Senior Manager/ Director, M&A

  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51427

Senior Manager / Director, M&A 
A rapidly expanding, multi-billion-dollar public company is seeking a Senior Manager/Director of M&A to lead post-acquisition integration efforts across its growing portfolio. This newly created role offers high visibility, direct collaboration with the C-Suite, and the opportunity to shape the organization’s long-term M&A strategy. You’ll partner closely with Corporate Development and Accounting leadership to ensure seamless integration, strong financial controls, and alignment with enterprise objectives.

If this is something you’d be interested in learning more about, please apply today!


Why Join:

Play a key leadership role in the integration of newly acquired businesses across a rapidly growing organization.

Work directly with the C-Suite, Corporate Controller, and Corporate Development teams on high-impact M&A initiatives.

Join a company with strong financial performance, continuous acquisitive activity, and long-term growth opportunities.

Competitive compensation package including base salary, performance bonus, comprehensive benefits, and hybrid schedule.


The ideal candidate has…

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.

Significant experience in post-acquisition integration, ideally within a large, complex corporate environment.

Strong project management capabilities and the ability to operate in a fast-paced, evolving setting.

Executive presence with the confidence to partner directly with senior leadership.

High initiative, strong communication skills, and a track record of driving results.

Controller

  • Location: Joliet, Illinois
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51426

Controller Opportunity – Manufacturing Industry

A growing, publicly traded manufacturing organization is seeking a Controller to lead financial operations for one of its largest business units. This role offers high visibility, strategic involvement with leadership, and the opportunity to drive financial performance across a dynamic and expanding business. The Controller will oversee all aspects of the finance and accounting functions, providing insights that directly impact operational decision-making, profitability, and strategic growth.

If this is something you would be interested in learning more about, please apply today! 

Why Join:
Play a pivotal role in the financial leadership of a growing, high-impact business unit.
Collaborate directly with senior executives and influence key business decisions.
Opportunities for long-term career growth within a stable, growing company.
Competitive compensation package including base salary, performance bonus, and comprehensive benefits.

The ideal candidate for this role has… 
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance.
9+ years of accounting experience, including 5+ years in manufacturing.
Strong leadership, communication, and analytical skills.

Vice President of People & Culture

  • Location: Edina , Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51408

SkyWater Executive Leadership is proud to partner once again with Portico Benefit Services on a search for their Vice President of People & Culture. Over the past few years, SkyWater has partnered with the Board of Directors and has helped Portico build out key members of their senior leadership team, including most of the C-suite (CEO, COO, CIO, etc.). The result has been a period of strong cultural alignment, refreshed leadership, and meaningful organizational momentum.

The newly created role of Vice President of People & Culture provides strategic and operational leadership for all aspects of Portico’s people and culture function. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer and serving as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, this role ensures that Portico is positioned to attract, develop, and retain exceptional talent while cultivating a mission-driven, high-performance culture that reflects the organization’s faith-based values and commitment to service.

Leading a team of 10, this leader will modernize HR operations, strengthen core programs, and champion an integrated people strategy aligned with Portico’s Five Diamond Strategy and Service Model 2.0. Areas of responsibility include talent acquisition and retention, leadership and workforce development, total rewards, employee engagement and culture, HR systems and analytics, and organizational effectiveness.

Deputy Chief Financial Officer

  • Location: Edina, Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51405

SkyWater Search Partners is proud to once again partner with Portico Benefit Services — one of our long-standing clients and one of the most mission-driven organizations we’ve had the pleasure of working with — in their search for a Deputy Chief Finance Officer.

Over the past few years, SkyWater has partnered with the Board of Directors and has helped Portico build out key members of their senior leadership team, including most of the C-suite (CEO, COO, CIO, etc.). The result has been a period of strong cultural alignment, refreshed leadership, and meaningful organizational momentum.

This Deputy CFO will provide strategic and operational leadership across all aspects of the Finance function, with the intent to succeed the current CFO at the time of her planned retirement.

This is a rare opportunity for an experienced finance leader to join a mission-driven organization during a transformative era — serving as both a key strategic partner and a hands-on leader across accounting, FP&A, treasury, actuarial, and investment finance.

Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, the Deputy CFO will partner closely with executive leadership, Portico’s Board of Trustees, and external financial partners to ensure the organization’s long-term financial health and risk governance.

Sales Development Representative

  • Location: Eagan, Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51399

SkyWater is partnering with a local manufacturing company located in the Minneapolis area. They have provided top manufacturing production and services within consumer products for over 30 years.
They seek a driven and initiative-taking Sales Development Professional to enhance and expand their revenue in the cosmetics industry and within contract manufacturing services. This position will emphasize sales to distributors. The successful applicant brings B2B sales expertise and possesses deep knowledge of the consumer products sector.
This is a pivotal role suited for someone excited to grow their sales career and develop and foster relationships within the industry. They compensate well through base salary + bonus and offer a strong benefits package. Compensation starts at $80,000+.

Primary Duties

  • Market company-branded cosmetic products to commercial customers and distributors across domestic and global territories
  • Prospecting contract manufacturing prospects with outside brands
  • Partner with social media intermediaries to refine product listings, boost e-commerce sales, and sustain ongoing expansion of branding items
  • Help craft customized quotes, decks, and product pitches aligned with customer requirements
  • Coordinate with cross-functional departments to deliver seamless order fulfillment and branded product initiatives
  • Monitor sales metrics and keep client profiles through CRM systems
  • Participate in trade exhibitions and sector gatherings to promote the organization and capture new prospects

Required Qualifications

  • Minimum 2 years in B2B sales, with focus on health and wellness or beauty sectors
  • Background with distributors or private label/contract manufacturing environments is advantageous
  • Proficient in Excel at an advanced level – adept at leveraging spreadsheets for sales data management, KPI monitoring, and forecasting/reporting support
  • Proficient with CRM tools – seasoned in logging sales interactions, updating client information, and managing sales pipelines
  • Readiness to travel when required
  • Background working with distributors, retail, or private label/contract manufacturing environments is advantageous

Service Operations Manager

  • Location: Sauk Rapids , Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51315

Oversee service office operations, customer relations, communicate product improvements with Project Managers and purchasing, responsible for growth of department.

Design Assurance Engineer (Minneapolis – Onsite)

  • Location: Golden Valley, Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51303

SkyWater has partnered with a dynamic, people-first medtech powerhouse in the Minneapolis metro area to attract and hire a Senior Design Assurance Engineer. With a collaborative culture that champions diverse voices, we’re building a community of innovators who prioritize patient impact over bureaucracy.

As Sr. Software Design Assurance Engineer, you’ll champion quality for non-device apps (patient/physician portals) and device-adjacent software in Class III implants. Partner cross-functionally to audit deliverables, drive risk management, validate test environments, and enforce IEC 62304/FDA compliance – from concept to commercialization. Mentor a growing team, tackling audits, ECOs, and cyber controls in a hybrid setup (Mon-Thu onsite).

Product Engineer

  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51283

Skywater is hiring a Product Engineer II to support an automotive manufacturer in the Chicago suburbs

The Product Engineer will be overseeing testing & validation, assembly processes, quality control measures, and manufacturing scoping functions for manufacturing processes. This role will support the launch and modification of new and existing product lines relating to powertrain and drivetrain processes

This is a vital role for this business unit, and will encompass engineering principles related to continuous improvement and lean, quality control, experimentation and testing, process optimization, applications, and manufacturing. 

Salary Range: 90,000-105,000 + bonus.

This is an on-site position. 
 

Senior Accountant

  • Location: Mendota Heights, Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51257

SkyWater is excited to be partnering with a well-established, family-owned company that truly treats its people like family. They’ve built a strong reputation for doing things the right way, with integrity, teamwork, and a genuine commitment to their employees’ success.

They’re adding a Senior Corporate Accountant to their team, and it’s a great opportunity for someone who loves variety in their work, enjoys collaborating across teams, and thrives in a fast-paced, ever-evolving environment. If you’re looking for a stable company with strong leadership, great values, and a place where your work really matters, this one’s worth a closer look.

Plant Manager

  • Location: Wood Dale, Illinois
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51225

Skywater Search Partners is partnering with a leading manufacturer seeking a proven Plant Manager to lead a multi-shift operation of 400+ employees and drive production, continuous improvement, delivery, safety, quality, delivery, and cost initiatives in a high volume manufacturing setting. This individual will be a hands-on, strategic leader with the capability to advance into higher operational leadership roles in the future.


Key Responsibilities

  • Lead and develop a high-performing team of direct and indirect reports across production, maintenance, and CI functions.

  • Drive a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.

  • Implement and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to improve operational visibility and results.

  • Collaborate across engineering, quality, and supply chain in a matrix environment to align goals and processes.

  • Manage P&L performance ($150M+), optimizing labor, materials, and expenses to meet budget targets.

  • Lead transformation from reactive to proactive operations, building systemic consistency and process discipline.

  • Serve as a strategic business partner with potential to assume broader leadership responsibilities over time.


Qualifications

  • 8+ years of manufacturing leadership experience, including multi-shift plant management.

  • Background in industrial engineering, electro-mechanical or mechanical parts, and high-volume manufacturing preferred.

  • Experience leading leaders, not just direct production teams.

  • Strong grasp of Lean, CI, and KPI-based management systems.

  • Excellent communication, collaboration, and team-development skills.

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