Find & Apply For Corporate Development Analyst / Manager Jobs in Blacklick, Ohio

Job Overview Location:

Columbus, Ohio (On-site / Hybrid as required for travel)

Reports To:

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Company Overview The Yardmaster platform is a leading Midwest commercial landscaping platform backed by principles-based private equity firm Unity Partners. Formed in November 2025, the platform brings together Yardmaster, Big Lakes Lawncare, Good Guys Lawn and Landscape, and Kunco Landscape. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, we operate branch locations across Columbus, OH; Cleveland, OH; Erie, PA; Macomb, MI; and Ann Arbor, MI. The business is well-capitalized and positioned for aggressive expansion. Yardmaster currently has multiple acquisitions under LOI and plans to complete 4-6 acquisitions annually over the next 2-3 years. Our acquisition strategy focuses on the states in which we currently operate and adjacent Midwest markets. Position Summary Yardmaster is hiring a Director of Integration to lead the internal pre-close and post-close integration of every business we acquire. This is a rare opportunity to build a critical corporate function from scratch. Because we do not yet have a mature integration playbook, you will design it, execute it, and sharpen it across every subsequent deal until integration becomes a repeatable, compounding capability. The role begins immediately by designing detailed integration plans for the deals currently under LOI. This position spans the entire organization, working directly with the Yardmaster Senior Leadership Team to ensure we extract the full value underwritten in each acquisition. We are looking for a commercially minded operator with exceptional communication skills, rigorous program management discipline, and the relational range to build genuine rapport at every level of a lower-middle-market landscaping business—from the founder to the frontline crew. Scope and Interfaces (The Integration Boundary) Yardmaster strictly separates deal-making from integration:

Yardmaster M&A Lead Owns:

All pre-LOI deal activity, commercial terms through closing, and third-party workstreams (legal, QoE, HR/benefits, insurance, accounting, and tax).

Head of Integration Owns:

Everything from a signed LOI forward—including all internal pre-close and post-close workstreams through completed integration.

The Handoff:

You will engage at LOI signature, absorb diligence findings, and assume accountability for mobilizing functional leaders to design and execute the integration plan.

Note:

This role leads primarily through influence rather than direct authority . Functional leaders across Operations, Finance, HR, IT, and Sales own their respective workstreams; you will own the master plan, tracking cadence, risk register, and escalation path. Core Responsibilities 1. Pre-Close Planning (Post-LOI)

Integration Diligence:

Partner with the Head of M&A to build a deep operational understanding of the target business using pre-LOI diligence.

Integration Planning:

Formulate tailored integration plans (organizational structure, operating models, KPIs, technology migrations, back-office reporting, and Day 1 readiness) with named owners and explicit dependencies.

Program Design:

Stand up the PMO infrastructure for each deal (detailed timelines, 30/60/90-day checklists, risk registers, decision logs, and governance governance structures).

Value Capture:

Partner with the Senior Leadership Team to identify synergies and dis-synergies prior to close to ensure accurate post-close financial planning.

Seasonal Sequencing:

Strategically align integration timelines around the seasonal landscaping calendar to minimize disruption to live field operations. 2. Post-Close Execution & Functional Management You will run the cadence, hold functional owners to commitments, solve bottlenecks, and over-communicate progress across the following areas managed by our functional leaders: Operations (Aspire Migration): Track data readiness, crew/job structure setup, training, cutover sequencing, and go-live support for our Aspire ERP migration. Finance & Accounting (Acumatica Migration): Ensure timely Acumatica migration, chart of accounts alignment, banking transition (access, controls, signatories), and month-end close readiness to drive rapid, accurate post-acquisition reporting. People & Culture (Alliance Onboarding): Drive workforce transitions including Alliance HR onboarding, payroll/benefits cutovers, policy rollouts, and change management with a people-first mindset. IT & Data infrastructure: Hold teams accountable to infrastructure access, data definitions, and reporting cutovers so target metrics surface quickly in corporate dashboards.

Commercial & Marketing:

Track contract migrations, pricing strategy alignment, revenue synergies, customer communications, and brand transition sequencing to maximize customer retention.

Assets & Compliance:

Coordinate the physical integration of fleet, equipment, facilities, leases, DOT compliance, safety programs, and insurance consolidation.

Founder Transition:

Coordinate Transition Service Agreements (TSAs), founder retention terms, and the preservation of institutional knowledge. 3.

Governance, Reporting & Playbook Building Executive & Investor Reporting:

Deliver transparent progress reports, timelines, and integration metrics to the Yardmaster Senior Leadership Team and Unity Partners.

Metrics Tracking:

Define and monitor KPIs including timeline adherence, operational stability, key employee retention, customer impact, and financial plan health.

Escalation Management:

Provide total clarity on scope and resource trade-offs, escalating risks to the CFO and leadership team early. Build the

Institutional Playbook:

Synthesize learnings from platform formation and initial deals to build Yardmaster's standardized integration playbook (templates, checklists, governance standards) to scale seamlessly with deal volume.

Qualifications & Key Attributes Experience:

Proven track record in post-merger integration (PMI), corporate development, or program management—ideally within private equity-backed platforms, lower-middle-market businesses, or distributed field services (landscaping, HVAC, pest control, facility services, etc.).

Systems Familiarity:

Experience or exposure to industry-relevant platforms (such as Aspire for operations, Acumatica for finance, or Alliance for HR) is a significant plus.

Leadership Style:

Exceptional relationship builder who can communicate data-driven timelines to investors while building high-trust, collaborative relationships with blue-collar operators and transitioning founders.

Execution Focus:

Uncompromising organizational skills; a natural project manager who thrives on building systems from the ground up rather than running existing ones. Join us in shaping the future of integrated landscaping delivery! This role offers an exciting opportunity to influence organizational success while advancing your career in a vibrant, mission-driven environment dedicated to excellence in operational innovation.

Pay:

$150,000.00 - $175,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Employee assistance program Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person