Senior Program Manager, Mergers & Acquisitions

At Arctic Wolf, we're not just navigating the cybersecurity landscape - we're redefining it. Our global team of dedicated Pack members is driving innovation and setting new industry standards every day. Our impact speaks for itself: we've earned recognition on the Forbes Cloud 100, CNBC Disruptor 50, Fortune Future 50, and Fortune Cyber 60 lists, and we recently took home the 2024 CRN Products of the Year award. We’re proud to be named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape for Worldwide Managed Detection and Response Services and earning a Customers' Choice distinction from Gartner Peer Insights. Our Aurora Platform also received CRN’s Products of the Year award in the inaugural Security Operations Platform category. Join a company that’s not only leading, but also shaping, the future of security operations. 

Our mission is simple: End Cyber Risk. We’re looking for a Senior Program Manager, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) to be part of making this happen.   

LOCATION: This role is open to Remote-Canada, Remote-United States, Hybrid-Eden Prairie, MN, US, Hybrid-Waterloo, ON, CA.

Position Overview and Objective

The Mergers and Acquisitions Senior Program Manager is responsible for, within the products organization, managing the process and orchestration of teams, investments, programs and timelines to deliver to M&A success criteria. This role will serve as the Product Organization’s program manager responsible for leading the investigation, selection and then onto the integration process. This role will work with the product leaders in defining, measuring and achieving deal KPIs, facilitating cross-functional problem-solving, managing and driving closure of issues, coordinating transition services agreements, and implementing ongoing process improvement within the Product Organization under guidance / direction of Corporate Development M&A entity.

• This role involves defining Product Organization program strategies, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and managing stakeholder engagement with respect to M&A. The Program Manager will also handle risk management, resource allocation and financial oversight while continuously monitoring program progress and reporting to senior leadership.

• Responsible for oversight and coordination of the Product Organization’s M&A program, including all the value driver and functional teams.

• Expected to participate in AWN pre-acquisition due diligence process involving comprehensive evaluation of target company’s Product Organization people, practices, systems and tools, allowing AWN to thoroughly understand potential risks, opportunities and synergies before committing to the deal.

Primary Responsibilities and Duties

• Define the Product Organization’s overall M&A program strategy, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives.

• Develop Product Organization’s program roadmaps that integrate individual project plans to achieve collective business goals.

• Establish Product Organization’s program governance frameworks, ensuring that roles, responsibilities and decision-making processes are well defined.

Execution of M&A Program and Project Management Model:

• Process Groups (Initiating, Planning, Executing, Controlling, Closing)

• Integration Enabling Competencies (Communication, People Management, Change Management, Culture)

• Program Management Core Competencies (M&A Life Cycle and Deliverables by Phase and Function, Governance and Resourcing, Budgeting and Financial Management, Smart Tools and Technology Solutions, Diligence and Integration Management, Risk and Opportunity Management, Critical Success Factors and Key Performance Metrics, Quality Assurance, Closeout and Continuous Improvement)

Plan and lead end-to-end Product Organization integration program across one or multiple deals, including:

• Developing and conducting the integration team kickoff and planning workshops

• Meeting with target / acquired company management team and employees as needed to ensure they understand the integration process

• Ensuring all functional integration leaders understand their roles and responsibilities

• Developing integrated cross-functional project plans

• Indirectly overseeing all functional work to manage risk, ensure issue resolution and facilitate timely completion of integration activities

• Facilitating regular cross-functional meetings

• Developing and delivering regular executive status updates

Additional responsibilities, including:

• Prioritize and triage integration activities, initiatives and risks to complete integration according to plan and make planning and execution decisions.

• Manage interdependencies between functions so activities are prioritized and sequenced correctly.

• Support cross-functional teams as needed to facilitate closure of integration activities.

• Evaluate the risks associated with an integration and mitigate them to the most reasonable extent possible.

• Escalate issues requiring executive input so they are resolved quickly and effectively.

• Utilize analytical tools, models and methods to develop recommendations from complex data and business analysis.

• Develop and execute forward-thinking strategies to support long-term growth.

• Counsel business leaders, recommend approaches for executing high-level strategies and develop / offer creative solutions and ideas.

• Develop and deliver executive-level presentations.  Regularly engage with executive stakeholders to build culture of transparency and trust.

• Establish metrics required to measure business performance and recommend the go-forward strategy to address performance gaps.

• Define integration exit / business as usual handover criteria and ensure exit criteria are met.

• Document any handoffs to business line leaders at the end of the transition period.

• Capture lessons learned and recommendations for future acquisitions.

Minimum Qualifications

• 10+ years of project/program management and/or relationship management experience

• 10+ years M&A integration experience, preferably within Security or Technology sector

• Master’s Degree in business; finance, management or related

Preferred Certifications/Qualifications

• Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification

• Mergers & Acquisitions Professional (M&AP)

• Relevant Mergers & Acquisitions Professional Courses & Certificates

• Experience in cybersecurity is a plus

Key Skills

• Experience communicating and representing work to leadership, framing discussions to gain valuable feedback, and experience working with technical management teams to develop systems, solutions, and products.

• Analytical and problem-solving experience with large-scale systems.

• Proficient in building trust and establishing relationships across multi-disciplinary teams.

• Aptitude towards establishing and leading teams through multi-disciplinary relationships.

• Understanding of project and program management skills and methodologies.  Experience with one or more project management methodologies and across a range of project types.

• Knowledge of project planning tools such as Jira, Smartsheet, etc.  Competency in Confluence.

• Continuous Process Improvement mindset with ability to act upon preventive actions based on formal root cause analysis (RCA) methodologies.

• Creation of advanced playbooks pertaining to M&A due diligence and post-acquisition integration including generating comprehensive due diligence and integration checklist.

• Strategic Thinking. Problem Solving. Executive Communications.

• Risk/Issue management and resolution utilizing ROAM (Resolved, Owned, Accepted, Mitigated) risk management model to identify and categorize risks.  ROAM provides organizations with a collaborative, actionable, proactive approach to practicing risk management at scale.  Risk management framework competency in risk identification, risk measurement and assessment, risk mitigation, risk reporting and monitoring as well as risk governance.

• Business intelligence. Business strategies.

• Dashboard creation and management indicating integration success, business performance and analytics.

• Familiarity and reporting on Product Organization Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) as well as supporting Corporate Development KPIs such as deal closure time, cost synergies realized, revenue synergies realized, cultural integration effectiveness, post-acquisition integration success rate, EBITDA growth post M&A, customer retention rate post M&A, integration cost variance and internal rate of return (IRR) for M&A.

• Data Analysis. Data Visualization.

• Change Management.

About Arctic Wolf

At Arctic Wolf, we foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment that thrives on diversity of thought, background, and culture. This is reflected in our multiple awards, including Top Workplace USA (2021-2024), Best Places to Work – USA (2021-2024), Great Place to Work – Canada (2021-2024), Great Place to Work – UK (2024), and Kununu Top Company – Germany (2024). Our commitment to bold growth and shaping the future of security operations is matched by our dedication to customer satisfaction, with over 7,000 customers worldwide and more than 2,000 channel partners globally. As we continue to expand globally and enhance our technology, Arctic Wolf remains the most trusted name in the industry. 

Our Values  

Arctic Wolf recognizes that success comes from delighting our customers, so we work together to ensure that happens every day. We believe in diversity and inclusion, and truly value the unique qualities and unique perspectives all employees bring to the organization. And we appreciate that—by protecting people’s and organizations’ sensitive data and seeking to end cyber risk— we get to work in an industry that is fundamental to the greater good.  

We celebrate unique perspectives by creating a platform for all voices to be heard through our Pack Unity program. We encourage all employees to join or create a new alliance. See more about our Pack Unity here.   

We also believe and practice corporate responsibility, and have recently joined the Pledge 1% Movement, ensuring that we continue to give back to our community. We know that through our mission to End Cyber Risk we will continue to engage and give back to our communities.  

All wolves receive compelling compensation and benefits packages, including:  

• Equity for all employees 

• Flexible time off and paid volunteer days 

• RRSP and 401k match 

• Training and career development programs 

• Comprehensive private benefits plan including medical, mental health, dental, disability, life and AD&D, and value-added services 

• Robust Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with mental health services 

• Fertility support and paid parental leave 

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Arctic Wolf is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetics, or any other basis forbidden under federal, provincial, or local law. Arctic Wolf is committed to fostering a welcoming, accessible, respectful, and inclusive environment ensuring equal access and participation for people with disabilities. As such, we strive to make our entire employee experience as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for candidates and employees with disabilities and/or other specific needs where possible. Please let us know if you require any accommodations by emailing [email protected].  

Security Requirements  

• Conducts duties and responsibilities in accordance with AWN’s Information Security policies, standards, processes and controls to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of AWN business information (in accordance with our employee handbook and corporate policies). 

• Background checks are required for this position.  

• This position may require access to information protected under U.S. export control laws and regulations, including the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”).  Please note that, if applicable, an offer for employment will be conditioned on authorization to receive software or technology controlled under these U.S. export control laws and regulations.