M&A Associate at LiveWell Partners in Clayton, MO

Location/HQ: St. Louis, Missouri

The M&A Associate will be a hands-on contributor to the Acquisitions team, supporting acquisition and integration processes from initial valuation through post-close integration. The Associate will build and maintain valuation models, prepare diligence analyses and schedules, and produce the underlying work product that informs deal decisions. The role works closely with the Business Development, Operations, Marketing, Accounting, People & Culture, and IT teams, as well as external consultants and service providers, in the acquisition and integration of home health and hospice agencies.

This role is built for a self-starter with innate curiosity. We are looking for someone who notices when a number does not make sense and digs until they understand why — someone who asks the question rather than waiting to be told, chases down the answer rather than escalating it, and who, when they hit the edge of what they know, recognizes the gap and goes and fills it. Deal work is rarely tidy, and the analyst who thrives here will be comfortable operating with incomplete information, forming a point of view, and bringing it forward. Ownership and intellectual honesty matter more here than years of experience.

Specific Responsibilities

• Support the full acquisition and integration process, preparing analyses, schedules, and materials that support the efforts of business development, operations, marketing, finance, and external advisors to successfully close and integrate target agencies.

• Build and maintain valuation models for targets using historical and forecasted financial information, synthesizing inputs from the LiveWell Partners leadership team and other relevant sources.

• Take ownership of assigned workstreams end to end — including tracking open items, following up directly with counterparties and advisors, and driving questions to resolution.

• Help identify and quantify synergy opportunities for prospective targets.

• Support the development of anticipated post-close revenue and EBITDA targets based on diligence findings.

• Support the Acquisitions team in the due diligence process by:

◦ Organizing, reviewing, and reconciling diligence materials provided by the target, and confirming support is adequate for accounting records.

◦ Identifying unusual items and anomalies that should be reviewed as part of the quality of earnings report — and investigating them independently before flagging.

◦ Participating in calls with external consultants on quality of earnings and helping communicate impacts and findings to stakeholders.

◦ Helping enhance the Acquisitions and Integrations Playbook to standardize and streamline the process, proactively surfacing improvements observed during live deals.

• Execute assigned steps of the Acquisitions Playbook, including:

◦ Supporting the Finance & Accounting team in establishing opening balance sheets with fair value measurements, including preparing purchase price allocation schedules and identifying tangible and intangible assets.

◦ Assisting the Accounting team in determining stub period financial statements where a mid-month close applies.

• Assist with post-close performance verification to ensure the team is achieving pro forma expectations, and investigate variances to root cause.

• Support audit and tax data requests as necessary.

• Build fluency in home health and hospice reimbursement, regulatory, and operating dynamics as they arise in live deals.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field required; CFA or CPA or progress toward a plus

• 1–3 years of experience in transaction advisory, investment banking, accounting, finance, or commercial banking; exposure to mergers and acquisitions or healthcare services preferred but not required

• Demonstrated self-direction — a track record of identifying problems and pursuing answers without being asked, and of teaching yourself what a project required

• Genuine intellectual curiosity and a willingness to keep asking "why" until the answer holds up

• Honest self-assessment and a bias toward closing your own skill gaps: seeking out resources, asking for feedback, and getting up to speed quickly on unfamiliar subject matter

• Highly skilled in Excel; familiarity with QuickBooks or other middle-market ERP packages preferred

• Excellent communication (written and verbal) skills, including the ability to raise questions and flag issues clearly and early

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams across concurrent deals

• High integrity and excellent work habits, including a willingness to work the hours necessary to complete a task or project, especially when important deadlines cause greater than normal pressure