M&A Integration Lead (Contract role) - London

We are Kairos, a collection of award-winning social media companies changing the way the next generation discover, consider and buy from brands on social. Our core offerings include creative strategy, talent management, media publishing, esport strategy, content production & design, data & insights and influencer marketing.

Operating and launching global campaigns from our bases in London and Manchester, our workforce is now 10x bigger than when we started 5 years ago and we’re still growing. Our people bring success to international clients in a space that many traditional agencies are struggling to navigate and we're now looking for our next player.

The Kairos Group houses our social creative agency: Kairos Media, our owned media agency, Kyma, whose content generates 150M+ views per month and Turopium, a full-service management agency specialising in taking a market leading approach to working with talent.We share our offices and ideas, come join the party.

Role Overview

Kairos are looking for an experienced M&A integration Lead on a contract basis to oversee the seamless transitions of our new acquisitions into the Kairos Group as we scale our operations in 2022 and beyond.

We are going to be bringing in founders of businesses with a similar ambition and creative flair to the leadership team at Kairos, so experience working with high profile clients or senior stakeholders is key.

The Ideal candidate should have skills that allow them to act as consultant, facilitator, communicator, and bridge builder in the search for acquisitions that match the Kairos Group calibre. You will have leadership qualities that enable you to shepherd everyone through the rocky and uncharted territory that the two organisations must cross before they can function as one during the integration. Although you may not be directly involved in the detailed integration of processes, systems and people you must know the subject matter well. The candidate should have an eye for marketing and be able to detect Kairos’ tone of voice and be able to implement our ethos to potential mergers. You must be able to navigate and combine the use and access of marketing, operations, innovation and HR during the integration process.

Responsibilities

• Manage the evolution by serving as the principal day-to-day point of contact for all things related to integration, and establishing the overall integration process design, mechanics and protocols to be followed by all participants and executives.
• Accelerate the process by helping the executive staff manage the pace and momentum of the integration, and pushing for timely decisions on key issues and providing true accountability for action items and deadlines.
• Architect success by continuously providing focus and direction on what matters most, and searching for and highlighting best practices or potential disconnects that could destroy value or create risk.
• Drive the change by being directly and principally involved in the subject matter of major issues so that this role helps manage the “white space” and dependencies by identifying issues, and then coordinating and communicating resolutions to all involved.
• Define the integration strategy and target operating model needed to deliver bottom-line results and then ensure those results will be captured and sustained.
• Responsible for coordinating, planning, problem solving and implementing all requirements to achieve integration and business results
• Create the connective tissue between the two businesses
• Boldly seize and capture opportunities for deep and enduring value. The candidate needs to make sure these new sources of value are defined, logged and prioritised for action

Requirements

• Previous experience in M&A integration, synergy and/or performance improvement or business transformation projects in M&A context
• Ability to design new organisational structures, modify cultures, move premises, integrate systems, overhaul operations, consolidate products and services.
• Strong knowledge in merger integration, business transformation including strategy, operational transformation and performance improvement (value creation)They must have previous exposure and understand all the functions very well so people can be effectively steered through the transition.
• Strong facilitation skills, forging consensus around credible, executable solutions
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the gravitas and experience to successfully engage and manage a multiple stakeholder environment, and lead by example
• Objective, fact-based approach to problem solving
• Capacity to thrive in a fast-paced, challenging, and uncertain environment
• The candidate must be comfortable with ambiguity: The disconnecting and reconnecting of organisations can create times when people don’t know what they should be doing and what process to follow. Integration Lead must be able to facilitate groups, mobilise people and agree quickly strategies that communicate and provide direction. operate effectively with use of project management tools and techniques.
• Candidate needs to be able to appreciate the emotional and cultural issues involved, handle them personally, and help others deal with them constructively. Effective integration leads must allow people to give vent to their feelings and then help them move on.
• Candidates must be able to adapt and re-calibrate plans as the MERGER evolves.
• Candidate must have outstanding organisational skills
• The candidate will be leading the process and not the business, they are accountable for the creation and delivery of a disciplined integration strategy, process and execution plan.