Interview Experience: Senior Manager, Corporate Development & Strategy at Remitly

If you’re preparing for the Senior Manager, Corporate Development & Strategy role at Remitly, the interview process is designed to assess both your strategic thinking and your technical and interpersonal skills. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the process based on experiences shared by candidates who have gone through it.

Interview Process Overview

The Senior Manager, Corporate Development & Strategy role is a leadership position with a significant focus on strategic analysis, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate development. As such, the interview process includes a mix of behavioral, technical, and strategic questions to gauge your fit for the role.

1. Initial Screening (Phone Interview with Recruiter)

Duration: 30-45 minutes
Focus: The recruiter will ask about your background, experience, and interest in the position. They may also discuss the company’s mission and how you align with it.

Typical Questions:

• “Can you share your experience with corporate development and strategy?”
• “Why are you interested in Remitly and this role specifically?”
• “How do you align with our mission of helping immigrants through financial services?“

2. First Technical Interview (With Hiring Manager)

Duration: 1 hour
Focus: This is a deep dive into your experience in corporate strategy, M&A, and deal structuring. Expect to answer questions about your previous roles and your ability to handle complex deals.

Typical Questions:

• “Can you walk us through a deal you’ve led from sourcing to execution?”
• “How do you approach building business models and valuation analysis for potential acquisitions?”
• “How would you assess the strategic fit of a potential acquisition target?”

You might also be asked to solve a case study where you will need to analyze a potential acquisition, including identifying strategic objectives, performing financial modeling, and assessing risks and synergies.

3. Behavioral Interviews (With Senior Leaders)

Duration: 1 hour
Focus: These interviews are designed to assess your leadership skills, cultural fit, and ability to collaborate across teams. Expect to discuss how you manage cross-functional projects, deal with ambiguity, and lead teams through challenges.

Typical Questions:

• “Describe a time when you managed a cross-functional team to deliver a strategic project.”
• “How do you balance long-term strategic planning with short-term business needs?”
• “Can you provide an example of how you resolved a conflict among senior stakeholders?“

4. Final Round (Case Study Presentation)

Duration: 2 hours
Focus: For this round, candidates are typically given a case study to solve and present to a panel of senior leaders. The case will focus on a business strategy or M&A scenario. You will be expected to analyze market trends, identify strategic opportunities, build financial models, and present your findings in a structured manner.

Typical Tasks:

• Perform industry research and competitive analysis.
• Build and present a business case or financial model.
• Identify key risks and opportunities.
• Provide strategic recommendations for Remitly’s growth.

5. Final Interview with Executive Leadership

Duration: 1 hour
Focus: This is the final stage where you’ll meet with senior executives to assess your alignment with Remitly’s core values, vision, and long-term goals. You’ll discuss your leadership philosophy, how you handle pressure, and how you approach long-term strategic initiatives.

Typical Questions:

• “How do you handle setbacks or delays in executing high-stakes projects?”
• “What are the key metrics you focus on when evaluating an acquisition?”
• “What motivates you to work in corporate development within a fast-growing fintech company like Remitly?”

Skills and Qualifications Tested

As a Senior Manager in Corporate Development & Strategy, the following skills are critical for success and will be assessed during the interview:

• Corporate Strategy & Development: Ability to analyze and structure acquisitions, investments, and partnerships.
• Financial Modeling: Proficiency in building P&Ls, valuation models, and business cases for acquisitions and strategic investments.
• Negotiation & Deal Execution: Experience in managing the negotiation process for acquisitions and investments, including cross-functional coordination.
• Market & Competitive Analysis: Expertise in conducting primary and secondary research to identify strategic opportunities and threats.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Ability to lead and collaborate with teams across product, legal, finance, and operations.
• Communication: Strong verbal, written, and presentation skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex strategic ideas to senior leadership.

Behavioral and Situational Examples

You’ll be asked to provide real-world examples from your past experience. Here are a few examples of how to structure your answers:

Managing a Cross-Functional Team:

Example Question: “Can you provide an example of how you led a cross-functional team to execute a complex strategic project?”
Response:
“In my previous role, I led a cross-functional team to evaluate and execute an acquisition. We worked closely with product, legal, and finance teams to ensure that all operational, financial, and strategic aspects were covered. My role was to align the team’s efforts with the strategic objectives, facilitate communication, and drive the project forward to completion. Despite some initial resistance from product teams, we managed to successfully complete the deal within the planned timeline, which significantly expanded our market presence.”

Decision-Making Under Uncertainty:

Example Question: “How do you make decisions when there is incomplete or uncertain data?”
Response:
“I rely on a combination of qualitative insights and quantitative analysis. For example, during a deal evaluation, when the data was insufficient, I supplemented it with expert interviews and market research. I also built different scenarios in the financial model to account for uncertainties. I then presented these scenarios to the leadership team, highlighting the risks and opportunities in each case. This approach allowed us to make an informed decision while managing uncertainty effectively.”

Dealing with Conflicting Stakeholder Interests:

Example Question: “How do you handle situations where stakeholders have conflicting interests?”
Response:
“In one instance, we had internal stakeholders advocating for two different acquisition targets. One team wanted to pursue a target with a higher upfront cost but long-term strategic alignment, while another preferred a lower-cost option with immediate returns. I facilitated discussions between the teams to ensure we considered both the long-term vision and immediate business needs. By conducting a thorough financial and strategic analysis, we arrived at a consensus to pursue the higher-cost target, which ultimately aligned better with our long-term goals and generated significant returns.”

Final Preparation Tips

• Research Remitly’s Business Model and Growth Strategy: Understand Remitly’s mission to provide financial services to underserved populations, especially immigrants, and their focus on global expansion.
• Review M&A Best Practices: Refresh your knowledge of corporate development, M&A strategies, and deal structures. Be prepared to discuss case studies and complex financial models.
• Prepare for Case Studies: Practice solving case studies related to market entry, acquisitions, and strategic investments.
• Leadership and Cultural Fit: Be ready to discuss your leadership style and how you ensure alignment with company values.