Value Creation Director

Value Creation Director / Head of M&A Integration & Strategic PMO
Maternity Cover - 12-13 months
Salary up to £110,000
Hybrid

Our client is a market leading, private equity services business operating across the UK, serving Local Authorities, Housing Associations, Universities, Hospitals and major commercial clients. Having completed 15+ acquisitions in four years and now entering a new phase of digital transformation and organic and acquisitive growth, they are seeking an experienced Value Creation Director to lead a period of maternity cover, ideally starting October/November 2026 for approximately 12-13 months.

This is a rare opportunity to sit on the Leadership Team of a fast-growing, entrepreneurial, PE-backed group owning end-to-end governance of a portfolio of 9 strategic projects and 14+ M&A integration's, while remaining genuinely hands-on with delivery. There is no formal PMO in place, so this role suits someone equally comfortable chairing Board and investor updates as they are building a tracker, chasing actions or running a workshop themselves.

The role

Sit as a full member of the Leadership Team, acting as trusted advisor to the CEO and CFO on prioritisation and sequencing across the strategic project portfolio
Own end-to-end governance of a 9-project strategic portfolio (digital transformation, business optimisation, commercial growth) and a 14+ project M&A integration portfolio
Establish and chair a consistent steering/governance rhythm, consolidating a single view of status, risk, dependencies and resourcing
Get hands-on where needed building trackers, chasing actions, resolving blockers, running workshops
Lead M&A due diligence input, Day 1/100-day planning, synergy capture and integration change management
Own the narrative and quality of monthly reporting on value creation and delivery to the Board and investors
Manage and mentor one direct report (Integration's Programme Co-ordinator)
UK-wide/hybrid, home + HQ in the Southwest of England, with travel across GB & Ireland
Reports to the Group CFOAbout you

7+ years leading post-merger integration's, strategic projects or large cross-functional programmes, ideally in multi site services, compliance or a related B2B sector
A track record of governing a varied, multi-project portfolio (9+ projects) simultaneously while staying hands-on with individual workstreams
Comfortable operating without a formal PMO and happy to build the infrastructure yourself
Experience running 3+ simultaneous integration's and delivering synergy/value creation targets in the £5-10m range
High financial literacy and able to translate synergy assumptions into P&L/cash flow impact
Gravitas to operate credibly at Leadership Team level and present confidently to Board and investors
A "player-coach" who is equally comfortable in the boardroom and in the detailAt Gleeson Recruitment Group, we embrace inclusivity and welcome applicants of all backgrounds, experiences, and abilities. We are proud to be a disability confident employer.

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