Strategy Associate - Corporate Development

Job Description

THE CARWOW GROUP

Carwow Group is driven by a passion for getting people into cars. But not just any car, the right car. That’s why we are building the go-to destination for car-changing. Designed to reach drivers everywhere with our trail-blazing portfolio of personality rich automotive brands; Carwow, Auto Express, evo, Driving Electric and Car Buyer.

What started as a simple reviews site, is now one of the largest online car-changing destinations in Europe - over 10m customers have used Carwow to help them buy and sell cars since its inception. Last year we grew over 50% with nearly £3bn worth of cars bought on site, while £1.8bn of cars were listed for sale through our Sell My Car service.

In 2024 we went big and acquired Autovia, doubling our audience overnight. Together we now have one of the biggest YouTube channels in the world with over 1.1 billion annual views, sell 1.2 million print copies of our magazines and have an annual web content reach over 350million.

WHY JOIN US?

We are winners of the prestigious Culture 100 award that recognises the most loved and happiest tech companies to work for! We have just raised $52m in funding led by global venture capital firm Bessemer Venture Partners (an early backer of LinkedIn and Shopify) to accelerate our growth plans!

As pioneers, we’re always driving for new territory and positive change, so our work as a group is never done. Where others see difficulty, it’s our responsibility to see possibility – building new experiences, launching new titles and listening to drivers.

Being a part of Carwow Group means championing drivers and the automotive industry, acting as a disrupter and never being afraid to fail (but learning fast when we do!).

Our team of 500 employees across the UK, Germany, Spain and Portugal are revolutionising car-changing and we are fast expanding our mission across every single brand and country we operate in, so jump in!

THE TEAM

Reporting to the Chief Business Operations Officer, the Strategy Team’s mission is to lead the development, communication and implementation of winning strategies that drive carwow’s long-term, sustainable & profitable growth.

Led by the Director of Strategy (ex-BCG), the team’s role expands across five key areas:

• Strategy Development & Business Partnering - Working closely with the Exec team and leadership across business lines, markets and capabilities to develop strategy
• Strategy Execution - Connecting where we invest our capital and what teams do with our strategy by operating and continually improving our strategy planning process and OKRs across Carwow
• Go-to-Market Delivery - Getting new business lines or propositions from zero to one
• Investor Relations & Corporate Development - Supporting the Exec team with fundraising and M&A activity
• ESG - Leading carwow’s Environment, Social & Governance policy and delivery
  

Working in the Strategy Team at carwow means being at the forefront of the automotive industry's shift online. You'll have the opportunity to directly influence the direction of a fast-growing tech company, and help establish carwow as the number one destination for car-changing.

THE ROLE

As a Corporate Development Strategy Associate, you will play a pivotal role in driving carwow's long-term, sustainable, and profitable growth. Reporting into the Head of Group Strategy & Corporate Development, you will work closely with the Executive team and senior leaders to develop and implement winning strategies.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Corporate Development / M&A Strategy:
• Develop and refine the corporate development and M&A strategy
• Conduct target screening and build financial models for business cases
• Lead commercial due diligence, assessing market dynamics and growth potential
• Coordinate the M&A process, both pre-deal and post-deal integration
• Capital Allocation Framework:
• Support the implementation and refinement of the new capital allocation framework by collaborating with finance and business units to assess investment opportunities
• Monitor and report on capital allocation decisions
• Execution of Group Strategy:
• Translate corporate strategy into actionable quarterly objectives
• Coach teams on developing high-quality, aligned OKRs
• Identify and map dependencies across teams and initiatives
• Monitor OKR progress, identify risks, and propose adjustments
• Board Decks and Investor Materials:
• Assist in preparing comprehensive board decks and investor materials
• Ensure accuracy and relevance of information through thorough research and analysis
• Coordinate inputs from various teams to consolidate data effectively
• Strategic Analysis and Insights:
• Conduct strategic analysis and market research to identify trends and opportunities
• Provide insights and recommendations based on industry data and financial performance
• Present findings and updates to key senior stakeholders
• Continuous Improvement and Best Practices:
• Stay informed about industry best practices in corporate development and strategic planning
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the strategy team
• Enhance corporate development processes, frameworks, and tools

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• Analytical Skills:
• Strong ability to analyse complex data and synthesise insights
• Proficient in financial modelling and valuation techniques

• Problem-Solving:
• Proactive in identifying issues and proposing effective solutions
• Ability to navigate and resolve conflicts within teams

• Strategic Thinking:

• Ability to develop and implement strategic initiatives
• Skilled in identifying growth opportunities and competitive threats

• Project Management:

• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Experience in coordinating cross-functional teams and managing timelines

• Communication Skills:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to present complex information clearly to senior management and stakeholders
• High level of accuracy in preparing board decks, investor materials, and financial models

WHAT ELSE?

• 3-5 years of experience in corporate development, strategy, investment banking, management consulting, or a related field
• Prior experience in M&A processes, including due diligence, financial modelling, and post-merger integration
• Experience with financial analysis and reporting is advantageous
• Familiarity with the Objectives and Key Results (OKR) framework and experience in coaching teams to develop high-quality OKRs
• Experience in working with senior executives & managing stakeholder relationships
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with external advisers and potential M&A targets
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, or Google suite equivalent

INTERVIEW PROCESS

• Step 1: Video call with a member of our Talent Team to find out more about your experience and why you want to work at Carwow
• Step 2: 1 hour video-call with the Head of Group Strategy & Corporate Development
• Step 3: 1 hour in-office Stakeholder chemistry session
• Step 4: 1 hour presentation with the Hiring Manager, Department Director & Chief Business & Operations Officer

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU

• Hybrid working
• Competitive salary to fund that dream holiday to Bali
• Matched pension contributions for a peaceful retirement
• Share options - when we thrive, so do you!
• Vitality Private Healthcare, for peace of mind, plus eyecare vouchers
• Life Assurance for (even more) peace of mind
• Monthly coaching sessions with Spill - our mental wellbeing partner
• Enhanced holiday package, plus Bank Holidays
• 28 days annual leave
• 1 day for your wedding
• 1 day off when you move house - because moving is hard enough without work!
• For your third year anniversary, get 30 days of annual leave per year
• For your tenth year anniversary, get 35 days of annual leave per year
• Option to buy 3 extra days of holiday per year
• Work from abroad for a month
• Inclusive parental, partner and shared parental leave, fertility treatment and pregnancy loss policies
• Bubble childcare support and discounted nanny fees for little ones
• The latest tech (Macbook or Surface) to power your gif-sending talents
• Up to £500/€550 home office allowance for that massage chair you’ve been talking about
• Generous learning and development budget to help you master your craft
• Regular social events: tech lunches, coffee with the exec sessions, lunch 8 learns, book clubs, social events/anything else you pester us for
• Refer a friend, get paid. Repeat for infinite money

Diversity and inclusion is an integral part of our culture. We know that diverse teams are strong teams, so we welcome those with alternative identities, backgrounds, and experiences to apply for this position. We make recruiting decisions based on experience, skills and potential, so all our applicants are treated fairly and equally.