M&A Integration Associate (Add-On)

About Ascend 

Ascend empowers entrepreneurial CPAs to reach their goals with an innovative growth model that brings their firms into the new age. Backed by private equity from people-focused Alpine Investors, Ascend is building a modern platform for regional accounting firms that enables them to stay independent while accessing the resources of a large CPA firm to help them grow. Ascend provides access to growth capital, robust talent acquisition, best-of-breed technology, a catalytic leadership system, shared back-office services, and modernized equity incentives so that firms can surmount today’s industry challenges and reach their full potential. Founded in January 2023, the company attained revenues sufficient to qualify it as a Top 100 U.S. accounting firm within six months of operations.   

For more information, visit ascendtogether.com.  

About Alpine Investors 

Alpine Investors is a people-driven private equity firm that is committed to building great companies by working with, learning from, and developing exceptional people. Alpine prides itself on fostering cultures where people value empowerment, diversity, fairness, integrity, and intellectual honesty. Founded in 2001, Alpine specializes in investments in companies in the software and services industries. Alpine has over $15 billion in AUM and has offices in San Francisco, New York, and Salt Lake City.  

For more information on the firm, visit www.alpineinvestors.com  

Position Summary

The Integration Associate supports the execution of Ascend’s Add-On integrations, partnering with cross-functional teams to ensure a smooth transition from deal close through post-close execution. This role is highly execution-oriented and plays a key part in maintaining momentum, surfacing risks early, and delivering a positive experience for partner firms and internal stakeholders.

The ideal candidate brings strong operational judgment, exceptional follow-through, and comfort operating across multiple workstreams in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.

Key responsibilities include: 

Integration Readiness & Handoff

• Support pre-close integration planning by identifying execution risks, dependencies, and readiness gaps in partnership with deal and integration leadership
• Help establish clear ownership, sequencing, and expectations prior to close to enable effective post-close execution
• Contribute to seamless handoffs from deal teams into integration execution with minimal disruption or rework

Post-Close Integration Execution

• Track and support assigned integration workstreams across functions such as technology, finance, people operations, compliance, and firm operations
• Monitor timelines, dependencies, and execution risks, escalating issues with appropriate context and recommended next steps
• Maintain accurate integration plans, trackers, and documentation that reflect true progress and priorities

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Serve as a central point of coordination across internal teams to drive alignment, accountability, and follow-through
• Support structured integration meetings by preparing materials, capturing decisions, and tracking action items to completion
• Reduce friction and ambiguity by proactively clarifying ownership, sequencing, and expectations

Partner Firm and Stakeholder Experience

• Contribute to a positive, well-managed integration experience for partner firms through clear communication and dependable execution
• Maintain consistent, professional engagement with internal stakeholders to ensure confidence in integration progress
• Help minimize last-minute escalations and reactive work through disciplined planning and follow-through

Process, Tools and Continuous Improvement

• Maintain integration trackers and systems to ensure visibility, accuracy, and execution discipline
• Support continuous improvement initiatives by incorporating feedback, lessons learned, and best practices into integration processes
• Assist in refining playbooks, workflows, and documentation to improve consistency and scalability over time

You Will Work With

• Integration and Operations Leadership to support execution planning, risk identification, and post-close follow-through
• Deal and Growth Teams during pre- and post-close phases to ensure readiness, alignment, and smooth handoffs
• Cross-Functional Teams across technology, finance, people operations, compliance, and firm operations
• Partner Firm Leadership to support a smooth, professional integration experience
• Senior Stakeholders (as needed) by contributing clear, well-structured updates and execution materials

Qualifications

Required

• 4 - 6 years of experience in project coordination, operations, consulting, integration support, or a related execution-focused role
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives with competing priorities
• Strong organizational skills with high attention to detail and follow-through
• Clear, concise communicator able to adapt messaging for different audiences
• Comfort operating in fast-paced, ambiguous environments with evolving priorities

Preferred

• Exposure to M&A integrations, professional services, or multi-entity operating environments
• Experience working cross-functionally with technical, financial, and operational teams
• Familiarity with project management tools and structured execution frameworks
• Interest in building scalable processes and improving operational rigor

Values 

Ascend holds a high bar for building a team that lives the values that we have defined. The simplicity in it all is that we want people that are going to make a difference in the accounting industry and have fun doing it. This person can make that difference! We want an individual who can: 

• Serve Whole-Heartedly: Anticipate and remove friction for partner firms, CGOs, and APS teams by delivering calm, proactive, and client-first integration execution
• Own It: Take full accountability for integration outcomes by closing loops, surfacing risks early, and escalating with clear context and recommendations
• Be Excellent: Maintain a consistently high bar for execution quality through clear thinking, presentation-ready materials, and disciplined system hygiene
• Win Together: Drive integration success by aligning cross-functional teams around shared goals, clear ownership, and mutual accountability
• Bring the Sunshine: Show up with steadiness, optimism, and professionalism that builds trust and makes complex integrations feel manageable

We want people who can relate and own these values tried and true.  

Compensation and Other   

• Highly competitive compensation package, including attractive benefits.
• Start date is as soon as practicable.

At Ascend, we provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic. Ascend hires and promotes individuals solely based on qualifications for the position to be filled and business needs.