Vice President, Corporate Development

Job Description

Zendesk has significant growth and innovation ambitions, and acquiring great products, teams, and businesses are a crucial part of realizing those ambitions. This role is about making that happen.

As Vice President, you will lead the Corporate Development function at Zendesk -- spanning M&A strategy and execution, integration, and strategic investments. You will architect an M&A and investments strategy that aligns with corporate objectives, cultivate relationships with a broad ecosystem of investors, advisors, and founders + executives, leading transactions, and leading the design, oversight, and ongoing management of acquisition integration. This role requires building and maintaining strong relationships with our Board of Directors, and collaborating closely with leaders across the business, most notably in Product Development, GTM, Legal, and Finance. The VP, Corporate Development will lead an impactful team spanning acquisitions, investments, and integration.

Responsibilities

• Develop and refine Zendesk's M&A strategy in alignment with the company's overall business objectives and growth targets. Identify potential acquisition targets that can enhance our product offerings, market reach, and competitive positioning
• Lead all aspects of the M&A process including deal sourcing, valuation, due diligence, and transaction execution. Work closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure successful deal closure
• Supervise comprehensive integration plans to ensure detailed integration of acquired companies. Collaborate with functional leaders to align on integration priorities and execute plans optimally
• Lead and mentor corporate development team. Provide guidance, support, and development opportunities to ensure the team achieves its goals and grows in capability
• Partner with leaders to align Corporate Development activities with broader company goals. Ensure a collaborative approach to identifying and integrating acquisitions
• Establish and nurture a broad network of industry contacts, investors, and financial advisors to assist in understanding market and industry trends and building transaction opportunities
• Stay informed about market trends, competitive landscape, and emerging opportunities. Provide insights and recommendations to the executive team based on market intelligence
  
  

Requirements

• Proven track record of successfully leading corporate development initiatives in a high-growth technology company
• Extensive experience across the M&A lifecycle
• Excellent leadership and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate and influence across all levels of the organization
• Strong ability to synthesize market trends and competitive landscape with internal goals and initiatives
• Deep understanding of financial modeling, valuation techniques, and due diligence processes
• Familiarity with the software industry, particularly customer experience and support solutions, is highly desirable
  
  

Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love.

Zendesk believes in offering our people a fulfilling and inclusive experience. Our hybrid way of working, enables us to purposefully come together in person, at one of our many Zendesk offices around the world, to connect, collaborate and learn whilst also giving our people the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.

The US annualized base salary range for this position is $232,000.00-$348,000.00. This position may also be eligible for bonus, benefits, or related incentives. While this range reflects the minimum and maximum value for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations, the offer for the successful candidate for this position will be based on job related capabilities, applicable experience, and other factors such as work location. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only (or OTE for commissions based roles), and do not include bonus, benefits, or related incentives.

The Intelligent Heart Of Customer Experience

Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love. We advocate for digital first customer experiences—and we stick with it in our workplace. Over 5,000 employees worldwide are collaborating from kitchen tables, home offices, coworking spaces, and Zendesk workspaces to make one team.

Zendesk is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster global diversity, equity, & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment and employees at Zendesk are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabled employer. If you are based in the United States and would like more information about your EEO rights under the law, please click here.

Zendesk endeavors to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans pursuant to applicable federal and state law. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to submit this application, complete any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please send an e-mail to peopleandplaces@zendesk.com with your specific accommodation request.