Engagement Lead / Engagement Director, London
Integration & Carve-Out | Strategy & Deals | Alpha FMC
About Alpha FMC
Founded in London in 2003, Alpha FMC is a leading global consulting firm specializing in the financial services industry. Our 1,500+ consultants work across 19 offices worldwide, combining deep sector expertise with hands-on delivery to support more than 970 clients across asset management, wealth management, insurance, and broader financial services.
We are expanding our Technology Due Diligence offering within the Strategy & Deals team and are seeking experienced professionals to lead high-profile buy-side and sell-side engagements. Our engagements deliver targeted assessments of technology risk, value creation potential, and operational resilience — enabling investors and corporate clients to make well-informed transaction decisions.
Alpha FMC is PE-backed with material investment committed to growing our Strategy & Deals practice, and Integration & Separation is a strategic priority. The chosen hire will not simply deliver engagements, they will help define how we take this capability to market, shape our service offerings and delivery approach, and build the team around them. From day one, you will carry real client responsibilities and have a direct hand in determining the success of the practice.
Level Guidance
We are open at both the Engagement Lead and Engagement Director level, depending on candidate experience:
- Engagement Lead (EL): 7+ years of relevant experience, with a proven track record of leading integration or separation planning in financial services across IT and business workstreams.
- Engagement Director (ED): 10+ years of relevant experience, with a proven track record of leading integration or separation planning in financial services across IT and business workstreams.
Key Responsibilities
The responsibilities below apply across both levels; Engagement Directors are expected to take greater ownership of client relationships and practice development.
Integration & Separation Engagements
- Lead pre-deal integration and separation planning engagements, developing a deal impact assessment with clear picture of Day 1 close requirements and operating model changes across business functions, operations and IT
- Design target operating models and integration or separation blueprints that reflect the transaction thesis and the realities of financial services operating environments.
- Build integration or separation strategies, governance frameworks, and Day 1 readiness plans that set programs up for success from the outset.
- Lead Day 1 planning and mobilization, establishing the workstream structure, priorities, decision-making cadence, and early milestones required to to support the client and drive the deal to a successful Close.
- Assess IT and Operations synergy opportunities and quantify integration cost and benefit cases, translating findings into actionable recommendations for deal teams and leadership.
- For carve-outs, evaluate standalone operating model impacts across IT and business functions and assess TSA requirements and exit planning considerations.
- Evaluate how AI, data platforms, and emerging technologies can support post-deal value creation, incorporating these perspectives into integration or separation design.
Client & Stakeholder Management
- Build and maintain trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders, including Heads of Business Units, CFOs, COOs, and CTOs.
- Structure and present conclusions clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences, ensuring insights are commercially grounded and decision-ready.
- Lead and facilitate cross functional client workshops throughout the merger process, driving alignment across stakeholders on operating model design and integration decisions, and ensuring each session produces clear, tangible outputs—including prioritized decisions, action items, and next step ownership.
Team & Practice
- Mentor and develop team members, ensuring high-quality deliverables and knowledge sharing across the team.
- Support business development efforts, including proposals, client pitches, and thought leadership.
Technology & Operations Due Diligence
In addition to integration and separation work, Engagement Leads may support targeted technology and operations due diligence engagements, including:
- Assessing enterprise technology environments, architecture, and operational resilience in the context of a transaction thesis.
- Identifying IT and operational risks, standalone cost implications, and integration considerations relevant to deal execution.
- Contributing technical and operational findings to broader deal team workstreams.
What We’re Looking For
- 7+ years of relevant experience in integration and separation planning, design, or post-merger transformation within financial services.
- Experience in the Financial Services industry is essential, including a solid understanding of the sector’s value chain, key market participants, and emerging trends, along with deep specialization in at least one subsector such as Asset Management, Asset Servicing, Wealth Management, Banking, Insurance, and/or the associated Financial Services FinTech ecosystem
- Strong track record of leading pre-deal and early post-close workstreams across IT and business functions, with experience designing operating models and mobilizing deal transaction programs.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, with the ability to distil complex findings into actionable insights.
- Proven experience leading teams and managing senior client relationships.
- Solid understanding of financial services operating models, technology landscapes, and regulatory considerations.
- Familiarity with technology or operational due diligence is advantageous.
What We Offer
- Competitive base salary with profit share scheme.
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
- Flexible benefits including private health insurance, life insurance, and income protection.
- Comprehensive training and development programs, including support for professional qualifications such as the CFA and IMC.
