Head of M&A

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 str