Project Leader – M&A Onboarding & Integration, Ingka Investments

Why we will love you

We're looking for a structured and proactive project leader to help shape how acquired companies become part of Ingka Group. When Ingka Group acquires an external business, your job is to make sure the integration goes smoothly – from the first handshake to long-term collaboration. You'll be at the heart of connecting people, processes, and cultures to secure business continuity and long-term value.

You have a strong grasp of project management fundamentals, from planning and resource allocation to risk and stakeholder management. Navigating change comes naturally to you, and you know how to keep projects on track while adapting to new circumstances. Your know-how includes working with project tools and maintaining clear documentation, ensuring transparency and efficiency. A solid understanding of financial principles and corporate governance enables you to make well-informed decisions that align with business objectives.

As a leader, you foster collaboration, communicate with clarity, and create an environment where teams can perform at their best. You handle challenges with confidence, using structured decision-making and conflict resolution to keep momentum going. You’re a self-starter who thrives in an environment with many moving parts. You can work independently, take initiative, and act with minimum guidance while staying connected to the bigger picture. Your ability to set direction and follow through with persistence ensures progress even when structures are not yet fully in place.

If you also bring knowledge of the IKEA Concept, Vision and Business Idea, Culture and Values - and how Ingka operates, you will be well-equipped to make a meaningful impact in this role.

To excel in this role, we believe you’ll bring:

• University or other relevant degree in business administration, science, engineering or related discipline.
• Minimum 6 years of professional experience in project management and/or corporate transformations, preferably from corporate M&A teams or strategy consulting.
• Proven experience in leading people and cross-functional teams, creating collaboration and motivating others across cultures.
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to build trust and influence at all levels, including senior leadership.
• Comfort with ambiguity and the ability to bring structure and clarity in unstructured situations.
• Resilience and adaptability – you stay constructive, even when priorities shift or challenges arise.
• High level of integrity, trustworthiness and independence – a self-starter who takes ownership and can act with minimum guidance.
• International experience and an understanding of cultural differences will be a plus.

Your responsibilities

In this role, you will play a key part in ensuring a smooth and efficient onboarding of acquired companies into Ingka. From the initial onboarding to long-term collaboration, you will coordinate activities, manage stakeholders, and mitigate challenges to secure non-disrupted business operations.

• Integration and onboarding – Coordinating activities between Ingka Group Functions and the acquired company, tracking progress, monitoring budgets and timelines, and addressing risks to ensure a seamless transition.
• Stakeholder management – Managing relationships across functions, facilitating clear communication, and resolving operational challenges.
• Post-onboarding coordination between Ingka Group and acquired companies to ensure alignment.
• Process improvement – Leading lessons-learned initiatives, overseeing record management, and ensuring documentation is structured and accessible for future reference.
• The role requires a structured approach, with a strong ability to navigate complex onboarding while keeping business continuity at the center.

This is a permanent position and the location is Leiden, Netherlands. Some travel will be required. You will report to the BDI Portfolio Area Manager of Ingka Investments.

About this work area

You will join the Ingka Investments Business Development portfolio area where we make financial and strategic investments in, or acquisitions of, businesses that help transform IKEA Retail business, lower our climate footprint, and have a positive impact on people and planet, while generating attractive returns.

One of our key activities is the acquisition of companies that provide new capabilities and services (you can think of such companies as Ikano Bank, Made4net, Taskrabbit and Geomagical Labs).

Once the acquisition is completed, the Integration and Onboarding team becomes responsible for securing non-disrupted business operations by delivering support during the acquired company lifecycle in Ingka Group – from business onboarding to post-onboarding management of acquired companies.