Head of Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)

Head of Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)

Location: Remote - Flexible

Compensation: Competitive executive base + transaction incentives + meaningful equity ownership

Start Date: ASAP

About Us – Why Join Now

Scientific Safety Alliance, or SSA, exists to Accelerate Science. Delightfully. SSA is growing at an exceptional rate and is rapidly rising Inc Magazines 2024 and 2025 list of fastest growing privately held companies. In just over three years, SSA has created over $300M in enterprise value through disciplined growth and 21 acquisitions. We are now intentionally building the executive leadership team that will take SSA to $1B+ in enterprise value.

We serve the life sciences world — pharmaceutical, biotech, hospital, and research facilities — by removing operational friction so innovation can move faster. SSA is a 100% founder- and employee-owned company, and ownership is real: performance directly compounds value for every team member.

We operate in the lower middle market, acquiring founder-led, technically specialized businesses that serve the life sciences ecosystem. We move fast — but with rigor, integrity, and respect for sellers.

The next phase requires building one of the top 1% M&A platforms in our space.

The Opportunity: Head of M&A

The Head of Mergers & Acquisitions will lead SSA’s acquisition strategy end-to-end — from deal sourcing and evaluation through diligence, transaction execution, and post-close integration. This executive will play a critical role in shaping SSA’s future by identifying high-quality businesses that strengthen our platform and accelerate our growth.

This role exists to take SSA’s M&A engine to the next level. We closed ~10 acquisitions last year. Our goal is to close 15+ high-quality acquisitions per year with industry-leading speed, efficiency, and seller satisfaction — without sacrificing culture or long-term value.

You will build and lead a world-class M&A function, not just execute deals. This role is about scale, systemization, talent, and strategic vision.

How You Will Make an Impact

• Build, lead, and empower a world-class corporate development and M&A team with the talent, systems, and operating cadence required to execute at industry-leading scale and speed
• Scale deal velocity to 15+ acquisitions per year with consistent quality
• Define and execute SSA’s acquisition strategy:
  • Target criteria, and long-term M&A roadmap for the lower middle market.
  • End-to-end inorganic growth strategy, including vertical ideation, acquisition theses, and execution
  • Identify and develop roadmap into new niche verticals and service adjacencies that align with SSA’s mission and customer base
  • Develop repeatable M&A playbooks, tools, and governance processes to support scale
• Build and manage a robust pipeline of acquisition targets across SSA’s core service lines
• Lead comprehensive due diligence across financial, operational, legal, and people dimensions
• Structure and negotiate transactions, including valuation, earn-outs, incentives, and equity participation
• Partner with internal teams to design and execute integration plans that preserve momentum and culture
• Streamline internal workflows to reduce manual effort and unnecessary complexity

Deliverables & Outcomes

• Build and scale one of the top 1% M&A platforms in our space, defined by industry-leading speed, deal quality, operational rigor, and seller experience
• Development of a sustainable, repeatable M&A engine that compounds value year over year
• Expansion of SSA into adjacent and emerging service areas driven by regulatory, scientific, and customer demand trends
• Efficient, repeatable diligence and integration processes that reduce risk and accelerate value creation
• A differentiated acquisition strategy that balances scale, specialization, and cultural integrity
• Strong post-close performance and rapid realization of strategic and operational synergies
• Strategic optionality created through portfolio design, enabling future organic growth, cross-selling, and geographic expansion
• Clear executive-level reporting on pipeline health, deal performance, and integration progress
• Transactions that enhance SSA’s platform strength, culture, and long-term equity value

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience building and scaling a world-class M&A function at a highly acquisitive company.
• Track record of doubling or tripling the size of a business through disciplined acquisition
  (~$50M → $250M+ scale preferred)
• Deep experience in the lower middle market
• Demonstrated experience creating acquisition strategy, not just executing transactions
• International M&A or cross-border expansion experience, including evaluating and integrating businesses across different regulatory, cultural, and operating environments
• Strong financial, strategic, and analytical skills with the ability to assess both quantitative performance and qualitative strategic fit
• Operator-builder mindset — not a career banker or deal-only profile
• High integrity, sound judgment, and strong cultural intuition

Benefits

• Meaningful equity ownership in SSA
• 401k Match
• 100% paid Medical Dental & Vision insurance
• Health insurance (100% for employee and family)
• Life insurance
• Generous Paid time off
• Parental leave

If you have the skills we are looking for and want to be a part of the rocket ship we are building, we want to hear from you!!