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Chief Development Officer

Location: Flexible, with travel to key operating markets

Company Overview

A private equity-backed and rapidly growing platform in the hospitality sector is seeking a Chief Development Officer (CDO) to lead its corporate development and acquisition strategy during a pivotal phase of accelerated expansion. Operating across a multi-state footprint, the company brings together a portfolio of well-established, service-oriented businesses under a unified brand focused on guest experience, operational excellence, and scalable growth.

Following a recent ownership transition, the company has accelerated its M&A activity and invested deeply in leadership, systems, and innovation—positioning itself to become a category-defining operator in its segment of the hospitality market.

Position Summary

The Chief Development Officer will serve as the executive leader responsible for driving all inorganic growth efforts, including M&A sourcing, execution, and integration. Reporting directly to the CEO, this high-impact role will oversee the development of a scalable M&A platform while partnering with the Board, CFO, and cross-functional teams to ensure strategic alignment and value creation. The CDO will lead a growing internal team and collaborate with external advisors, intermediaries, and sellers to identify, evaluate, and close high-quality acquisition opportunities.

This is a rare opportunity for a seasoned corporate development executive to shape the growth trajectory of a platform business in a high-opportunity, service-focused industry.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the full spectrum of M&A activity—from deal sourcing and evaluation through negotiation, diligence, legal structuring, and integration.

• Build and optimize repeatable systems, tools, and processes to support continuous, high-quality deal execution across a national footprint.

• Manage and mentor a team of high-performing deal professionals, guiding strategy, execution, and professional development.

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with sellers, investment banks, brokers, and other intermediaries to ensure a consistent pipeline of opportunities.

• Present strategic opportunities, deal economics, and investment theses to executive leadership, the Board, and financial sponsors.

• Oversee post-close integration planning and execution, aligning new acquisitions with enterprise systems, teams, and operational standards.

• Support broader strategic initiatives including market prioritization, capital planning, and network expansion.

Candidate Profile

• 12–20+ years of progressive experience in investment banking, private equity, or senior corporate development roles.

• Proven success sourcing and executing M&A transactions in multi-location, service-oriented sectors—experience in hospitality, real estate, or consumer services is highly desirable.

• Strong executive presence with the ability to engage credibly with C-suite leaders, Board members, and investors.

• Deep experience across all facets of M&A, including diligence, financial modeling, negotiation, structuring, and integration.

• Demonstrated ability to lead, scale, and inspire high-performing teams in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or other relevant advanced degree preferred.

• Willingness to travel periodically to headquarters and key operational markets, including cultural hubs such as the Florida Panhandle.

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