Acquisition Strategy Analyst - Dave Cantin Group

The Dave Cantin Group (DCG) is a leading retail automotive M&A advisory company specializing in acquisitions, divestitures, intelligence, and other advisory services related to the industry. The company is the M&A services provider of choice for North America’s top automotive dealership groups, advising on approximately 40 transactions annually. We are differentiated by our advisory approach, long term lens on client relationships and commitment to market intelligence tools that inform DCG and client strategies.  In 2023 DCG became the only retail automotive M&A company with a significant strategic investor, welcoming Kaltroco to the DCG family.

Through our M&A intelligence division, DCG produces automotive content and delivers relevant, timely marketing intelligence, including the automotive industry Market Outlook Report (MOR). DCG also produces Inside M&A in partnership with CBT News, a studio show and podcast created to share stories, news and trends impacting the retail automotive industry.

DCG’s industry leadership is most evidenced by Jump IQ, a data driven artificial intelligence platform that processes hundreds of million available data points to create dynamic, real-time profiles of all 18,000+ franchise auto dealerships in the United States without requiring financial input from dealership owners. The AI-powered software uses that data to accurately establish financial information, performance information and an overall valuation for each franchise dealership.

The company’s nonprofit initiative, DCG Giving, funds child and adolescent cancer research and treatment in communities nationwide and other worthy charitable initiatives. DCG team members regularly feature on the industry speaking circuit and are regularly cited by top national and global news outlets. For more information, please visit davecantingroup.com.

Dave Cantin Group is seeking an experienced and motivated M&A Strategic Acquisition Analyst to join our deal team. You will work in a highly collaborative team of automotive industry experts and work alongside the Central Support Team, Managing Directors, and the Executive Leadership Team (ELT). This role will have a wide variety of responsibilities supporting our deals going to market, maintaining critical intelligence about the dealer universe and supporting the team to ensure best practices for deal related “buyer preparation” are known and implemented.

Position: Acquisition Strategy Analyst

Location: Remote

Reports To: Chief of Staff, Brian Traugott

Employment Status: Full Time, Exempt, No Overtime

Travel: Required as Needed 

Primary Responsibilities:

Prepare Target Buyer Consideration Set for DCG Listings

DCG maintains a sophisticated CRM (Salesforce platform) and uses a variety of tools and data to develop target buyers for each DCG deal it brings to market.  The analyst would work closely with business analysts to understand deal parameters and work to develop focused target lists of potential buyers for the deal team. The analyst would leverage the CRM, tools and resources to develop the lists and work collaboratively with the deal team throughout the process. 

Maintain and Advance Buyer Intelligence

DCG’s CRM Director is responsible for working with the team to maintain and constantly update the CRM.  The analyst would be responsible for advancing our knowledge of buyer habits and activity to better inform future target buyer preparation.  The analyst would have a variety of tools and processes available including but not limited to sources (pitchbook, automotive news, social media) and processes (deal post-mortem process where deal leads query dealers’ deal criteria throughout). 

Support and Train Staff on Salesforce Best Practices (related to target buyers)

Train staff on their own utilization of systems and sources to enhance their own target buyer preparation within or outside of a specific deal process.

Collaborate with Others to Advance DCG’s CRM

Proactively and consistently work with the CRM director and others to identify and implement ways to improve the gather data, organize information and improve the overall CRM system.

Basic Qualifications:

• Results-driven, entrepreneurial mindset.

• A self-starter with the ability to perform at a high level in a remote environment.

• A desire for accelerated professional development accomplished through hard work to contribute to the growth of self and DCG.

• Outstanding collaborator, exceptional written and verbal communication

• Strong research and analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and generate meaningful insights.

• Expert in Excel, PowerPoint, and Word, or working proficiency with the desire and ability to master these tools quickly.

• B.A. or B.S. in Finance, Accounting, Business, or a related field with demonstrated academic excellence.

• Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.

• Detail-oriented and meticulous in maintaining accurate records and documentation.

• Must have a professional demeanor and be able to interact effectively with senior management.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience in M&A be it advisory or internal, or Private equity and involvement with corporate or business development, and market research 

• Interest and/or work experience in the automotive industry.

• Experience with Salesforce, Pitchbook, Excel, and other software products utilized in business operations.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Annual Base Salary - $100,000 - $120,000

• Bonus Potential – 30% of salary  

• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental and 401K

Dave Cantin Group is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against otherwise qualified applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.