Finance Paid Consultant - M&A Strategy & Target Pipeline

Role overview

This is a short-term, paid consulting engagement for seasoned corporate development and M&A strategy professionals, as well as strategy finance professionals who have direct experience sourcing deals. The work is part of a project for an AI marketplace and is centered on sharing real-world expertise rather than completing preparatory work.

The assignment is a one-off, project-based recorded interview handled on a contract basis, not a permanent position.

Engagement details

• Location restriction: candidates must be based in the United States.
• Format: remote.
• Type of engagement: single project interview.
• Estimated compensation: $150 per hour, prorated for a 30-minute task.
• This is a self-directed engagement, and participants use their own tools to complete the interview.
• Selected participants may keep taking other opportunities alongside this project.

What the interview covers

You will complete an approximately 30-minute AI-led video session that is recorded. The interviewer will ask you to describe how you actually handle your work in practice, with an emphasis on detailed, step-by-step explanations and real examples.

• Building M&A theses, longlists and target screens, and deciding how to rank pipeline opportunities.
• Working with bankers, intermediaries, and target companies while monitoring NDAs and conflict checks.
• Evaluating strategic alignment, feasibility, and whether to pursue or pass before diligence begins.
• Keeping senior leadership or the board informed on pipeline progress and opportunity status.

The discussion will focus specifically on M&A strategy creation, target sourcing, pipeline screening, NDA management, and early-stage opportunity governance.

Candidate profile

Applicants should only proceed if they can confidently explain these workflows from direct experience, in a clear and detailed way, and answer AI-driven interview questions using concrete, real-world examples.

• At least 7 years of experience in corporate development, M&A strategy, strategic finance, investment banking, or corporate strategy.
• Hands-on involvement in M&A strategy development, target sourcing, screening, NDA tracking, and early opportunity governance.
• Experience influencing or making calls on strategic fit, pursue/pass decisions, prioritization, confidentiality controls, and leadership alignment.
• Comfort working with tools such as Capital IQ, PitchBook, FactSet, Excel, PowerPoint, Salesforce or other CRM platforms, and virtual data rooms.
• Ability to explain workflows, decisions, and rationale in a structured and articulate way.
• Experience directly owning these processes in a live business environment.
• Background working with finance, strategy, treasury, investor relations, or other business-partner teams.

Interview and data use

The session is intended to surface detailed descriptions of actual operating workflows and decision-making, rather than broad summaries.

After the interview, your video recording and transcript, together with AI-generated insights, will be shared with the internal research team and AI lab partner. The material will be used to build a structured task list for the profession and to improve AI models.

Privacy notice

A candidate privacy notice is referenced in the source information.