VP Corporate Development at Updater - $280K M&A in Columbus
Career & Market Insight
This is a senior individual contributor/leadership role with direct access to the CEO and CFO, making it an exceptionally high-visibility position for an experienced M&A or corporate development professional. The opportunity to own the full deal lifecycle — from sourcing to integration — is rare outside of bulge-bracket banks or large corporate strategy teams.
Compensation benchmarking: At $250,000–$280,000 base (plus stock options), this is competitive but not outsized for a VP-level Corp Dev role at a well-funded tech company. Comparable roles at Series C–D companies typically range $220,000–$300,000 base, with meaningful equity. Updater's $450M+ raise from SoftBank and Vista Credit suggests real financial backing and equity could be valuable.
Skills developed in this role:
- Full-cycle M&A execution in a high-growth B2B2C tech context
- Generative AI and Agentic Commerce market expertise — a fast-appreciating skill set
- Cross-functional leadership across Finance, Legal, Product, and GTM
- Post-merger integration ownership, which is increasingly valued at the C-suite level
Green flags: Executive alignment on acquisitive growth, meaningful deal flow, and a clear strategic mandate. Flexible PTO and remote-first culture support work-life balance at a senior level.
Watch for: The role requires building a pipeline largely solo — there's no mention of a supporting Corp Dev team, which may mean wearing many hats. Candidates should probe team size and internal support during interviews.
Updater is seeking an ambitious, strategic, and results-driven leader to spearhead our corporate development and growth agenda. In this role, you will source and evaluate opportunities that fuel Updater's next stage of growth — including acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and initiatives that expand or enhance existing business lines. You will own the assessment of the market and competitive landscape across priority verticals, serving as a trusted advisor to the executive team. From identifying opportunities through executing and integrating transformative deals, you will ensure Updater capitalizes on the right partnerships and acquisitions that accelerate our strategic vision.
This is a unique opportunity to join a rapidly expanding business and to play a major role in shaping Updater's future as a category-leading B2B2C platform with:
- A massive TAM across partner, service, and consumer verticals
- Strategic whitespace in high-growth sectors with fragmented competitive landscapes
- Rich data and integration opportunities through our enterprise partnerships
- An executive team aligned on acquisitive growth as a top strategic lever
- Own the long-term corporate development strategy in close partnership with the CEO, CFO, and senior leadership
- Develop a deep understanding of the competitive landscape and emerging business models across our priority verticals, advising the executive team on market opportunities and whitespace plays
- Proactively source, evaluate, and prioritize acquisition and partnership opportunities in priority verticals, leveraging deep industry knowledge and networks
- Build and maintain a robust pipeline of targets, balancing strategic fit, financial return, and integration potential
- Partner with the CEO, CFO, and executive team to align targets with strategic growth initiatives
- Lead all stages of the deal process — from initial outreach and valuation through diligence, negotiation, and closing
- Partner with cross-functional teams (Finance, Legal, Product, GTM) to assess deal synergies, risks, and integration requirements
- Develop and present investment cases and recommendations to the executive team
- Continuously monitor market trends, competitive dynamics, and emerging business models in target sectors
- Identify adjacency plays and "build vs. buy" opportunities that can strengthen Updater's competitive position
- Advise GTM teams on strategic business development opportunities
- Build and maintain senior-level relationships across investment banks, private equity, venture capital, and industry operators to enhance deal flow
- Represent Updater as a thought leader in key sectors at conferences, panels, and industry events
- Oversee M&A integration planning and execution for acquired companies to ensure seamless onboarding, value capture, and cultural alignment
- Partner with functional leaders to establish post-close KPIs and monitor acquisition performance against deal theses
- Partner with the Strategic Finance team to model acquisition opportunities, including detailed three-statement financial models, revenue and cost synergies, and working capital requirements
- 7+ years of experience in corporate development, M&A, investment banking, private equity, or venture capital
- Strong understanding of Generative AI and Agentic Commerce
- Proven track record of sourcing, structuring, and closing acquisitions in relevant industries
- Deep network of relationships across private equity, venture capital, and corporate dealmakers
- Strong financial acumen, with the ability to build and evaluate complex valuation models and ROI analyses
- Experience leading due diligence, negotiation, and integration in both buy-side and sell-side contexts
- Exceptional strategic thinking with the ability to translate business goals into actionable deal strategies
- Business development experience preferred
- Strong communication and influencing skills; able to articulate deal rationale and value creation opportunities to executives, boards, and external stakeholders
- Empathetic, pragmatic, and collaborative leadership style
- Experience working with a remote-first team distributed across multiple time zones
The new hire salary range for this position is $250,000–$280,000 annually. Factors which may affect the starting pay within this range include skills, experience, and other qualifications aligned with Updater's internal leveling guidelines.
About UpdaterUpdater is a leading technology platform helping major brands acquire and retain customers at scale. We are on a mission to power millions of complex transactions through intelligent, autonomous systems. By combining deep integrations, real-world data, and purpose-built AI agents, we're transforming fragmented purchasing workflows into seamless, automated experiences — freeing businesses and consumers from operational friction and enabling a new standard of speed, accuracy, and scale.
Updater has raised over $450 million from leading investors, including SoftBank Capital, Vista Credit Partners, IA Ventures, Commerce Ventures, Second Century Ventures (the strategic investment arm of the National Association of Realtors®), and more. For more information, please visit www.updater.com.
Updater is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants regardless of color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital or family status, disability, gender identity or expression, veteran status, actual or presumed belonging to an ethnic group, or any other legally protected status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.
Benefits: The Company offers the following benefits for full-time positions, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- Flexible PTO
- 13 paid company holidays annually
- Updater Stock Options
- 401(k) with employer match
- Wellbeing Subsidy
- One Medical membership
- Virtual on-demand healthcare through Teladoc and Talkspace
- Flexible spending account (FSA)
- Health savings account (HSA)
- Supplemental Short & Long Term Disability Insurance
- Supplemental Life Insurance
- Paid Parental Leave
Frequently Asked Questions
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