Corp Dev Experience & Deal Flow

Your experience aligns with many corporate development roles, especially in mid-sized companies like the $5-10bn range. Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some key takeaways:

1. Deal Flow and Depth:

   • It's common for corp dev teams to handle a mix of large transactions and smaller deals like market entries or licenses.
   • For smaller deals, the level of diligence and depth of analysis may be lighter compared to private equity, as corp dev teams often juggle multiple opportunities simultaneously.
   • The scenario you described—reading a CIM in 1-2 hours and leading initial Q&A—is typical, especially in lean teams where resources are stretched.

2. Ownership and Responsibilities:

   • Having ownership of deals early on is a significant advantage of corp dev roles. It allows you to develop leadership skills and gain exposure to strategic decision-making.
   • However, the lack of analysts or junior support often means you’ll handle administrative tasks like saving documents and managing files. This is a common "humbling" aspect of corp dev roles, particularly in smaller or leaner teams.

3. Hours and Work-Life Balance:

   • Your hours (9am to 6-8pm) are relatively standard for corp dev, especially compared to investment banking or private equity. Many professionals in corp dev appreciate the better work-life balance, even if it comes with some trade-offs in terms of compensation or deal depth.

4. Comparison to Others' Experiences:

   • In some cases, corp dev teams may have more structured support (e.g., analysts or interns) or a more defined process for smaller deals. However, the lean structure you described is not unusual, especially in companies with high deal flow but limited headcount.
   • If you’re interested in improving efficiency, you might consider proposing tools or processes to streamline tasks like document management or deal tracking.

Overall, your experience seems to reflect a typical corp dev role in a mid-sized company, with a mix of strategic ownership, hands-on tasks, and a manageable work-life balance.

Sources: Corporate Development: My Experiences and Background, Entry Level Corp Dev Exit Opps, Exiting from Corporate Development, Corporate Development: My Experiences and Background, Q&A: Corporate Development at a Mid-Cap Pharma Company