Director of Corporate Development

Head of M&A – RIA Acquisitions

Position: Director of Corporate Development
Reports To: President of Advisory Services
Location: St. Louis or Houston
Compensation: Competitive base + performance-based incentives tied to deal success and integration outcomes

Overview

Larson Financial Group is a rapidly expanding wealth management enterprise currently managing over $7B in assets across two RIAs. We are pursuing an aggressive inorganic growth strategy, targeting 5–10 RIA acquisitions in the next 2–3 years. We are seeking an experienced Head of M&A to build and lead our acquisition and integration efforts from the ground up.

The ideal candidate is a strategic operator and dealmaker who can build a sustainable acquisition pipeline, lead transactions end-to-end, and ensure smooth integration of acquired firms into our platform. This is a high-impact role with significant visibility and influence across our leadership team.

Responsibilities

M&A Strategy & Sourcing

• Develop and execute a strategic roadmap for RIA acquisitions aligned with firm growth goals.
• Identify, research, and cultivate relationships with target firms and potential sellers.
• Manage and track acquisition pipeline using CRM tools and market intelligence.
• Negotiate NDAs, LOIs, and definitive agreements alongside executive and legal teams.

Deal Execution

• Lead due diligence process — financial, operational, legal, and cultural.
• Develop deal structures and financial models to evaluate transaction economics.
• Coordinate internal and external stakeholders (legal, finance, compliance, tech).
• Manage transaction timelines, ensuring efficient and successful closings.

Integration & Value Creation

• Partner with internal operations, technology, and service teams to design and execute post-merger integration plans.
• Develop KPI frameworks to measure integration success and synergy realization.
• Ensure client continuity, advisor retention, and operational alignment across entities.

Leadership & Communication

• Serve as primary liaison between acquired firms and leadership during transition.
• Present regular updates to executive leadership and board on M&A progress and pipeline health.
• Build and mentor a small, high-performing M&A and integration team over time.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 7–10+ years of relevant M&A, corporate development, or investment banking experience (RIA or financial services focus strongly preferred).
• Proven ability to source, structure, and close middle-market transactions ($100M–$2B+ AUM range).
• Deep understanding of RIA business models, valuation methodologies, and custodial ecosystems.
• Strong financial modeling and analytical skills.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and interpersonal abilities.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple concurrent deals.
• Entrepreneurial, self-directed, and motivated by growth.

Success in This Role Looks Like

• Building a proprietary deal pipeline of 50+ active targets within 12 months.
• Closing 3–5 strategically aligned transactions in the first 18 months.
• Designing a repeatable integration framework that reduces time-to-synergy by 25%.
• Elevating firm reputation as a “partner of choice” for RIA owners considering succession or strategic alignment.

Larson offers a generous employee benefits & perks package:

• Profit Sharing Bonus Program
• 401(k) Employer Match up to 4%
• Medical Insurance (HDHP HSA plans are 100% paid for the employee)
• ER PD Telehealth
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• ER PD Life, Disability & EAP Insurance
• Supplemental Insurance
• Paid time Off (112 hours after 90 days)
• Holiday Pay (12 Holidays)
• Training & Education
• ER Events, Awards, Activities

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