Senior Associate (m/f/d), Private Equity Performance Improvement - Carve-out/Merger Integration

Description

About Alvarez & Marsal

Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) is a global consulting firm with entrepreneurial, action- and results-oriented professionals. We take a hands-on approach to solving our clients' problems and helping them reach their potential. A&M is different by design: we give people ownership and impact from day one, fuel development through real opportunity, and provide direct access to leaders who invest in our growth. Our culture celebrates independent thinkers and doers who positively impact clients and shape our industry. Guided by A&M's core values of Integrity, Quality, Objectivity, Fun, Personal Reward, and Inclusive Diversity, our collaborative, globally minded environment is why our people love working at A&M.

The Team

A&M’s Private Equity Performance Improvement (PEPI) practice serves upper middle market and large-cap private equity firms, improving financial and operational results at portfolio companies.

Within PEPI, the Carve-out & Merger Integration team advises portfolio companies through complex separations and integrations to deliver step-change operational performance and value creation.

You will work on high-impact engagements (carve-outs, merger integrations, performance improvement, transformational delivery), collaborating with the European PEPI team and cross-functional experts.

How you will contribute

• Manage rapid diagnostics using analytical and qualitative insights to identify levers that transform performance in PE-backed businesses.
• Develop and execute transformation plans tightly linked to EBITDA and working capital improvement.
• Lead buy-side and sell-side carve-out projects, including perimeter definition, complexity assessment, stranded cost mitigation, and risk/control management.
• Oversee post-acquisition carve-out implementation: Day-1 readiness, TSA design and management, stand-up of standalone functions, and TSA exit.
• Translate Operational Due Diligence (ODD) findings into executable value-creation initiatives, delivering growth, cost, and cash quick wins.
• Drive 100-day planning, merger integration management, synergy case validation and tracking, and integration governance.
• Collaborate with functional workstreams (Operations, Finance, IT, HR, Procurement, Supply Chain) to ensure aligned delivery, tracking, and benefits realization.
• Support business development activities, including proposal development, workplan design, and thought leadership.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree from an accredited university.
• Extensive experience delivering buy-side and sell-side carve-out services and standing up standalone organizations.
• Recent experience leading international operational change/transformation programs.
• Proven track record directing teams and delivering major pre- and post-deal transformational assignments in PE contexts.
• Strong understanding of the private equity lifecycle, value creation levers, and relevant networks.
• Expertise in operational KPIs, balanced scorecards, continuous improvement, and benefits tracking.
• Proficiency in PMO tools, integration/carve-out playbooks, governance, and change management methodologies.
• Fluency in German and English; additional European languages are a plus.

Your journey at A&M

At A&M, professional growth is tied directly to performance, not tenure. Our people take on meaningful, hands-on work supported by a performance development process that rewards contribution and fosters a culture of meritocracy. Stretch roles, evolving business needs, and firm growth create ongoing opportunities for ownership and building new skills, while direct access to senior leaders provides mentorship and real-time coaching along the way. We also prioritize your wellbeing through comprehensive benefits and resources. Together, these elements create an environment where high-performing professionals can continue to grow and advance from day one.