Delivering Deal Value Specialist at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)

Job Description & Summary:

• At PwC, our people in data and analytics focus on leveraging data to drive insights and make informed business decisions. They utilise advanced analytics techniques to help clients optimise their operations and achieve their strategic goals.
• In data analysis at PwC, you will focus on utilising advanced analytical techniques to extract insights from large datasets and drive data-driven decision-making. You will leverage skills in data manipulation, visualisation, and statistical modelling to support clients in solving complex business problems.
• Growing as a strategic advisor, you leverage your influence, expertise, and network to deliver quality results. You motivate and coach others, coming together to solve complex problems. As you increase in autonomy, you apply sound judgment, recognising when to take action and when to escalate. You are expected to solve through complexity, ask thoughtful questions, and clearly communicate how things fit together. Your ability to develop and sustain high performing, diverse, and inclusive teams, and your commitment to excellence, contributes to the success of our Firm.

Examples of the skills, knowledge, and experiences you need to lead and deliver value at this level include but are not limited to:

• Craft and convey clear, impactful and engaging messages that tell a holistic story.
• Apply systems thinking to identify underlying problems and/or opportunities.
• Validate outcomes with clients, share alternative perspectives, and act on client feedback.
• Direct the team through complexity, demonstrating composure through ambiguous, challenging and uncertain situations.
• Deepen and evolve your expertise with a focus on staying relevant.
• Initiate open and honest coaching conversations at all levels.
• Make difficult decisions and take action to resolve issues hindering team effectiveness.
• Model and reinforce professional and technical standards (e.g. refer to specific PwC tax and audit guidance), the Firm's code of conduct, and independence requirements.

Role Summary:

• The primary aim of our Value Creation (VC) service offering is to provide advice and support to clients on the operational and value creation challenges arising on merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions (acquisitions, disposals, and carve-outs), including legal restructurings.
• The PwC VC team is a recognised market leader in South Africa, with a strong client base spanning both the Private Equity and Corporate M&A markets. The VC team is currently experiencing significant growth, which is being driven by long term client relationships, a unique service offering and a strong senior leadership team. We are therefore looking for an ambitious and highly motivated person to join our team who is planning to grow in the team over a number of years.

Qualifications / Certifications required:

• CIMA candidate
• CFA candidate
• CA (SA) - newly qualified
• Other professional qualification (finance / engineering / MBA, or similar)

Experience required:

• Associate 2 - 3 years working experience

Responsibilities of role:

VC focuses on providing advice and support on potential or pre-existing transactions, and assists clients in all operational aspects of the transaction, pre- and post completion.

The below is an overview of the type of work that the team facilitates/supports clients on (however is not limited to):

• Pre-deal integration/separation complexity assessments
• Developing an integration/separation strategy (including interim and target operating model and related Day 1 readiness/100-day planning)
• Compiling financial and operational information on a business to be carved out
• Compiling a Value Creation bridge setting out all levers (strategic, operational, balance sheet/ tax and other)
• Developing and tailoring implementation (including value creation) work plans per functional area relating to an acquisition or divestment
• Developing and rolling out a change management and communication plan
• Implementation and programme management support (status reporting, maintain RAID registers, monitor delivery of critical steps / business case)
• Integration/separation health checks.

Skill sets required:

• Comfort around financial analysis and an understanding of key business drivers and performance indicators
• Good interpersonal and leadership skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with internal and external teams
• Good communication skills (verbal, report writing, presenting, and facilitating meetings)
• Ability to develop internal/external networks and identify/drive business development initiatives
• Proactive mindset, eagerness to learn and ability to operate on own initiative

Preference will be given to candidates with the following experience:

• Exposure to deals environment (merger integrations and/or carve-outs)
• Ability to manage various stakeholders and coordinate large teams on change projects
• Ability to identify, understand and analyse key drivers of a business
• Advantageous: experience working on change or integration projects, carve-out assignments, business improvement engagements and delivering quantifiable benefit to organisations (either in industry or advisory)

Role related attributes:

• Excellent attention to detail
• Problem solving mindset with a strong focus on value creation
• Highly analytical mindset and structured thinking
• Good organisational, time management and planning skills
• Self-motivated with a high work ethic
• Capable of developing innovative approaches to complex situations / challenges
• Positive outlook and contributor to a healthy team environment
• Ability to build strong relationships at all levels of the organisation (client and internal), rapidly building rapport, establishing credibility, and gaining trust
• Able to demonstrate flexibility in adjusting to highly varied projects and rapidly coming up the learning curve in unfamiliar industries and functions
• Demonstrate deep knowledge and awareness of current market and M&A trends and activities
• Be aware of cultural diversity and be supportive of our unique South African and African contexts; be able to work in an international environment