Senior Specialist, Business Development (M&A) job in Abu Dhabi

Senior Specialist, Business Development (M&A)

Unlock employer Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Direct to Company 1 hour ago · 19 Oct 2026

Position

ABOUT THE ROLE
The position supports the origination, evaluation, and execution of M&A, joint ventures, partnerships, and investment opportunities across the company’s Trading and Downstream ecosystem. This role provides the analytical and commercial foundation for the Trading Business Development (M&A) function, involving market scanning, opportunity screening, financial modeling, valuation, due diligence coordination, and preparation of decision-ready materials. The role ensures that opportunities are rigorously assessed against the company's investment criteria, risk appetite, and portfolio strategy. Working within deal teams under the direction of senior members, the position also contributes to assessing new organic and inorganic downstream growth opportunities in sectors such as gas, refining, chemicals, fuels distribution, marketing, trading, and shipping.

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KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Market Intelligence: Conduct market scanning and research to identify target companies, competitor movements, emerging business models, and shifts in global trading and downstream markets, producing concise market intelligence reports.
Opportunity Screening: Screen and assess opportunities against strategic fit, commercial merit, and investment thresholds while maintaining opportunity data in the function's deal pipeline tracker.
Market Economics: Analyze supply and demand dynamics, market economics, and margin drivers across gas, refining, chemicals, fuels, and trading to support commercial assumptions.
Financial Modelling & Valuation: Build and maintain financial models and valuations (such as DCF, comparables, scenario, and sensitivity analysis) while calculating return metrics (IRR, NPV, payback) for opportunities under evaluation.
Business Case Development: Prepare business case components, including market analysis, value propositions, economics, risk assessments, and implementation considerations.
Due Diligence Support: Coordinate data requests, data room, and Q&A processes, track advisor deliverables, and summarize key due diligence findings, risks, and value drivers.
Deal Execution Support: Assist deal teams in commercial negotiations and M&A execution, including preparing negotiation briefs, term sheet comparisons, and inputs to transaction documentation.
Governance Materials: Prepare investment committee, executive, and Board submission materials, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and governance readiness.
Stakeholder Coordination: Liaise with AGT, AT, DM&T Strategy, Finance & Investment, Legal, and Downstream Business Lines to gather inputs and align assumptions on assigned opportunities.
Post-Deal Support: Assist in integration planning and track realized value against expected synergies for completed transactions.
Business Plans & Budgets: Contribute inputs to the Division's business plan, annual budget, and deal pipeline objectives.
Performance Management: Achieve individual performance objectives in line with the Company Performance Management System.
Reporting: Produce accurate and timely pipeline updates, deal status reports, and management reports.
Policies, Processes & Standards: Apply and recommend improvements to M&A tools, templates, models, processes, and standards.
HSE: Comply with HSE policies, applicable legislation, and the company Code of Practice.
Risk Management: Identify and report transaction risks in line with the Corporate Integrated Risk Management System, maintaining strict confidentiality and adherence to the company's Code of Conduct.
Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Support continuous improvement, including the use of data analytics and AI-enabled tools in screening and analysis.
Knowledge Sharing: Share knowledge with and support the development of analysts and UAE National graduates.

COMMUNICATION & WORKING RELATIONSHIP

Internal: Work closely with the VP and Managers in Trading Business Development (M&A); coordinate with AGT, AT, and other Trading entities, DM&T Strategy, Downstream Business Lines, Finance & Investment, Legal, Commercial, and Tax teams to gather inputs, align assumptions, and prepare materials for senior management and governance committees.
External: Interact with external advisors (legal, financial, technical, tax), consultants, and data providers, and, as required, counterparties and potential partners in support of deal origination and execution.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

Minimum Qualification: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field; a Master's degree is preferred.
Minimum Experience & Knowledge & Skills:
- 7–9 years' experience in M&A, corporate finance, investment banking, transaction advisory, strategy consulting, or business development, with direct involvement in transactions or investment evaluations.
- Experience in energy, Oil & Gas, downstream, or commodity trading is preferred.
- Exposure to structured finance, principal investing and/or business development within a commodity trading house is highly relevant, including supporting the analysis of transaction and financing structures.
- Strong financial modeling (Excel) and valuation skills, with a working knowledge of due diligence and transaction processes.
- Excellent analytical, written, and presentation skills, with the ability to produce executive-ready materials.
Professional Certifications: CFA (or progress towards), ACA/ACCA, CPA, or a recognized financial modeling/M&A certification is preferred.