Head of Corp Dev at Updater - Remote USA Role — Columbus
Traveler-Friendly Insight
This VP/Head of Corporate Development role at Updater is described as remote-first with a distributed team across multiple time zones, which is a genuine green flag for location-independent professionals. The requirement for experience working with remote-first teams signals an async-compatible culture — not a reluctant remote arrangement.
However, this role comes with important caveats for digital nomads:
- High-touch stakeholder work: Representing Updater at conferences, panels, and industry events — and maintaining senior relationships with PE/VC firms — implies frequent travel and some US-based presence expectations, even if the day-to-day is remote.
- Executive-level collaboration: Regular coordination with the CEO and CFO likely requires synchronous availability during US business hours (ET/PT overlap), limiting true timezone flexibility.
- Visa considerations: The role is US-based. Non-US nomads would need to confirm work authorization requirements. US citizens abroad could theoretically work remotely, but deal-making activities and board interactions suggest periodic US presence.
At $250,000–$280,000/year, the purchasing power in popular nomad hubs is exceptional: roughly 8–10x the cost of a comfortable lifestyle in Lisbon or Medellín, and 6–8x in Bangkok. Stock options add further upside. No explicit coworking or travel stipend is mentioned, but the wellbeing subsidy could partially offset remote work expenses.
Bottom line: Viable for US-based remote workers who can travel for deal-making; less suitable for full-time location-independent nomads in non-US timezones.
Updater is seeking an ambitious, strategic, and results-driven leader to spearhead our corporate development and growth agenda. In this role, you will source and evaluate opportunities that fuel Updater's next stage of growth — including acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and initiatives that expand or enhance existing business lines. You will own the assessment of the market and competitive landscape across priority verticals, serving as a trusted advisor to the executive team. From identifying opportunities through executing and integrating transformative deals, you will ensure Updater capitalizes on the right partnerships and acquisitions that accelerate our strategic vision.
This is a unique opportunity to join a rapidly expanding business and to play a major role in shaping Updater's future as a category-leading B2B2C platform with:
- A massive TAM across partner, service, and consumer verticals
- Strategic whitespace in high-growth sectors with fragmented competitive landscapes
- Rich data and integration opportunities through our enterprise partnerships
- An executive team aligned on acquisitive growth as a top strategic lever
- Own the long-term corporate development strategy in close partnership with the CEO, CFO, and senior leadership
- Develop a deep understanding of the competitive landscape and emerging business models across our priority verticals, advising the executive team on market opportunities and whitespace plays
- Proactively source, evaluate, and prioritize acquisition and partnership opportunities in priority verticals, leveraging deep industry knowledge and networks
- Build and maintain a robust pipeline of targets, balancing strategic fit, financial return, and integration potential
- Partner with the CEO, CFO, and executive team to align targets with strategic growth initiatives
- Lead all stages of the deal process — from initial outreach and valuation through diligence, negotiation, and closing
- Partner with cross-functional teams (Finance, Legal, Product, GTM) to assess deal synergies, risks, and integration requirements
- Develop and present investment cases and recommendations to the executive team
- Continuously monitor market trends, competitive dynamics, and emerging business models in target sectors
- Identify adjacency plays and "build vs. buy" opportunities that can strengthen Updater's competitive position
- Advise GTM teams on strategic business development opportunities
- Build and maintain senior-level relationships across investment banks, private equity, venture capital, and industry operators to enhance deal flow
- Represent Updater as a thought leader in key sectors at conferences, panels, and industry events
- Oversee M&A integration planning and execution for acquired companies to ensure seamless onboarding, value capture, and cultural alignment
- Partner with functional leaders to establish post-close KPIs and monitor acquisition performance against deal theses
- Partner with the Strategic Finance team to model acquisition opportunities, including detailed three-statement financial models, revenue and cost synergies, and working capital requirements
- 7+ years of experience in corporate development, M&A, investment banking, private equity, or venture capital
- Strong understanding of Generative AI and Agentic Commerce
- Proven track record of sourcing, structuring, and closing acquisitions in relevant industries
- Deep network of relationships across private equity, venture capital, and corporate dealmakers
- Strong financial acumen, with the ability to build and evaluate complex valuation models and ROI analyses
- Experience leading due diligence, negotiation, and integration in both buy-side and sell-side contexts
- Exceptional strategic thinking with the ability to translate business goals into actionable deal strategies
- Business development experience preferred
- Strong communication and influencing skills; able to articulate deal rationale and value creation opportunities to executives, boards, and external stakeholders
- Empathetic, pragmatic, and collaborative leadership style
- Experience working with a remote-first team distributed across multiple time zones
The new hire salary range for this position is $250,000–$280,000 annually. Factors which may affect the starting pay within this range include skills, experience, and other qualifications aligned with Updater's internal leveling guidelines.
About UpdaterUpdater is a leading technology platform helping major brands acquire and retain customers at scale. We are on a mission to power millions of complex transactions through intelligent, autonomous systems. By combining deep integrations, real-world data, and purpose-built AI agents, we're transforming fragmented purchasing workflows into seamless, automated experiences — freeing businesses and consumers from operational friction and enabling a new standard of speed, accuracy, and scale.
Updater has raised over $450 million from leading investors, including SoftBank Capital, Vista Credit Partners, IA Ventures, Commerce Ventures, Second Century Ventures (the strategic investment arm of the National Association of Realtors®), and more. For more information, please visit www.updater.com.
Updater is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants regardless of color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital or family status, disability, gender identity or expression, veteran status, actual or presumed belonging to an ethnic group, or any other legally protected status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.
Benefits: The Company offers the following benefits for full-time positions, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- Flexible PTO
- 13 paid company holidays annually
- Updater Stock Options
- 401(k) with employer match
- Wellbeing Subsidy
- One Medical membership
- Virtual on-demand healthcare through Teladoc and Talkspace
- Flexible spending account (FSA)
- Health savings account (HSA)
- Supplemental Short & Long Term Disability Insurance
- Supplemental Life Insurance
- Paid Parental Leave
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