Corporate Development Originator-Upstream

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Date: Feb 19, 2026

Location: Spring, TX, US, 77389

Company: Expand Energy

Our core values — Stewardship, Character, Collaborate, Learn, Disrupt — are the lens through which we evaluate every business decision. As a dynamic, growing company that offers extremely competitive compensation and benefits, our employees are our most valued assets and the foundation of Expand's performance among our E&P competitors.

We seek applicants from all backgrounds to ensure we get the best, most creative talent on our team. We realize that, historically, underrepresented groups feel the need to be 100% qualified in order to apply. If you meet any combination of our requirements, we encourage you to apply. We strive to hire people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it makes our company stronger.

 

Job Summary

The Corporate Development Originator is responsible for identifying, sourcing, and driving strategic investment opportunities that support the company’s long-term growth objectives. This role focuses on building and maintaining deal pipelines, cultivating relationships with external partners, and evaluating new markets and emerging trends. The ideal candidate combines strategic vision, strong commercial instincts, and a deep understanding of M&A dynamics. They work closely with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to originate deals, assess strategic fit, and streamline the transaction process from initial outreach through deal execution.

Job Duties & Responsibilities

  • Proactively identify, source, and originate strategic opportunities, including acquisitions, partnerships, joint ventures, minority investments, and emerging market plays
  • Build and maintain a robust deal pipeline through industry networking, conferences, market monitoring, bank relationships, and direct outreach
  • Develop a strong understanding of the competitive landscape to pinpoint high‑value targets aligned with corporate strategy
  • Conduct preliminary strategic and financial assessments of opportunities before handing them off for detailed modeling and due diligence
  • Collaborate with the Corporate Development Modelers, Strategy, and Finance teams to evaluate opportunity fit and prioritize the pipeline
  • Facilitate early‑stage discussions, including NDAs, target qualification, and initial valuation conversation
  • Cultivate and maintain relationships with investment banks, private equity firms, advisors, founders, and industry executives to stay informed on market activity
  • Partner with cross-functional stakeholders—Operations, Legal, Finance, HR, Engineering—to frame the strategic rationale of each opportunity
  • Track and communicate market trends, competitive shifts, and strategic threats/opportunities to senior leadership
  • Prepare and deliver high‑impact presentations for executive leadership and the Board regarding target companies, market analyses, and deal pipeline updates
  • Support negotiation strategy and transaction structuring in collaboration with deal execution teams

Job Specific Skills

  • Demonstrated ability to source and originate transactions, not just evaluate them
  • Strong understanding of M&A processes, deal structures, valuation fundamentals, and strategic portfolio development
  • Exceptional relationship‑building and networking skills with an established professional network
  • Strong commercial instincts with the ability to identify high‑potential opportunities early
  • Excellent communication and executive‑level presentation skills
  • Ability to work independently, manage multiple opportunities simultaneously, and thrive in a fast‑moving, ambiguous environment

Education

Minimum: High school diploma or GED

Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, or related field; MBA strongly preferred

Experience

Minimum: 10+ years related work experience in corporate development, investment banking, private equity, venture capital, consulting, or business development —preferably within the energy sector

 

Expand Energy takes necessary action to ensure that all applicants are treated without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, disability, pregnancy, military or veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established by law.

 

Expand Energy Corporation's operations are focused on discovering and developing its large and geographically diverse resource base of unconventional oil and natural gas assets onshore in the United States.

 


Nearest Major Market: Houston
Job Segment: Pipeline, Private Equity, Venture Capital, Investment Banking, Equity, Energy, Finance