# Manager, Corporate Development **Company:** [Mariana Minerals](https://zerogtalent.com/frontier-companies/mariana-minerals) **Location:** Houston, TX **Work mode:** On-site **Seniority:** Mid **Employment type:** Full Time **Category:** Business & Finance **Department:** G&A **Listed:** 2026-10-23 [View and apply on Zero G Talent](https://zerogtalent.com/frontier-jobs/mariana-minerals/manager-corporate-development-53447aaa-c7ce-439a-a0d1-1970dd34d4c3) ## What you'll do - Lead financing/M&A workstreams from origination to close - Negotiate terms with investors, lenders, strategics, trading houses - Own financial models and investment cases for transactions - Structure transactions across capital stack: equity, debt, ECA, offtake - Manage third-party diligence and advisors for board recommendations ## What you need - 4-7+ yrs investment banking/PE/corp dev leading closed transactions - Expert financial modeling with judgment on value drivers - Proven counterparty management and negotiation experience - Bachelor's degree required; MBA/CFA preferred - Project finance experience in mining/energy/infrastructure a plus ## Job description ### **About Mariana Minerals** Mariana Minerals is a software-first, vertically integrated minerals company on a mission to supply the critical minerals powering modern energy, AI, and defense technologies. We’re reimagining the minerals supply chain by combining deep industry expertise with advanced software, automation, and data-driven decision-making. **The Corporate Development team** Corporate Development raises the capital and closes the transactions that take Mariana's projects from development to operation. The team sits at the intersection of corporate finance, project finance, and M&A, and works directly with the CEO, CFO, and commercial leadership. The team's work spans: • **Corporate and project financing:** equity raises, project-level equity, project finance debt, export credit agency and government-backed financing, venture and corporate debt. • **Structured commercial transactions:** offtake agreements, prepayments, working capital and inventory financing with strategics and commodity trading houses. • **M&A and partnerships:** acquisitions, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships across lithium, copper, and adjacent minerals. • **Investor relations:** materials, process management, and ongoing engagement with existing and prospective investors and lenders. We are hiring an Associate and a Manager. Both roles report to the Director of Corporate Development, are based in Houston, and will help build how the function itself runs on MarianaOS. **Manager, Corporate Development** The Manager leads transaction workstreams end to end: owning the process, the counterparties, and the analysis behind them. You will negotiate directly, manage advisors, and help shape how Mariana finances its projects and pursues growth. **What you'll do** • Lead individual financing and M&A workstreams from origination through close, including process design, timeline, and counterparty management. • Negotiate commercial and financing terms directly with investors, lenders, strategics, and trading houses, working alongside legal and commercial teams. • Own the financial models and investment cases behind each transaction, and review and direct Associate's work. • Structure transactions across the capital stack: project equity, project finance debt, ECA and government-backed financing, prepayments, and offtake-linked structures. • Manage third-party diligence and advisors, and synthesize findings into clear recommendations for management and the board. • Build and maintain relationships with investors, lenders, and strategic partners. • Help design and build the corp dev function on MarianaOS, and mentor junior team members. **What we're looking for** • 4–7+ years in investment banking, private equity, or corporate development, with experience leading workstreams on closed transactions. • Expert financial modeling and the judgment to know which assumptions drive value. • Demonstrated ability to manage counterparties and negotiate terms. • Executive presence and clear written and verbal communication with senior stakeholders. • Comfort with ambiguity and building process where none exists. • Bachelor's degree required; MBA or CFA a plus. **Nice to have** • Project finance experience in mining, energy, power, or infrastructure. • Exposure to commodity offtake, prepayment, or trade finance structures. • Experience working with export credit agencies, development finance institutions, or government loan programs. **Preferred Location:** Houston, TX (in office). **Alternative Location:** San Francisco, CA (in office). **Target start:** early 2027. ### **Our culture is built on four principles:** **Everyone Gets Home Safe.** We never put speed or cost ahead of people. **Extreme Ownership.** We take full responsibility for outcomes, relentlessly driving toward solutions. **Engineer Out Requirements, then Automate.** We simplify, optimize, and then automate for scale. **Share Your Legos.** We collaborate openly, share knowledge, and empower each other to build bigger, better solutions. **Join us as we build the future of responsible mineral sourcing and supply!** ## Other open roles at Mariana Minerals - [Associate, Corporate Development](https://zerogtalent.com/frontier-jobs/mariana-minerals/associate-corporate-development-75cbda69-26a7-4596-9d80-419416cdebbd) — Houston, TX - [Process Maintenance Technician](https://zerogtalent.com/frontier-jobs/mariana-minerals/process-maintenance-technician-73182332-04a0-4c7c-872c-79bae0bba21b) — Moab, UT - [Maintenance Technician – Career Development Program](https://zerogtalent.com/frontier-jobs/mariana-minerals/maintenance-technician-career-development-program-5f2b9de4-f391-410f-a9df-1c16e671591d) — Moab, UT - [Mobile Maintenance Supervisor](https://zerogtalent.com/frontier-jobs/mariana-minerals/mobile-maintenance-supervisor-053a699e-642c-4ebc-95ea-8630c69bc3b7) — Moab, UT - [Commercial Manager, Energy & Utilities](https://zerogtalent.com/frontier-jobs/mariana-minerals/commercial-manager-energy-utilities-0646e630-e634-44af-9d71-7eaae4bb75cb) — San Francisco HQ --- *Source: [Zero G Talent](https://zerogtalent.com), the job board for space, defense, AI, robotics and frontier-tech companies.*