tracking, data room maintenance and buyer-tracking activity for in-flight transactions
Compiles and quality-checks research on industry trends and competitive landscape, ensuring deliverables meet established analytical practices
Mentors junior analysts on financial modeling, valuation methodologies and Excel database functions used in deal support

M2this profile

Manages a skilled team of analysts/associates and serves as liaison between senior leadership and the operations team on strategic projects
Owns tactical execution of specific strategic projects from conception through implementation, ensuring milestones and quality bars are met
Coordinates cross-functional contributors to complete market and business assessments supporting acquisition opportunity evaluation
Oversees preparation of detailed financial models, valuations and proposals drafted for senior leadership review
Facilitates strategy working sessions and ensures research insights are translated into actionable recommendations for review by management

Leads the department or strategy team responsible for a portfolio of strategic initiatives and is accountable for its operational delivery and budget
Develops business cases for new initiatives and manages strategic projects spanning multiple departments
Evaluates diverse market and competitive trends to identify and prioritize growth opportunities and risks for the function
Leads due diligence processes end to end, coordinating internal teams and external advisors across valuation, contract and post-closing tracking
Engages functional and customer teams to facilitate strategy workshops and communicate strategic plans and progress to stakeholders

Manages multiple strategy/corporate development sections, aligning their work with overarching business objectives and strategic policy
Oversees M&A deal pipeline development including market assessments, valuation, negotiation support and post-close integration planning
Partners with regional and solution-line leaders to pressure-test the business and strategic rationale of proposed initiatives
Engages senior leaders on functional strategy, advancing high-impact projects through internal selling and stakeholder influence
Owns budget and resourcing decisions for critical functions where missteps could jeopardize key business activities

Directs strategic areas of the corporate strategy and development function through subordinate managers, with business-wide implications
Leads deal origination and negotiations while overseeing integration strategies across the division
Defines methods and analytical approaches for resolving complex, org-wide strategic and inorganic-growth issues
Influences executives and major external counterparties on key strategic decisions and high-stakes transactions
Extends strategic plans to build and govern an inorganic growth pipeline aligned to division objectives

Oversees multiple strategy and corporate development functions, holding broad responsibility for inorganic growth strategy across divisions
Defines long-term strategic direction and the inorganic growth pipeline that shapes company trajectory over multi-year horizons
Leads through senior managers across functions, setting policy and methods for valuation, diligence and deal execution
Negotiates with executives, boards and external principals on critical transactions and maintains the company's reputation within the investment banking community to drive deal flow
Translates abstract, cross-functional strategic issues into executable plans with long-term effect on company success

Level guidelines

The universal leveling rubric applied to this function — how scope, complexity, collaboration, and experience step up across levels.

Level	Knowledge & Application	Complexity & Problem Solving	Collaboration & Interaction	Typical Degree & Years
M1	Functional expert in financial modeling, valuation and market research; applies established practices to supervise a unit's daily strategy and diligence support work.	Resolves limited-scope problems within established analytical methods; ensures quality and accuracy of team deliverables.	Daily interaction with team analysts and immediate peers; coordinates with project leads on deliverable status.	Functional specialist with some leadership exposure; typically prior analyst/associate experience plus initial supervisory responsibility.
M2	Applies deeper specialist knowledge to lead a skilled team and own tactical outcomes on defined strategic and M&A projects.	Exercises judgment within known factors to keep projects on track; adapts established approaches to project-specific situations.	Drives cross-functional cooperation; acts as liaison between senior leadership and operations teams.	2-5 years in team leadership or specialist corporate strategy/development roles.
M3	Manages a department/team and applies broad functional knowledge across business case development, diligence and strategy execution.	Addresses diverse issues requiring evaluation of market and competitive trends; prioritizes opportunities and risks.	Leads functional or customer teams; communicates strategic plans and progress to stakeholders.	5-7+ years managing professionals and budgets within strategy or corporate development.
M4	Sets strategic policy for multiple sections, aligning corporate development activity with business objectives.	Solves strategic problems where outcomes could jeopardize key business activities; balances deal risk against strategic rationale.	Engages senior leaders on functional strategy and influences cross-functional stakeholders through internal selling.	8-10+ years; complex team/organizational leadership in strategy or M&A.
M5	Defines methods and frameworks for org-wide strategy and inorganic growth, impacting overall division or company operations.	Resolves complex, org-wide strategic issues; establishes the methods used to evaluate and execute major transactions.	Influences executives and major external counterparties on key issues; leads through subordinate department managers.	10-12+ years including second-level management and substantive strategy/deal work.
M6	Defines long-term, cross-functional strategy and inorganic growth direction with company-wide policy influence.	Tackles abstract, cross-functional issues; sets multi-year strategic direction with long-term effect on company success.	Negotiates with executives, boards and external principals on critical matters; leads through senior managers across functions/divisions.	12-15+ years of deep leadership across strategy and corporate development departments or divisions.

Skills

Focus-specific skills the role applies — the relevance layer beyond the occupational base.

Financial Modeling: Creates revenue, expense, and cash flow projections to value companies and frame offers, including DCF, comparable company analysis, LBO and merger models.
Valuation: Assesses the worth of target companies using methodologies such as DCF, comparable company analysis, and sensitivity analysis.
Due Diligence: Investigates target companies, reviews definitive agreements, and manages the data room throughout M&A transactions.
Market Research and Competitive Analysis: Researches industry trends, competitive landscape, and market dynamics to identify growth opportunities and risks.
Data Analysis: Uses tools and methodologies such as Excel, SQL, and Tableau to extract, manipulate, and analyze financial and business data.
Negotiation: Manages complex deals and leads negotiations across acquisitions, divestitures, and contracts.
Communication: Presents recommendations, communicates strategic plans, and engages executive leadership and stakeholders.
Critical Thinking: Applies analytical reasoning to evaluate strategic options, trends and risks across the function.
Internal Selling: Delivers high-impact projects to the right people and influences internal stakeholders rather than external clients to advance strategic initiatives.
Leadership and Project Management: Leads teams, mentors talent, and orchestrates strategic projects across departments.

Provenance

The evidence base behind this profile — every layer is sourced; quality is scored by an adversarial review panel (1–5; passes at ≥4 on the minimum dimension).

Level differentiation4.5Focus specificity5.0Concreteness4.5Factual accuracy4.5Real-world coverage4.5

7 sources

Level — M2 — Manager II

Manages an established team or sub-function; owns planning and performance for the group.

Scope: An established team or sub-function
Autonomy: Owns planning for the group
Complexity: Cross-project coordination and priorities
Impact: Group delivery and development
Decision rights: Owns staffing, priorities, performance for the group
Leadership: Manages a team; sometimes manages leads
Typical experience: 5–8 yrs

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