Mars UK • London, London, United Kingdom

Snr. Manager M&A and Ventures

2 days/week at home

Core hours 11–3

Dog friendly

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Job Description

Job Description:

Are you passionate about global strategy & insights and excited about how it can transform the future of a multi-billion dollar enterprise? Do you have the vision, curiosity, and leadership skills to drive data-driven recommendations? Do you want to work in a dynamic, fast-growing category? If so, you might be the ideal candidate for the role of Senior Manager for Global Pet Nutrition (PN) at Mars.

Pet Nutrition (PN) is the most vibrant category in the FMCG sector. As we work to transform this exciting category, we are building the first Global Strategy & Insights team focused on driving high impact across the global PN business. This team will be at the heart of accelerating our Digital First 5+5 Strategy, and supporting the business in strategic choice-making, with pets and pet-parents at its heart.

The Strategy & Insights team will focus on four key areas (1) Competitive Intelligence: We continuously scan and evaluate the market landscape, assessing our position relative to major industry players and innovative startups worldwide, ensuring our competitive edge. (2) Acquisitions & Ventures: Our goal is to architect and refine market-specific strategies while identifying and evaluating potential investment opportunities to ensure profitable growth and strategic alignment. (3) Performance Management: We are committed to driving best-in-class performance, focusing on the operational excellence of our core business to meet and exceed our strategic objectives. (4) Global Strategic Projects: This pillar focuses on spearheading initiatives in new market development, innovation strategy, enhancement of supply chain capabilities, and sustainability efforts.

The Senior Manager M&A & Ventures for Global Pet Nutrition (PN) is a newly established role within the Strategy & Insights team, crafted to guide and advance our capabilities in inorganic growth. In this pivotal position, you will report directly to the Vice President of Strategy for Pet Nutrition. This role provides a unique opportunity for regular interaction with the Pet Nutrition leadership team, fostering collaboration with strategy, insights, and finance leaders throughout Mars. Operating on a global scale, this position requires effective partnership with PN business leaders across various functions to drive strategic coherence and execution.

What are we looking for?

  • Over 7 years of experience at an investment bank, or a consumer advisory firm, ideally with sell-side experience.

  • Outstanding quantitative and analytical skills, enabling you to derive logical insights and meaningful conclusions from complex business problems.

  • Ability to build financials models including DCFs, LBO, financial statements, forecasts etc.

  • Experience in undertaking end-to-end diligence of CPG brands, including growth potential, channel strategy, supply chain and financial robustness

  • Strong network into the CPG banks, venture capital and private equity firms

  • Capable of managing ambiguity, converting high-level business objectives into detailed workplans, and executing them independently.

  • A people person skilled in networking within the company, building relationships, and driving change through influence rather than authority.

  • Experienced in leading and coaching teams on strategic projects. Ambitious, entrepreneurial, and commercially astute.

  • Excellent communication skills, adept at structuring documents and quantitative analyses, as well as creating PowerPoint presentations for executive-level communication.

What will be your key responsibilities?

  • Mars Principles: Live and exemplify the Five Principles of Mars, Inc. within self and team.

  • Market Mapping: You will have to build the capability to continuously scan and evaluate the market landscape, assessing our company's position relative to major industry players and innovative startups worldwide. Combining capital markets equity research, investor calls, expert interviews, syndicated data etc. to build a detailed view of the external market. Your insights will ensure that we maintain our competitive edge by staying ahead of market trends and shifts.

  • Inorganic growth strategy: You will develop and refine strategies specific to various markets, while also identifying and evaluating potential investment opportunities. Your role is critical in driving profitable growth and ensuring that new ventures and acquisitions align with our strategic objectives, thus fostering coherence and synergy across our operations.

  • Acquisitions Diligence: In partnership with the Corporate Development team, you will be tasked with conducting detail research and diligence of targets, and financial models (which help the leadership team identify opportunities to improve core business results.

  • Venture capital: You will support the operations of Mars Pet Care’s venture capital fund as well as support in the build and expansion into new investment models globally.

What can you expect from Mars?

  • Work with over 130,000 diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.

  • Join a purpose-driven company where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.

  • Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.

  • An industry-competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

Mars is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.

Company benefits

Open to part-time employees
Open to job sharing
Open to compressed hours
Sabbaticals
Enhanced maternity leave – 26 weeks at 90% pay
Enhanced paternity leave – 26 weeks at 90% pay
24 days annual leave + bank holidays
“Pawternity” leave
Pregnancy loss leave
Bank holiday swaps
Location
94%
Employees are very happy with their working location freedom
Hours
91%
Employees are very happy with the flexibility in the hours they work
Benefits
84%
Employees are very happy with the benefits their company offers
Work-life balance
80%
Employees feel that they can switch off quite easily from work
Role modelling
81%
Employees feel that flexible working is part of the culture
Autonomy
90%
Employees feel they have complete autonomy over getting their work done

Additional employee ratings
(these do not contribute to the FlexScore®)

Diversity
75%
Employees feel that the diversity is good and there are continued efforts to improve it
Inclusion
78%
Employees feel that the culture supports equity and inclusivity well
Culture
86%
Employees feel like it is a really great environment to work in
Mission
84%
Employees feel very excited about and aligned with the company mission
Salary
70%
Employees feel that their salary is good and matches the value they bring

Working at Mars UK

Company employees

4,000 In the UK

Gender diversity (male:female)

57:43

Office locations

London, Slough, Waltham, Castle Cary, Birstall, Plymouth

Hiring Countries

Brazil

France

Netherlands

United Kingdom

United States

Awards & Achievements

1st – Large companies

1st – Large companies

Flexa100 2024
Consumer Goods

Consumer Goods

Industry awards 2023
3rd – Large companies

3rd – Large companies

Flexa100 2023
Retail & Ecommerce

Retail & Ecommerce

Industry awards 2022

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