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Senior Manager, M&A - Westlake Ventures
full-timeHouston

Summary

Location

Houston

Type

full-time

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About this role

Westlake offers you the potential to enrich your work life and career experience in an entrepreneurial environment. We work together to enhance peoples' lives through our products and presence in the communities in which we operate.​

Founded in 1986, Westlake Corporation (NYSE: WLK) is a Fortune 500 global diversified industrial company that manufactures and supplies essential products that enhance the daily lives of people around the globe. Our products are used in housing and infrastructure, packaging and healthcare, and automotive and consumer goods.

Westlake Innovations, Inc., one of our subsidiaries, facilitates the company’s investments in new technologies and pursues innovative solutions in water, healthcare, recycling, and new materials.   

We have an exciting opportunity as we are looking for a Senior Manager- Westlake Ventures to join our Strategy & Corporate Development team.

SUMMARY

The Senior Manager, Westlake Ventures, serves as a key architect and driver of corporate and new venture development, focusing on high-potential business areas beyond Westlake’s current portfolio and traditional adjacencies. This strategic leadership role shapes the direction of Westlake’s New Venture Strategy and Merger & Acquisition (M&A) activities, overseeing the entire lifecycle of complex projects—including technical, commercial, financial, and operational dimensions. The Senior Manager delivers robust project reviews, financial modeling and valuation, and comprehensive due diligence, while also conducting special studies to support the Strategy and Corporate Development team.

This position leads Westlake’s business development efforts in fast-growth, innovation-driven sectors such as water, healthcare, electrification, and other emerging megatrends.              

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES May include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Strategic Opportunity and Innovation Scouting: Proactively scan markets to identify, evaluate, and pursue high-impact opportunities for investment, M&A, or commercial partnerships. Develop compelling business theses and negotiate deals to successful closure.
  • M&A and Direction Investment/Venture Investment Analysis and Execution: Lead and support due diligence, site visits, and estimation of one-time and growth project costs. Build robust financial models for valuation and growth projections.
  • Project Leadership: Advance projects through key milestones, ensuring they are fully vetted and supported by rigorous background analysis to enable confident decision-making.
  • Venture Pipeline and Portfolio Management:  Set the strategic direction for new ventures, scope and ideate pipeline projects, and guide the development of new business strategies aligned with Westlake’s corporate goals. Manage multiple initiatives from concept to implementation.
  • Stakeholder Engagement: Build and nurture relationships with startups, venture firms, and external partners to strengthen Westlake’s innovative ecosystem.
  • Additional Responsibilities: Provide analytical support for surveys, benchmarking, banking, legal actions, and other corporate needs

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor’s degree in technical degree (engineering, science), business, or accounting.  MBA preferred.
  • Typically requires 8-10 years of work experience in Corporate Development, Venture Capital, Private Equity, or Investment Banking, with transaction and negotiations experience.
  • Strongly prefer candidate has prior working experience in an industrial, manufacturing, or technology company and/or the investment sector.  Business and technical application knowledge required.
  • Strong M&A, project management, or market and product development experience, fluency with structuring, investment analysis, and finance terms
  • Candidate should have a working knowledge of medium to large company dynamics and be able to drive results well with others that do not directly report to them.
  • Skill set should include ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams in support of business development, and related due diligence activities as required by projects being developed.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; stand; walk; use hands to touch, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.  The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, or crouch.  The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to ten pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Occasional business travel may be required.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, as normally based in the office. Some of the work may be required in the operating units which can require usage of required PPE including safety glasses, hearing protection, etc. May also result in exposure to outside elements and may require usage of stairs and elevators. Travel including air travel or auto travel may occasionally be required.

Westlake is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristics protected by applicable legislation.

If you are an active Westlake employee (or an employee of any Westlake affiliates), please do not apply here. You will apply via the Jobs Hub application in Workday.

Other facts

Tech stack
M&A,Project Management,Financial Modeling,Valuation,Due Diligence,Business Development,Stakeholder Engagement,Market Analysis,Investment Analysis,Negotiation,Strategic Planning,Innovation Scouting,Team Leadership,Technical Knowledge,Commercial Partnerships,Portfolio Management

About Westlake

Westlake (NYSE: WLK) is a global manufacturer and supplier of materials and innovative products that enhance life every day. We provide the building blocks for vital solutions — from packaging and healthcare products to automotive and consumer goods to building and construction products.

Employing approximately 16,000 people, Westlake operates in North America, Europe and Asia.

Team size: 10,001+ employees
LinkedIn: Visit
Industry: Chemical Manufacturing
Founding Year: 1986

What you'll do

  • The Senior Manager, Westlake Ventures, is responsible for leading corporate and new venture development, focusing on high-potential business areas. This role includes overseeing M&A activities and managing the entire lifecycle of complex projects.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does a Senior Manager, M&A - Westlake Ventures do at Westlake?

As a Senior Manager, M&A - Westlake Ventures at Westlake, you will: the Senior Manager, Westlake Ventures, is responsible for leading corporate and new venture development, focusing on high-potential business areas. This role includes overseeing M&A activities and managing the entire lifecycle of complex projects..

Why join Westlake as a Senior Manager, M&A - Westlake Ventures?

Westlake is a leading Chemical Manufacturing company.

Is the Senior Manager, M&A - Westlake Ventures position at Westlake remote?

The Senior Manager, M&A - Westlake Ventures position at Westlake is based in Houston, Texas, United States. Contact the company through Clera for specific work arrangement details.

How do I apply for the Senior Manager, M&A - Westlake Ventures position at Westlake?

You can apply for the Senior Manager, M&A - Westlake Ventures position at Westlake directly through Clera. Click the "Apply Now" button above to start your application. Clera's AI-powered platform will help match your profile with this opportunity and guide you through the application process. You can also learn more about Westlake on their website.