Upwork
Senior Director, Corporate Development
Upwork, San Francisco, California, United States, 94199
Overview
Senior Director, Corporate Development at Upwork. This role leads inorganic growth opportunities, manages the full deal lifecycle, and partners with the executive team to unlock value through M&A and investments. Base pay range: $195,000.00/yr - $362,000.00/yr About Upwork
Upwork is the world’s human and AI-powered work marketplace that connects businesses with skilled, AI-enabled independent talent. Learn more at Upwork.co and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X. Responsibilities
Lead End-to-End M&A and Investments Execution : Identify, evaluate, and execute mergers, acquisitions, investments, and joint ventures. Activities include sourcing, valuation, due diligence, negotiations, and post-merger integration. Financial Modeling & Business Case Development : Build valuation models, ROI frameworks, and scenario analyses to evaluate deal economics and prepare business cases for acquisitions and investments. Executive & Board Engagement : Translate market insights into actionable recommendations and prepare memos and presentations for leadership and the Board to secure buy-in. Integration Leadership : Drive post-deal integration with cross-functional teams, set KPIs and milestones, and ensure value capture and scaling of acquired capabilities within Upwork’s platform. Competitive & Market Intelligence : Develop a disciplined approach to market and ecosystem intelligence to identify opportunities and potential partners or targets. Team Leadership & Development : Lead and develop a high-performing Corporate Development team, oversee prioritization, growth, and performance across all deal phases. Ecosystem Relationships : Cultivate relationships with bankers, VCs, advisors, and entrepreneurs to maintain deal flow. Qualifications
12+ years in corporate development, investment banking, management consulting, or private equity with a track record of leading transactions and exposure to technology and innovation ecosystems. Strong strategic vision and business acumen; ability to connect M&A and investment opportunities to product and market trends. Experience managing people and leading cross-functional teams through all deal stages; strong negotiation track record. Excellent analytical, financial modeling, valuation, and problem-solving skills; ability to translate analysis into clear recommendations. Executive presence and communication skills with experience influencing and presenting to executives and Board members on product strategy and M&A execution. Familiarity with marketplaces, AI or HR/labor tech is preferred. Ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with a bias for action and ambiguity management. Strong strategic thinking and cross-organizational influence skills. Compensation & Benefits
Base pay range shown above. Upwork offers comprehensive benefits including medical coverage, unlimited PTO, 401(k) with matching, paid parental leave, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Details available on the Upwork Careers page. Location & Work Arrangements
This role reports to the VP of Strategy, Corporate Development & Partnerships and offers executive visibility. Upwork has a remote-first culture with a presence in Palo Alto; full-time roles are available in 34 U.S. states. Legal & Equal Opportunity
Upwork is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, protected veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics. A criminal background check may be required after an offer. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered in accordance with applicable law. Seniority & Employment Type
Seniority level: Director Employment type: Full-time
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Senior Director, Corporate Development at Upwork. This role leads inorganic growth opportunities, manages the full deal lifecycle, and partners with the executive team to unlock value through M&A and investments. Base pay range: $195,000.00/yr - $362,000.00/yr About Upwork
Upwork is the world’s human and AI-powered work marketplace that connects businesses with skilled, AI-enabled independent talent. Learn more at Upwork.co and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X. Responsibilities
Lead End-to-End M&A and Investments Execution : Identify, evaluate, and execute mergers, acquisitions, investments, and joint ventures. Activities include sourcing, valuation, due diligence, negotiations, and post-merger integration. Financial Modeling & Business Case Development : Build valuation models, ROI frameworks, and scenario analyses to evaluate deal economics and prepare business cases for acquisitions and investments. Executive & Board Engagement : Translate market insights into actionable recommendations and prepare memos and presentations for leadership and the Board to secure buy-in. Integration Leadership : Drive post-deal integration with cross-functional teams, set KPIs and milestones, and ensure value capture and scaling of acquired capabilities within Upwork’s platform. Competitive & Market Intelligence : Develop a disciplined approach to market and ecosystem intelligence to identify opportunities and potential partners or targets. Team Leadership & Development : Lead and develop a high-performing Corporate Development team, oversee prioritization, growth, and performance across all deal phases. Ecosystem Relationships : Cultivate relationships with bankers, VCs, advisors, and entrepreneurs to maintain deal flow. Qualifications
12+ years in corporate development, investment banking, management consulting, or private equity with a track record of leading transactions and exposure to technology and innovation ecosystems. Strong strategic vision and business acumen; ability to connect M&A and investment opportunities to product and market trends. Experience managing people and leading cross-functional teams through all deal stages; strong negotiation track record. Excellent analytical, financial modeling, valuation, and problem-solving skills; ability to translate analysis into clear recommendations. Executive presence and communication skills with experience influencing and presenting to executives and Board members on product strategy and M&A execution. Familiarity with marketplaces, AI or HR/labor tech is preferred. Ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with a bias for action and ambiguity management. Strong strategic thinking and cross-organizational influence skills. Compensation & Benefits
Base pay range shown above. Upwork offers comprehensive benefits including medical coverage, unlimited PTO, 401(k) with matching, paid parental leave, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Details available on the Upwork Careers page. Location & Work Arrangements
This role reports to the VP of Strategy, Corporate Development & Partnerships and offers executive visibility. Upwork has a remote-first culture with a presence in Palo Alto; full-time roles are available in 34 U.S. states. Legal & Equal Opportunity
Upwork is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, protected veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics. A criminal background check may be required after an offer. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered in accordance with applicable law. Seniority & Employment Type
Seniority level: Director Employment type: Full-time
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