Head of M&A and Corporate Development (m/f/d)

About CWS Fire Safety GmbH

CWS Fire Safety GmbH, a portfolio company of Franz Haniel & Cie., stands as a leading provider of preventive fire protection and security technology solutions across Germany and the Netherlands. With revenues around 100–150 million euros and a workforce of approximately 800–900 employees, the company operates a growing network of branches within an industrial B2B service-oriented business model. The comprehensive service range covers consulting, installation, maintenance, and inspection services for fire protection and safety systems, contributing significantly to the protection of people, assets, and the environment.

Currently, the company is amid a robust growth and transformation phase, aiming to expand both organically and through further acquisitions.

Role Overview

The Head of M&A and Corporate Development is charged with leading all M&A and corporate development initiatives at CWS Fire Safety. Reporting directly to the CFO, this role works closely with executive management to drive strategic investments, growth initiatives, and organizational evolution.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead corporate development tasks focusing on growth projects, investment decisions, and strategic and operational enhancements within CWS Fire Safety.
• Manage end-to-end M&A projects in fire protection and safety technology sectors, ranging from target identification and initial contact to analysis, valuation, due diligence, negotiation, signing, and deal closure, emphasizing value-adding buy-and-build activities and integration of decentralized service organizations into scalable operating models.
• Develop and maintain a robust M&A pipeline across Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, and Switzerland.
• Perform market, competitor, and target company analyses, prepare business cases, conduct valuations, and compile documentation for management and investment committees.
• Coordinate cross-functional internal teams, company leadership, external consultants, and key stakeholders to ensure smooth transaction processes.
• Contribute to corporate development in designing and refining the target operating model, focusing on scalable governance, leadership, and control structures for decentralized units, as well as translating strategic value drivers into executable organization and integration plans.
• Participate as a leadership team member in discussions related to strategy, investments, and organizational topics.
• Lead development projects alongside executive management, e.g., organic branch launches, location optimizations, consolidations, ROI analyses, and cross-functional special projects.
• Support the annual strategy planning process and provide ongoing strategic updates.

Candidate Profile

• Completed university degree (Bachelor, Master, MBA, or PhD) in economics, business administration, finance, or related fields.
• Exceptional analytical and conceptual skills, negotiation expertise, assertiveness, and strong entrepreneurial mindset.
• Minimum of 5 years' relevant experience in M&A, corporate development, private equity, strategy consulting, or transaction services, ideally including proven buy-and-build, platform, or integration experience within decentralized service structures.
• Advanced financial and transaction knowledge, especially in business valuation, business case modeling, comprehensive due diligence (financial and commercial), deal structuring, and identifying value-creation opportunities aligned with investment theses.
• Strong project and program management capabilities to lead complex M&A, integration, post-merger integration, and corporate development initiatives involving multiple stakeholders.
• Existing network in M&A and private equity sectors.
• Experience providing functional leadership to interdisciplinary deal, integration, and project teams; direct personnel management not mandatory but possible in future.
• Confident communication at C-level and investment committee levels, able to translate complex strategic, financial, and transactional matters into decision-ready materials.
• Understanding of target operating models, governance, control systems, and scaling decentralized organizational models in growth and integration-driven businesses.
• Fluency in German and English at C1/C2 level.

Benefits

• Key position with direct impact on growth and organizational development.
• Dynamic and growth-focused work environment.
• Company car with private use.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Occupational pension scheme with employer contributions up to 720 € annually.
• JobRad leasing for sustainable mobility solutions.
• Monthly childcare subsidy of up to 50 € net per child.
• Additional leave for personal occasions; Christmas and New Year’s off.
• Discount offers for various shops and events.
• Group accident insurance covering occupational and leisure activities.

Additional Information

For inquiries, candidates are invited to make contact via provided email.