Associate, Corporate Development at Harris Computer in Tennessee

Summary: Harris Computer is seeking a Corporate Development Associate to proactively research and engage potential acquisition targets for their M&A organization. The role involves market mapping, lead generation, relationship management, and transaction support to ensure a smooth acquisition process. Responsibilities: - Conduct detailed research on competitors, potential add-on offerings, new geographies, and adjacent markets - Segment assigned markets and continuously refresh target lists using public and proprietary sources - Research industry dynamics to identify acquisition/investment news, competitive tenders, leaderships changes, etc - Design and execute multi‑channel outreach campaigns (cold calling, email, LinkedIn, trade shows) to open conversations with founders and executives - Attend conferences and regional events to network and build our acquisition pipeline - Build trust with CEOs, entrepreneurs, advisors and intermediaries; act as the long‑term account manager for acquisition prospects in public safety market - Maintain regular communication to keep prospects engaged and ensure prospects progress through the deal sourcing pipeline - Evaluate opportunities against strategic and financial criteria, including company life‑cycle stage, product fit and ownership dynamics - Manage a disciplined pipeline in Salesforce or similar CRM; log outreach activities, track deal stages, forecast pipeline health and prepare reports for senior management - Organize management meetings, site visits and prospecting trips; coordinate due‑diligence requests and information flow - Work closely with the M&A team throughout the process to ensure a smooth hand‑off once opportunities progress Required Qualifications: - direct experience in M&A origination, business development, enterprise software sales or high‑ticket B2B sales - Experience in M&A/VC/PE, investment banking or management consulting is an asset - demonstrable success in cold outreach, lead generation and relationship management - Comfortable navigating conversations and building rapport at the C‑suite level - articulate communicator with excellent writing and presentation skills - capable of clearly conveying our investment philosophy and value proposition - ability to interpret financial statements and discuss basic valuation drivers is an asset - strong planning and prioritization - meticulous CRM hygiene - ability to manage multiple parallel opportunities - proactive, resourceful and able to work independently - high E.Q - comfortable using CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce), LinkedIn, email sequencing tools, Excel/PowerPoint and research platforms - willingness to travel domestically/internationally (~10–20%) for founder meetings and industry events Required Skills: M&A origination, Business development, Enterprise software sales, High-ticket B2B sales, Investment banking, Management consulting, Financial literacy, CRM systems, Salesforce, LinkedIn, Email sequencing tools, Excel, PowerPoint, Research platforms, Self-starter with integrity Benefits: Competitive base salary plus performance‑based bonus., Comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits., Robust training and development, including mentorship from experienced M&A professionals and exposure to the full deal lifecycle., Opportunity to grow within an acquisitive, growth oriented, decentralized organization.