Acquisition Analyst / M&A Research VA (CPA Background Preferred) bizbuysell.com

## Acquisition Analyst / M&A Research VA (CPA Background Preferred) We're building a small acquisition holding company and are looking for someone who loves digging into businesses, validating financials, and finding exceptional acquisition opportunities before anyone else. This is **not** a generic virtual assistant role. You'll become my first line of defense for identifying, researching, qualifying, and following up with business acquisition opportunities. ### Ideal Background * CPA, former CPA, or strong accounting/bookkeeping background * Experience analyzing financial statements and tax returns * Experience validating SDE, EBITDA, and owner add-backs * Experience using BizBuySell is highly preferred * Familiar with small business acquisitions, search funds, ETA, or M&A * Excellent written English * Highly organized and detail-oriented ### Your Responsibilities * Search BizBuySell and other acquisition marketplaces daily * Source businesses that match our acquisition criteria * Pre-qualify every opportunity using our proprietary scorecard * Review financial statements, P&Ls, balance sheets, and tax returns * Validate seller claims and identify inconsistencies * Estimate normalized earnings and owner compensation adjustments * Research industry trends, competition, and local market dynamics * Contact brokers and sellers to request additional information * Manage all follow-up communication until opportunities are fully qualified * Maintain our acquisition CRM and deal pipeline * Present only the highest-quality opportunities for final review ### What You'll Receive We provide: * A complete acquisition scorecard * Clear investment criteria * Standard operating procedures * Broker outreach templates * Financial validation framework * Ongoing feedback and coaching Your role is to continuously fill our pipeline with investment-grade acquisition opportunities. ### What We're Looking For Someone who naturally asks questions like: * Do these numbers actually make sense? * Is the stated SDE realistic? * Is the owner adding back personal expenses appropriately? * Would this business survive under professional management? * Is this a business worth buying, or should we pass? You should enjoy investigating businesses and uncovering what others miss. ### Nice-to-Have Experience * BizBuySell * Axial * LoopNet * BusinessBroker.net * Quiet Light * Empire Flippers * Accounting or audit experience * Financial due diligence * Small business lending * SBA acquisitions * Search fund or ETA experience ### To Apply Please include: 1. Your accounting or finance background. 2. Any experience reviewing small business financials. 3. Experience with BizBuySell or business acquisitions. 4. One example where you identified an issue in a company's financials. 5. Why you'd enjoy helping acquire businesses rather than working traditional accounting jobs. We're looking for someone who thinks like an investor—not just an assistant. The right person will become a long-term part of our acquisition team as we continue purchasing cash-flowing businesses.