Head of M&A

About this role

The Head of M&A is a critical executive role responsible for architecting and scaling Harbo r’s inorganic growth engine. Reporting directly to the CEO, this leader will own end ‑ to ‑ end M&A performance — from origination through integration — while serving as a trusted partner to Harbor ’ s Board and financial sponsors. Success in this role requires strategic vision, disciplined execution, and the credibility to lead complex transactions in a high ‑ growth, PE ‑ backed professional services environment.

As Head of M&A at Harbor, you will be the executive leader responsible for the overarching strategy and execution of Harbor’s M&A function. You will have primary responsibility for deal origination, execution, and integration . You will own and scale Harbor’s inorganic growth engine as a core driver of enterprise value creation, translating Harbor’s strategic roadmap into a repeatable M&A motion spanning tuck-ins, strategic adjacencies, and transformational opportunities.

You will lead a small team currently comprised of two Senior Managers, one focused on pipeline development and deal execution and one focused on integration efforts.

You’ll partner closely with your executive peers and the leadership teams in Delivery, Go-to-Market, Finance, Legal, and Enterprise Operations to ensure seamless M&A execution and integration, consistent with Harbor’s enterprise-wide strategic roadmap.

This role is both strategic and operational — defining Harbor’s market approach while ensuring rigorous execution, healthy pipeline, and high-performance culture across all M&A motions – and highly visible in-market working directly with key intermediaries and target management teams. Time allocation will flex across origination, execution, and integration, with a primary focus on sustaining a high-quality pipeline and ensuring successful deal outcomes. You will have frequent interactions with Harbor’s Board of Directors and will work closely with Harbor’s financial sponsors , BayPine and Renovus .

This is a remote position that can work from anywhere in the United States, with preference given to those candidates who can work from our Chicago, Illinois office headquarters.

What you’ll do:

Define and Drive M&A Strategy

• Architect and continuously evolve Harbor’s M&A strategy , encompassing deal origination, execution, and integration

• Align Harbor’s M&A strategy with the company’s 2030 strategic roadmap

• P artner with practice group leaders to build out Harbor capabilities consistent with long-run strategic objectives

• Report directly to the CEO , work collaboratively with Harbor’s financial sponsors , and present to Harbor’s Board of Directors

Shape Inorganic Growth Thesis

• Define priority targets across:

• Legal tech implementation & managed services (core)

• Corporate legal + ALSP expansion

• Data / AI / analytics capabilities

• Adjacent professional services verticals

• Evaluate build vs. buy vs. partner

• Own target archetypes and “deal thesis library”

Own Inorganic Growth Outcomes (Execution + Integration)

• Set and deliver performance targets across pipeline generation, LOIs signed, EBITDA acquired , entry valuation, and post-close performance

• Acquire ~$8M+ EBITDA annually through M&A

• Drive mix of deals across tuck-ins (~$2M EBITDA), mid-sized opportunities (~$ 5 M EBITDA), and more transformational opportunities

• Serve as the executive owner of post ‑ close integration, setting integration strategy, governance, and success metrics while partnering with functional and practice leaders to ensure operational, cultural, and financial objectives are achieved

• Build a repeatable integration playbook (aligned with prior success integrating multiple acquisitions)

• Ensure post-close revenue and EBITDA meet or exceed underwriting case within 12– 24 months

Lead the M&A Organization

• Build and scale a best-in-class corporate development function

• Define org structure across:

• Origination

• Deal execution

• Integration

• Partner with financial sponsors on resourcing strategy and capability build-out

• Manage a high-performing team with responsibility for the full deal lifecycle

• Foster collaboration across the broader Harbor organization

Develop a Relationship Ecosystem

• Position Harbor as “buyer of choice” in the legal services ecosystem

• Build and own relationships with key intermediaries, business brokers, and investment bankers

• Build proprietary deal flow across:

• Founder-owned firms

• Sponsor-backed platforms

• Strategic divestitures

• Win the “ hearts and minds ” of the management teams of potential targets

• Attend and present at industry conferences, serving as an ambassador of Harbor

Represent M&A in the C-Suite

• Act as the voice of the market and target management teams in executive forums

• Contribute to corporate strategy, investor alignment, and service line and/or geographic expansion

You’re a great fit if you have:

• 10–15+ years of leadership experience in M&A, corporate development, private equity, or adjacent transaction ‑ heavy roles

• Proven experience in buy-and-build / roll-up environments; t rack record of closing multiple deals annually

• Demonstrated success leading complex, multi ‑ stakeholder transactions from origination through integration

• Strong financial acumen , including valuation, deal structuring, and investment committee communication

• Credibility with Boards, financial sponsors, and executive leadership teams

• Experience in professional services , IT services, verticalized technology ‑ enabled services, or similarly complex delivery environments strongly preferred

• Experience working with private equity or operating in private equity-backed portfolio companies

• Demonstrated ability to build a strong network and develop relationships with executives, individual teams, and external stakeholders . Understands individual behavioral traits and different personality types

• Strong negotiation, prese

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