Software and Digital Transformation - Managing Director

The Opportunity

Our EMEA Technology & Business Services team provides clients with solutions to numerous complex business issues, including large-scale transformation and restructuring; value creation planning; quantified EBITDA / cash improvements; interim management; pre-deal commercial and operational advice; post-merger integration and carve-out. The team brings unrivalled experience from both in-industry and advisory roles and works together with service-line specialists in related A&M skilled practices as one team for clients. In Software, we typically have two types of clients – software product businesses and, non-software clients who are building an internal software-based solution often as part of a digital transformation

The Role

We are looking for a Managing Director to leverage A&M’s brand and expertise to help shape and build a differentiated and best in class consulting service in Software. You will be experienced in operational and / or commercial solutions that address businesses critical issues either in an advisory capacity or taking the reins in an interim C-Suite role. You will:

• Lead the development of the EMEA Software team by engaging with prospective clients and developing enduring senior level client relationships
• Build the A&M brand and profile by successfully winning and delivering client assignments and managing project teams to exceed client expectations
• Build a pipeline of business with the wider Software team and collaborate with service line colleagues to deliver growth and strategy, operational and commercial performance improvement, M&A, turnaround and restructuring
• Be an influential leader and provide guidance to the delivery team looking for EBITDA improvements in the following areas:

o Appropriateness and deliverability of a roadmap (including assessment of all variables including NFR’s and technical debt)

o Buy vs build decisions

o Effectiveness of the operating model, including all the supporting technical functions as well as the software development lifecycle

o OpEx and CapEx expenditures, including headcount and third party spend

o Integration of customer and engineering data

o Agile approach / methods

o Hosting/cloud infrastructure

o Cyber Security

• Contribute to thought leadership and the development of the practice by raising the profile and our reputation with clients and internally across other teams
• Provide a significant contribution to practice building activities such as recruiting, performance managing, mentoring and training both leaders and junior team members.

The Requirements

You will have extensive experience as a leader in a European Professional Services environment selling and delivering assignments to blue-chip corporate and PE owned clients. Ideally, you would also have spent some time in industry, preferably in an engineering or technical operations capacity, or a senior role running a software business. You should have a strong European network of clients with a track record of selling and delivering work and must be able to scope and be responsible for a team delivering results. You will be responsible for client deliverables.

You will probably be UK based, although we would consider applicants who wish to be based in Germany. You will have 15+ years of relevant experience in Europe and a blend of industry and professional services. In addition, you will have:

• Exemplary communication skills, both oral and written, including proven ability to directly develop and deliver executive-level, client-ready written communication materials, including interim updates and final deliverables.
• Demonstrated track record selling to the C-suite
• Excellent fact-gathering and investigation skills, including quantitative and qualitative analysis.
• Previous software / product experience in a software organization
• Experience in Agile methodologies and its practical application across large scale, distributed Software Product organisations
• Knowledge on market-leading tools to support/automate Agile processes as well as test and continuous deployment of software products
• Background / understanding of key architectural principles in modern software design, e.g., micro-services-based platforms, service mesh, cloud-native, serverless, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to translate tech insights into commercial implications.
• Understanding of cyber security concepts for software development organisation and how to best implement security-by-design as part of the DevOps process

Soft Skills

• Capacity to thrive in a fast-paced, challenging, and unpredictable environment
• Good facilitation skills, forging consensus around credible, executable solutions
• Excellent written and oral communications skills, confident presenter in English, preferable in one further European language – fluency in German is highly desirable
• Hands-on and non-hierarchical operator who is equally effective in managing up and down and relates well at all levels and cultures
• Guided by values and integrity, talks straight, builds confidence and leads by example