(Senior) Director

Our Business Technology function within Digital Technology Services works with Private Equity funds, Corporates and Financial Services clients across France & Europe to:

• Realign the performance of the technology / IT function through operational restructuring to directly improve the earnings and cashflow within the business;
• Carry out effective technology and product due diligence pre-deal and provide necessary post deal services (Post Merger Integration, Separation, Carve-Out, 100-day planning);
• Shape and deliver enterprise-wide systems and online programs to deliver performance improvement via business transformation and/or cost reduction outcomes;
• Manage and develop technology (ERP, CRM, Business Intelligence 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;
• Design and implement Digital Transformation initiatives in Data Science and Analytics, Digital Workforce and Artificial Intelligence;
• Take interim management positions for example (and depending on experience) CIO, CTO, IT Director, Program Manager etc.

Purpose of this Business Technology (Senior) Director role:

We are looking to hire someone at Director or Senior Director level who has a successful track record within the consulting market, combining a blend of operational and commercial skills, an entrepreneurial approach and networks across the French Technology community. The role will involve both selling and delivering initial rapid diagnostic into a company's immediate and future major issues.

This will include our market-leading IT Due Diligence (ITDD) product, focusing on profitability, cost base, processes and all other options for performance improvement.

Building on the success of the A&M brand and supported by the European Performance Improvement team, you will help build the profile and reputation of the BT team across the European market. The successful candidate will bring proven leadership experience from both operational and advisory roles across multiple sectors, as well as a strong network of high-level Technology world contacts.

The preferred Director/Senior Director candidate will play a lead role in both developing and executing a specific strategy focused on target clients and distinctive go-to-market propositions, identifying targeted solutions which are ahead of the market curve. They will reflect the operational distinctiveness that is A&M; a business savvy, solution focused business entrepreneur determined to make a difference and not afraid to challenge the status-quo.

This is a great opportunity for an individual to use their senior market network and industry experience to become involved and be an integral part of a ‘hands on’ high performance team. As a valued and senior member of the team, you will work on a variety of pan-European assignments, leveraging your industry knowledge and experience supporting clients across a broad range of mission critical situations.

The Director/Senior Director will work closely with Partners/Managing Directors, taking on mentoring and coaching roles for more junior staff members, aligned with the BT practice broader staff development strategy. You will benefit from constant exposure to some of the toughest and critical challenges facing the Private Equity industry and our clients and need to be comfortable with driving change and delivering outstanding results.

Responsibilities at Director/Senior Director level:

The (Senior) Director role will bring market leading strategic insight into the power and role of IT in private equity owned and corporate businesses, offering deep functional knowledge and insight, a blend of operational and commercial skills and an entrepreneurial approach.

The successful appointee will have responsibility for continuing to build the profile and reputation of A&M as a strategic IT advisory and program delivery partner to leading businesses. Furthermore, the successful candidate will develop and execute a specific strategy focused on target clients and distinctive go-to-market propositions.

Specifically, the (Senior) Director will be tasked to:

• Building a robust yet flexible plan to generate both deal flow and develop a sustainable business, externally and internally. The successful appointee will be an experienced in selling and delivering consulting assignments;
• Contribute strongly to business development activity including pitches and selling, on from the initial “diagnostic” project phase into implementation work;
• Grow our practice through strengthening our Business Technology business, broadening out our routes to market, developing and leveraging senior relationships and working with our European partnership group;
• Initial rapid diagnostics & DD’s looking into a company's immediate and future major Technology issues, digital propositions, product profitability, cost base, processes, and overall options for performance improvement;
• Plan accounts strategy for long-term profitable growth and position A&M as a thought partner and business leader within the account;
• Selling and delivering ITDDs, 100-day planning, post-merger integration and performance improvement mandates;
• Advising and implementing performance improvement programs for major corporations across a wide range of industry sectors;
• Evaluating both cost reduction and revenue enhancement opportunities;
• Leading the post-acquisition work to ensure that the ITDD and ODD was realized in full and in the shortest possible time.

Requirements:

The successful candidate will be an experienced business leader with excellent financial skills, a Technology/Platform background & a track record of executional success. They will also bring proven track record in selling, promoting & growing a successful practice group within a major advisory firm. Full requirements as follows :

Essential:

• A significant and well-developed senior network across the European Technology business leader communities- within the French and ideally broader EMEA market;
• Be able to demonstrate a successful track record in converting business contacts and leads into sustainable, profitable revenue streams;
• Must have successful and significant experience in the selling, diagnostics & delivery of and performance improvement mandates from either a) a Top Tier strategy consultancy, b) Big 4 advisory firm or c) boutique advisory practice;
• A recent track record of both successfully selling & delivering major IT due diligence (ideally in a client-site focused delivery model) assignments at pre and post deal;
• An appreciation of the challenges that businesses face within the deal environment including leading IT integrations and separations, identifying IT synergies, outsourcing opportunities and costs;
• Corporate experience (program management or transformation roles) combined with a professional services background;
• Strong business technologist exposure – experience in preparing & presenting key technology material including separation playbook, Day 1 technology models & cut-over plans, post- merger integrations (PMI) and 100-day planning;
• An understanding of digital technology including, analysis and data mapping skills of IT cost trends, IT product and support systems and vendor / supplier relationships;
• Clear ability to deliver the latest thinking and work within multi-disciplinary teams delivering projects using a variety of methodologies;
• A consulting toolkit including how to frame a business issue, judiciously find and use internal and external data to test hypotheses and draw conclusions;
• Proven ability to work in international teams and create measurable and identifiable improvements in Technology & IT;
• Have a professional demeanor with requisite gravitas including having had a strong exposure to client facing activities and be able to deal with top executives in complex and high-pressured situations;
• Ability to interpret client requirements and present it in a clear and meaningful way, including how this could impact strategy, revenue streams or wider business issues;
• Strong ability to conceptualize, summarize, and provide key messages to clients and/or senior levels and consultant teams alike;
• Native fluency in both French & English (both written & spoken) are a must have.

Desirable :

• MBA or financial qualification preferred;
• Additional European languages spoken fluently are highly desirable;
• Have a varied cross sector background including telecommunications, automotive, manufacturing, energy, retail, consumer goods, transport, business services and healthcare.

This role sits within the EMEA Digital & Technology Services (DTS) practice at Alvarez & Marsal. DTS revolves around a full-service Digital offering spanning Strategy, Customer Experience, Technology and Data. Our positioning is at the intersection of strategy and execution (not slides and then gone, nor fingers on keyboards coding & testing or detailed customer journey designing), architecting the destination, orchestrating the delivery and navigating the change & transformation journey.

Through our European DTS practice, Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) helps clients ideate, incubate, and industrialize new business models including agile target operating models, customer and product innovations, or intelligent and automated back offices leveraging a mix of capabilities ranging from digital product management, customer experience (CX) service design, data and analytics, and self-service platforms. Working directly with client management, A&M's involvement reassures all stakeholders that the company is taking important steps to address key market opportunities or challenges and maximize the value of its business and technology investments moving forward.