Separation Management Office Lead

Role: Separation Management Office Lead

Level: Senior Manager

Location: London (with travel as required)

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly experienced Separation Management Office (SMO) Lead to join our newly established Transformation Office within the Strategy & Consulting division. This individual sits at the intersection of M&A and Enterprise Transformation, driving successful separations across some of the largest global transactions.

The SMO Lead will possess a deep understanding of the full M&A lifecycle and will engage directly with C‑suite and Board-level stakeholders on both buy‑side and sell‑side mandates. They will bring hands‑on experience across diligence, separation planning, TSA drafting and negotiation, Day 1 and Day 100 readiness, and full SMO delivery leadership. Platform experience in SAP, Oracle and/or Workday is desirable.

Key Responsibilities

• Separation Management Office Leadership
• Lead the SMO on large‑scale transactions, providing end‑to‑end programme governance across all separation workstreams
• Own integrated planning, critical path management, and interdependency tracking across Technology, Data, Finance, HR, Legal, and Commercial workstreams
• Define and manage programme tooling and establish reporting cadences for senior stakeholders
• Own the RAID log, escalation protocols, and risk management framework throughout the separation lifecycle
• Lead Value Management and Definition activities, including benefits realisation tracking and value leakage prevention
• Deal Lead (Small to Mid‑Size Transactions)
• Carry end‑to‑end accountability for the successful separation of a divesting entity, from signing through to TSA exit
• Act as the primary client relationship owner, maintaining senior‑level trust across both RemainCo and NewCo leadership
• Day 1 & Day 100 Readiness
• Lead cutover planning, go/no‑go governance, and Day 1 readiness tracking across all workstreams
• Define and execute the post‑close stabilisation plan through to steady‑state operations
• Manage hyper‑care period governance and issue resolution to ensure continuity of business operations
• Separation Strategy & Budget
• Work with senior leaders on both buy and sell side to develop and cost separation approach options, including assessment of technical architecture alternatives
• Identify and quantify stranded costs for RemainCo; develop and track the stranded cost elimination plan
• Support the development of auditable carve‑out P&Ls and standalone cost models for diligence and separation budgeting purposes
• Separation Planning
• Develop the integrated separation plan across all aspects of the deal, with particular specialism in: Technology: application landscape separation, infrastructure decommission, network and identity management; Data: data boundary definition, data migration planning and execution, data cleansing and quality; Business Readiness: operational cut‑over, change management, and employee communications
• TSA Drafting & Negotiation
• Lead the development of Technology and Data Transition Service Agreements (TSAs)
• Provide knowledgeable advice on negotiation approach, cost modelling, and exit planning for TSA workstreams
• Manage TSA governance post‑close, tracking delivery obligations and exit milestones
• Practice Development & Business Development
• Contribute to the development of the M&A practice through creation of offerings, playbooks, tools, and accelerators
• Support origination and proposal development, including responding to RFPs and shaping new opportunities
• Build and maintain senior client relationships, acting as a trusted advisor beyond the immediate transaction
• Mentor and develop junior team members, contributing to a high‑performance separation delivery community
• Diligence (Preferred)
• Lead commercial and/or technical diligence to support clients in the assessment of a target asset
• Provide rapid assessment of separation complexity, TSA requirements, and standalone cost estimates to inform deal valuation

Stakeholder Landscape

The SMO Lead will operate across a complex stakeholder ecosystem, engaging regularly with:

• C‑suite and Board: CDIO, CFO, CEO, on both RemainCo and NewCo sides
• PE Sponsors: reporting into deal teams, supporting sponsor‑level decision‑making
• Third‑Party Vendors & System Integrators: managing delivery obligations during separation
• Functional Workstream Leads: Technology, Finance, HR, Legal, Procurement, Commercial

Experience & Skills

• Significant experience leading separation programmes as an SMO or IMO Lead on large‑scale M&A transactions
• Demonstrable experience across the full deal lifecycle: diligence, separation planning, TSA management, Day 1 readiness, and post‑close stabilisation
• Deep expertise in technology and data separation, including network, application, and identity workstreams
• Track record of managing stranded costs, carve‑out financials, and standalone cost modelling
• Strong executive presence with the ability to advise and influence C‑suite stakeholders
• Experience on both buy‑side and sell‑side mandates across corporate and PE‑backed transactions

Highly Desirable

• Platform experience in one or more of: SAP S/4HANA, SAP ECC, Oracle ERP, Workday
• Experience across deal types including spin‑offs, JV dissolutions, partial divestments, and IPO carve‑out readiness
• Exposure to cyber and network separation
• Experience working with PE sponsors (e.g. Blackstone, KKR, HG Capital) or investment banks in a deal advisory capacity
• Experience leading NewCo establishment activities, including legal entity design and contract novation

Deal Types & Contexts

• Corporate divestitures and carve‑outs
• Private equity‑backed separations and portfolio company transformation
• Spin‑offs and demergers
• Joint venture dissolutions
• Partial divestments and asset sales
• Dual‑track processes (IPO / trade sale)
• IPO carve‑out readiness

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