Director, Private Equity IT Performance Improvement

Position                 Director, Business Technology Performance Improvement

Company              Alvarez & Marsal

Website                 www.alvarezandmarsal.com

COMPANY heritage

In today's unprecedented global economic uncertainty, businesses face an increasing array of challenges.  For nearly three decades, clients have trusted Alvarez & Marsal to work with them to help solve their most important business problems. We have earned this trust by giving every problem the utmost senior-level attention; by researching and understanding the facts before drawing conclusions; by our steadfast commitment to objectivity; and by demonstrating time and again that great leadership makes all the difference.

Alvarez & Marsal is a privately held, owner-operated, global advisory partnership best known for its heritage in corporate restructuring and, more recently, for leading the value recovery efforts of Lehman Brothers, the largest bankruptcy in history. The firm has been growing organically over the last decade from a best in class restructuring boutique to one of the fastest growing, independent global professional services firms.  

A&M brings a wide range of operational, financial and performance improvement services to leading global private equity houses, their portfolio companies and multi-national businesses.  A&M’s Turnaround and Restructuring practice offers critical assistance to companies that are underperforming or experiencing a full blown liquidity crisis whilst the Performance Improvement team will work with healthy businesses looking to grow top line performance and optimize commercial efficiency.

IT Performance improvement

Our Business Technology Performance Improvement team works with clients across Europe to:

• Create and implement business strategies with clients focusing on their IT & E-Commerce operations, and how these can be used to drive value
• Realign the performance of the technology / IT function through operational restructuring to directly improve the earnings and cashflow within the business
• Manage and develop technology (ERP, CRM, E-Commerce) assets and systems to meet strategic and operational business requirements. This would include development of KPI’s and dashboards to provide better visibility to the underlying business
• Lead and advise on enterprise wide systems & online programmes in order to deliver performance improvement via business transformation and/or cost reduction programmes
• Carry out effective technology and E-Commerce due diligence pre-deal, and provide necessary post-deal services (PMI, Carve Out, 100 day planning)
• Take interim management positions for example (and depending on experience) CIO, CTO, IT Director, Program Manager, Head of E-Commerce initiatives etc.

Reason for the opportunity

Against this backdrop of unprecedented growth, an opportunity exists for us to strengthen our business technology team at the Senior Director / Director level, in order to contribute to a growing and highly experienced Senior Management team. The successful appointee will play a key part in both project delivery and continued business development.

Critical CApabilities

The ideal candidate will possess;

• A minimum 15 years experience in IT Project and Program Management using leading methodologies and processes including Agile program delivery ideally with ERP or CRM platforms eg SAP / Oracle / Navision / MS Dynamics, or within an online or technology-centric business
• Senior level corporate experience (CIO, program management and transformation roles) combined with a professional services background
• Strong business technologist exposure – working on engagements dealing with carve-outs, post- merger integrations (PMI) and 100 day planning
• In the case of carve-out and PMI projects, specifically Day-1 preparation, implementation planning and execution, and planning or implementing relevant Transitional Service Agreements
• Pre-deal IT and Technology due diligence of the corporate IT function, as well as core technologies and digital assets, and with a focus on the technology costs and capital investment plans

• Experience of managing multiple stakeholders including ‘C’ level executives, third-party vendors and Senior Product Owners for high profile and technologically innovative on-line business solutions

• Proven skills in IT cost reduction initiatives. This includes containing and reducing the Operational and Capital IT expenditure of the enterprise
• Demonstrable  experience in out-sourcing and managing third party vendors from a commercial and technology perspective

• Experience of managing  teams across multiple locations in Europe, including third-party and in-house teams
• Commercial exposure to SLAs and third party management; managing and negotiating third party vendor contracts
• Experience of operating at CIO level, ideally with the associated line management and project management skill/experience
• Previous experience in working in Private Equity portfolio companies, Fintech, Retail banking or Consumer finance advantageous.

Personal Style

• Thrives in a fast-paced, challenging, and unpredictable environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills - confident, charismatic and impactful presenter.
• Objective, fact based approach to problem solving.
• Hands-on and non-hierarchical operator who is equally effective in managing up and down and relates well at all levels and cultures.
• Driven by values and integrity, straight talker, builds confidence and leads by example.
• Demonstrable ability to balance a high level view with detail.
• Can quickly establish credibility – the successful appointee will have substantial operational business experience, not just the theoretical view.
• A natural ability to prioritise – especially in highly pressurised situations.
• Integrity - even when the message is unpopular, but right for the situation at hand.
• Autonomous – Alvarez & Marsal has a flat structure with a self sufficient culture.
• Entrepreneurial spirit.

Academics, qualifications and experience

A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.  The preferred candidate will have a combination of advisory and corporate line management with P&L experience. Strong experience of either, however, will be considered. Fluency in one or more European languages is highly desirable as is MA or MBA qualification.

talent, culture and values

Attracted by our meritocratic culture and the opportunity to build a business with like-minded individuals, our people have joined Alvarez & Marsal from the Big 4, top tier strategy houses, private equity firms, hedge funds, leading financial services institutions  and industry and commerce. Alvarez & Marsal is a fact based business, based on pragmatism, not subjective about the meaning of success. It is an environment that presents a real opportunity for ambitious recruits to grow and thrive – and those who do well, earn well. At A&M you will be given real responsibility as there are thin layers of management and action is critical.  You will thrive on autonomy and you will be adept at anticipating what your audience needs.

The culture of the business offers variety of skill, language, heritage and professional background and therefore is unique in terms of style and approach.  This is a business where your colleagues are your best allies and ideally, your best friends. A business where good friendships thrive and trust is as true internally as with client. Furthermore, the values of the business which include integrity and fun as well as just reward for great work comes to life when you become part of the team.

Voluntary Inclusion

It is Alvarez & Marsal’s policy to provide and promote equal opportunity in employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment without discrimination because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, family medical history or genetic information, political affiliation, military service, pregnancy, marital status, family status, religion, national origin, age or disability or any other non-merit based factor in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.

Unsolicited Resumes from Third-Party Recruiters

Please note that as per A&M policy, we do not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters unless such recruiters were engaged to provide candidates for a specified opening. Any employment agency, person or entity that submits an unsolicited resume does so with the understanding that A&M will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion without any fee owed to the submitting employment agency, person or entity.