Head of M&A (f/m/x) Office HQ - Berlin, Germany · On site →

About Us

We’re building the AI operating system for short-term rentals. We acquire and operate short term rental property management platforms at scale through our proprietary AI-native platform that automates and optimises every layer of property operations, from stay to distribution. We're not a property manager. We're a tech-powered roll‑up with a differentiated acquisition model: flexible deal structures, local brand preservation, and a seller‑friendly approach that has resonated strongly with operators across Europe. Our pipeline is growing faster than we can deploy capital.

As Head of M&A, you will own Arbio's deal engine end to end. This is neither a support nor a strategic role. You are the person who identifies, qualifies, structures, and closes the acquisitions that fuel our growth. You'll work directly with the CEO and operate with significant autonomy, high accountability, and real entrepreneurial latitude. We're looking for someone who has thrived in fast‑paced deal environments, has closed many transactions, and is now ready to step out of the traditional fund environment and into a fast-moving, founder‑led scale‑up where every deal has impact.

Job Requirements

• 5+ years of M&A experience in mid‑market private equity, with a strong track record of closed transactions OR you’re an entrepreneur that has built a business that involved M&A ideally both a buy and sell side. Either way: You can count your tombstones and are proud of them.
• You leave PE because deep down you’re an entrepreneur: you spot opportunities, move fast, and aren't waiting for consensus to take action.
• High energy and high intensity. You raise the bar in a room and are energized by ambitious targets, not intimidated by them.
• Exceptional people skills & emotional intelligence: you build rapport with every first meeting, read counterparties with precision, and can hold a firm line without burning relationships.
• End‑to‑end owner mentality. You follow deals from cold outreach to close, and don't drop the ball in the final stretch. You don’t need handholding even for target companies that have boards, complicated shareholder structures, multiple stakeholders.
• Commercially sharp: you understand deal economics deeply and can stress‑test assumptions on the fly.
• Comfortable operating with ambiguity and limited support. Arbio is scaling fast and this role requires someone who builds upon our playbook. Not rebuilding it but taking it from 1 to 100.
• You speak excellent German and English. You are based or ready to relocate to Berlin.

Job Responsibilities

Sourcing & Deal Origination

• Build and own Arbio's proprietary M&A pipeline. Developing direct relationships with STR property managers, property owners, communities & networks across target markets.
• Design and execute outbound origination strategies, including direct outreach, broker relationships, and sector events.
• Develop and maintain a systematic approach to tracking, qualifying, and prioritising acquisition targets.
• Represent Arbio in the market. You will be the face of our M&A effort and must earn trust quickly.
• Build out our community of STR CEOs across Europe & the US, fostering strong relationships through regular knowledge exchanges & events.

Structuring, Negotiation & Closing

• Lead deal structuring from first conversation to signed term sheet, working across earn‑outs, vendor finance, equity rollovers, and other flexible instruments.
• Work closely with Arbio’s CEO on deal structures, CFO on financing & legal, COO on synergies & PMI.
• Negotiate commercial terms directly with founders and owners, balancing Arbio's financial discipline with founder‑friendly positioning.
• Coordinate due diligence across legal, financial, and operational workstreams — managing external advisors while keeping deals on track.
• Work closely with the C‑Level on investment committee presentations, board updates, and fundraising narratives tied to the deal pipeline.
• Close deals and function as the connective tissue between M&A and Integration.

Team Management & Leadership

• Lead by example in a flat, founder‑led environment: roll up your sleeves, move fast, and bring the team along without losing precision.
• Instill deal‑floor intensity and pace of top‑tier PEs that matches the ambition of the business.
• Build, lead, and scale a high‑performing M&A team across multiple countries that punches well above its weight.
• Develop a scalable incentive structure for the investment team.

Technology & Automation

• Carry the vision for a product‑led M&A process that is executed by our engineering team.
• You are at least curious about AI and have experimented with Claude Cowork or similar. Therefore you allocate time per week to nullifying redundant tasks in origination, due diligence and communication.

Impact & Compensation

• Disproportionate impact: Every deal you close moves Arbio ten steps closer to our big goal.
• Work directly with the CEO and leadership team. No layers, no bureaucracy.
• Competitive compensation package including meaningful equity.
• A genuinely differentiated business model in a sector that hasn't been cracked at scale.
• Berlin HQ with a lean, international team that moves fast and thinks big.
• Competitive salary, equity options, and benefits.