Kick‑start your career in mergers & acquisitions.
The M&A Junior Analyst is an entry‑level, high‑exposure opportunity to join Savant’s growing M&A team and learn how real deals are sourced, evaluated, and executed. This role sits at the intersection of business development, financial analysis, and relationship‑building, making it ideal for someone who’s energized by conversations, motivated by learning, and excited about long‑term growth in corporate development.
You’ll support Savant’s deal origination engine—researching prospective partner firms, engaging founders and decision‑makers, managing pipeline activity, and assisting with early‑stage financial analysis. Designed as a feeder role into our M&A Analyst position, this is a hands‑on entry point for building a long‑term career in M&A within an active, relationship‑driven industry.
The M&A Junior Analyst can expect to focus in the following areas:
Business Development & Deal Origination (Primary Focus)
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Identify and research prospective partner firms aligned with Savant’s strategic objectives
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Execute targeted outreach campaigns, engaging firm founders and leaders in thoughtful, professional conversations across email, phone, and other channels
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Craft, test, and refine outreach messaging, call scripts, and follow-up sequences to clearly articulate Savant’s value proposition and partnership model to prospective firms
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Qualify inbound and outbound leads and schedule introductory meetings for senior team members
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Maintain consistent follow-up cadence and re-engage dormant or stalled prospects
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Develop resilience navigating rejection and iterating approach based on feedback and results
Pipeline & Relationship Management
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Maintain accurate and timely records in HubSpot and DealRoom to support effective pipeline management
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Track outreach activity, responses and engagement status across prospective firms
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Ensure follow-ups, reminders, and handoffs are executed consistently
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Provide clear pipeline updates and summaries to internal stakeholders
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Support smooth transitions as prospects move from initial sourcing into active deal evaluation
Financial & Analytical Support
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Gather and organize key financial and qualitative information during early-stage evaluation
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Review financial statements and operating metrics to understand prospective firm performance
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Identify and flag missing data, inconsistencies, and follow-up questions for the senior deals team
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Summarize financial and qualitative information in clear, concise formats
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Support early-stage valuation work by organizing inputs and assumptions within Savant’s templates
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Develop an understanding of how financial data informs M&A decision-making
Coordination, Process Improvement & Technology
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Coordinate with internal deal, diligence, integration, and optimization teams as opportunities progress
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Help improve outreach, intake, and CRM workflows to increase efficiency and consistency
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Experiment with new tools, automation, and AI-assisted workflows to streamline sourcing and evaluation efforts
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Create and maintain templates, checklists, and documentation to support repeatable processes
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Contribute ideas to improve how Savant sources, tracks, and evaluates opportunities
A couple things to note about the role:
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Location: Rockford, IL (HQ) or Lincolnshire, IL
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Work Model: Hybrid. Expect ~3 days per week onsite initially (range of 2–5 days based on preference), with increased flexibility over time.
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Schedule: Typically 8:00am–5:00pm business hours, with occasional evenings during busy deal periods.
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Travel: Limited—primarily local visits, with a few short trips per year.
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Growth Path: Designed to develop into a full M&A Analyst role in ~3 years (performance dependent).
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Why This Role Stands Out: Exposure to both financial modeling and founder‑level conversations, mentorship from a coaching‑oriented team, and long‑term upside within an employee‑owned firm.