Head of Corporate Development, Whatnot
$260-345k
+ Equity
More information about location
Live stream platform & marketplace for collectibles
Be an early applicant
Live stream platform & marketplace for collectibles
501-1000 employees
Be an early applicant
$260-345k
+ Equity
More information about location
501-1000 employees
Company mission
Whatnot missions is to enable anyone to turn their passion into a business and bring people together through commerce.
Role
Who you are
- As our next Head of Corporate Development you should have a proven corporate development track record with the vision, gravitas, and execution to lead a high-impact function at a late-stage, hyper-growth marketplace
- 12+ years of experience in corporate development, investment banking, private equity, or venture capital, with a strong preference for operating experience in technology, e-commerce, or marketplaces
- Proven ability to source, negotiate, and close complex acquisitions, partnerships, and strategic investments
- Demonstrated success presenting to and collaborating with CEOs on strategic initiatives
- Exceptional financial acumen, with mastery in valuation, modeling, and transaction structuring
- Deep and trusted network across technology founders, investors, and executives
- Experience leading post-merger integration and delivering tangible operational and strategic synergies
- Highly effective communication skills with the executive presence to influence across C-suite, board, and external stakeholders
- A builder mindset—excited to grow Whatnot’s corporate development function into a strategic powerhouse
What the job involves
- As Head of Corporate Development, you will own the full M&A, strategic partnerships, and inorganic growth agenda for Whatnot
- Reporting directly to the executive team, you will drive high-impact initiatives that shape the company’s category leadership, geographic expansion, and long-term enterprise value creation
- You will serve as the principal architect of our external growth strategy, partnering closely with the CEO, CPO and General Counsel to identify transformative opportunities
- You’ll bring an exceptional track record of dealmaking, a deep network across venture, commerce, and technology, and the judgment to evaluate, negotiate, and integrate businesses that accelerate our mission
- Strategic Roadmap Leadership – Define and continuously refine Whatnot’s corporate development strategy in alignment with the company’s broader objectives
- Deal Origination & Sourcing – Leverage your established network across founders, investors, and industry operators to proactively identify opportunities across geographies, categories, and capabilities
- Executive-Level Deal Leadership – Lead all phases of M&A and strategic partnership processes: sourcing, diligence, valuation, structuring, negotiation, and execution
- Integration & Value Realization – Partner with functional executives (Finance, Legal, Product, Engineering) to ensure seamless integration and maximize operational, cultural, and financial synergies
- Market & Competitive Intelligence – Track industry trends, competitive dynamics, and adjacencies to inform executive decision-making and investment priorities
- Leadership & Team Building – Build and lead a high-performing Corporate Development team, mentoring future dealmakers while fostering a culture of strategic rigor and execution excellence
Our take
The collectible toy market is large, and Whatnot has built a unique social platform that enables sellers to use livestreams to showcase their products and reach more buyers. The company’s focus is on collectible toys, some of which are rare and can cost thousands of dollars, and has also expanded to sports cards.
The idea of Whatnot was led by buyer trends. Instagram's live feature became a popular place for selling toys and trading cards, but of course was not set up to facilitate bidding or handling payments after a sale occurs. Whatnot combines live showcasing with follow-up sale capabilities, thus serving the community in a more novel way than established collectibles market players such as eBay.
The company has grown fast. It was established in 2019 and has already expanded from its original category - Funko Pop figurines - to Pokemon cards, pins, sports cards, and many more. There is still plenty of scope for expanding into new categories, as the company aims to establish itself as the go-to for this large niche, which will be facilitated by the strong levels of funding that Whatnot has raised.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
54% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Funding (last 2 of 7 rounds)
Jan 2025
$265m
SERIES E
Jul 2022
$260m
SERIES D
Total funding: $749.2m
Company benefits
- Wellness: Health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans. We also cover some of the cost for your dependents as well.
- Compensation: Full-time Whatnauts receive equity, a WFH stipend to support your remote workspace and a monthly stipend to dogfood the app.
- Recharge: Flexible Time Off policy, holiday week off at the end of year, and paid parental leave after 1 year with us.
- Flexibility: Remote-first work culture. We provide a working environment where you're in charge of your time and schedule.
Company HQ
Marina del Rey, CA
Leadership
Grant LaFontaine
(Co-Founder & CEO)Former Product Marketing Manager at Google, Project Manager at Facebook. Also co-founded Kit.
Logan Head
(Co-Founder)Experience in Engineering, including at Maker's Row, Factr, and Flight Club. Former Senior Product Manager at GOAT.
Salary benchmarks
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