Separation Management Office Lead

Role: Separation Management Office Lead Level: Senior Manager Location: London (with travel as required) Role Overview We are seeking a highly experienced Separation Management Office (SMO) Lead to join our newly established Transformation Office within the Strategy & Consulting division. This individual sits at the intersection of M&A and Enterprise Transformation, driving successful separations across some of the largest global transactions. The SMO Lead will possess a deep understanding of the full M&A lifecycle and will engage directly with C-suite and Board-level stakeholders on both buy-side and sell-side mandates. They will bring hands-on experience across diligence, separation planning, TSA drafting and negotiation, Day 1 and Day 100 readiness, and full SMO delivery leadership. Platform experience in SAP, Oracle and/or Workday is desirable. Key Responsibilities 1. Separation Management Office Leadership Lead the SMO on large-scale transactions, providing end-to-end programme governance across all separation workstreams Own integrated planning, critical path management, and interdependency tracking across Technology, Data, Finance, HR, Legal, and Commercial workstreams Define and manage programme tooling and establish reporting cadences for senior stakeholders Own the RAID log, escalation protocols, and risk management framework throughout the separation lifecycle Lead Value Management and Definition activities, including benefits realisation tracking and value leakage prevention 2. Deal Lead (Small to Mid-Size Transactions) Carry end-to-end accountability for the successful separation of a divesting entity, from signing through to TSA exit Act as the primary client relationship owner, maintaining senior-level trust across both RemainCo and NewCo leadership 3. Day 1 & Day 100 Readiness Lead cutover planning, go/no-go governance, and Day 1 readiness tracking across all workstreams Define and execute the post-close stabilisation plan through to steady-state operations Manage hypercare period governance and issue resolution to ensure continuity of business operations 4. Separation Strategy & Budget Work with senior leaders on both buy and sell side to develop and cost separation approach options, including assessment of technical architecture alternatives Identify and quantify stranded costs for RemainCo; develop and track the stranded cost elimination plan Support the development of auditable carve-out P&Ls and standalone cost models for diligence and separation budgeting purposes 5. Separation Planning Develop the integrated separation plan across all aspects of the deal, with particular specialism in: Technology: application landscape separation, infrastructure decommission, network and identity management Data: data boundary definition, data migration planning and execution, data cleansing and quality Business Readiness: operational cutover, change management, and employee communications 6. TSA Drafting & Negotiation Lead the development of Technology and Data Transition Service Agreements (TSAs) Provide knowledgeable advice on negotiation approach, cost modelling, and exit planning for TSA workstreams Manage TSA governance post-close, tracking delivery obligations and exit milestones 7. Practice Development & Business Development Contribute to the development of the M&A practice through creation of offerings, playbooks, tools, and accelerators Support origination and proposal development, including responding to RFPs and shaping new opportunities Build and maintain senior client relationships, acting as a trusted advisor beyond the immediate transaction Mentor and develop junior team members, contributing to a high-performance separation delivery community 8. Diligence (Preferred) Lead commercial and/or technical diligence to support clients in the assessment of a target asset Provide rapid assessment of separation complexity, TSA requirements, and standalone cost estimates to inform deal valuation Stakeholder Landscape The SMO Lead will operate across a complex stakeholder ecosystem, engaging regularly with: C-suite and Board: CDIO, CFO, CEO, on both RemainCo and NewCo sides PE Sponsors: reporting into deal teams, supporting sponsor-level decision-making Third-Party Vendors & System Integrators: managing delivery obligations during separation Functional Workstream Leads: Technology, Finance, HR, Legal, Procurement, Commercial Experience & Skills Essential Significant experience leading separation programmes as an SMO or IMO Lead on large-scale M&A transactions Demonstrable experience across the full deal lifecycle: diligence, separation planning, TSA management, Day 1 readiness, and post-close stabilisation Deep expertise in technology and data separation, including network, application, and identity workstreams Track record of managing stranded costs, carve-out financials, and standalone cost modelling Strong executive presence with the ability to advise and influence C-suite stakeholders Experience on both buy-side and sell-side mandates across corporate and PE-backed transactions Highly Desirable Platform experience in one or more of: SAP S/4HANA, SAP ECC, Oracle ERP, Workday Experience across deal types including spin-offs, JV dissolutions, partial divestments, and IPO carve-out readiness Exposure to cyber and network separation Experience working with PE sponsors (e.g. Blackstone, KKR, HG Capital) or investment banks in a deal advisory capacity Experience leading NewCo establishment activities, including legal entity design and contract novation Deal Types & Contexts Candidates should ideally bring experience across one or more of the following transaction structures: Corporate divestitures and carve-outs Private equity-backed separations and portfolio company transformation Spin-offs and demergers Joint venture dissolutions Partial divestments and asset sales Dual-track processes