UK

United Kingdom · Corporate strategy · Principal/Manager (12-16 years)

Senior M&A Manager / Principal

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  • Experience bandPrincipal/Manager (12-16 years)
  • Direct reports2-3 reports
  • Reports toDirector, M&A & Corporate Strategy
  • UK framework levelUsually someone running a function, or a director

Also advertised as M&A Lead · Corporate Development Manager · Investment Manager

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in what real qualifications cover

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

No confident skill match yet for Senior M&A Manager / Principal. The closest we hold is below.

OTHM Level 7 Diploma in Data Science OTHM Qualifications · Level 7 · covers 1 of 1 standard

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Data Analysis and Visualisation OTHM Level 7 Diploma in Data Science
Data Analytics Primer NOCN Level 4 certificate for Data Analysts
Data Analytics Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Computing for England
Data Analysis Highfield Level 3 Diploma for Team Leaders and Supervisors (RQF)

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
Automation Fluency building AI into how work runs
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Senior M&A Manager / Principal

4 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Data Analysis and Visualisation OTHM Qualifications · covers 1 of 1 standards Level 7
  2. Data Analytics Primer NOCN · covers 1 of 1 standards Level 4
  3. Data Analytics Pearson Education Ltd · covers 1 of 1 standards Level 5
  4. Data Analysis Highfield Qualifications · covers 1 of 1 standards Level 3
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Senior M&A Manager / Principal?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skill this role is being asked for

  • AI-Powered M&A Analytics & Deal Sourcing
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Senior M&A Manager / Principal plan as you set up, starting with the free Data Fluency module. No card.

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3What this role really is

A Senior M&A Manager or Principal leads acquisition projects from first idea through to signed deal.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

S&P Capital IQ, PitchBook, Bloomberg Terminal, FactSet Strategic

You'll direct the research strategy, leveraging these platforms for portfolio-level analysis, macroeconomic trend identification, and deep-diving into specific company data, comps, and precedent transactions. You're not just pulling data; you're interpreting it for strategic insights.

Microsoft Excel (with Power Query & VBA) Architect

You'll design the master financial model templates for the team, focusing on advanced sensitivity analysis and scenario planning (e.g., Monte Carlo simulations) to stress-test assumptions. You'll use Power Query for complex data cleaning and VBA for automating repetitive modelling tasks.

Datasite, Intralinks, Ansarada (Virtual Data Rooms) Strategic

You'll oversee VDR provider selection and negotiation, focusing on data security protocols, overall diligence process efficiency, and ensuring the VDR is structured logically for your team.

Microsoft PowerPoint, Diligent, BoardVantage Strategic

You'll present deal materials to the executive team and Board of Directors, crafting compelling narratives. You'll use board portal software like Diligent or BoardVantage for secure and efficient material distribution to senior leadership.

Confluence, Notion (Collaboration & PM) Strategic

You'll implement and refine the M&A process playbook within our chosen collaboration platforms, ensuring deal teams have clear workflows, templates, and communication channels. You're setting the standard for how we manage deals.

SAP S/4HANA, Oracle ERP, Anaplan, Workday Adaptive Planning Advanced

You'll work closely with the Finance team to integrate synergy and acquisition models into corporate planning tools like Anaplan or Workday Adaptive Planning, ensuring post-close performance tracking and forecasting aligns with the deal thesis.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Deal Valuation & Recommended Price Calculates specific model inputs (e.g., WACC, growth rates) under guidance. No decision authority on valuation. Builds and runs valuation models (DCF, LBO, Comps). Proposes a preliminary valuation range, but doesn't make the final recommendation. Develops a comprehensive valuation analysis, including various methodologies and sensitivity cases. Recommends a defensible valuation range and initial offer price to the deal lead.
Due Diligence Scope & Providers Executes specific diligence tasks (e.g., populating data requests, tracking Q&A). No decision authority on scope or providers. Manages a specific diligence workstream (e.g., financial diligence). Identifies initial areas of concern. Proposes specific diligence questions. Leads a major diligence area (e.g., commercial or legal diligence). Recommends specific diligence providers for their area. Identifies key risks and proposes mitigation strategies.
Term Sheet & Deal Structure Documents notes during negotiation calls. No input on deal structure or terms. Drafts minor, non-economic clauses in an LOI/Term Sheet based on templates. Identifies standard deal terms. Proposes positions on key economic and control terms (e.g., earn-outs, indemnities) to the deal lead. Reviews and comments on draft term sheets.
Post-Merger Integration (PMI) Plan Gathers data for integration planning. No input on strategy. Assists in developing specific workstream integration plans (e.g., IT integration, HR onboarding). Develops comprehensive integration plans for specific functions or business units. Identifies key integration risks and dependencies.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Deal Throughput
The number of successfully closed acquisitions you've led or significantly directed each year.
Target · 2-4 deals per year (this varies a lot based on deal size and complexity, to be fair)

Closed three strategic acquisitions in the last financial year, including one complex cross-border transaction and two smaller bolt-ons.

Value Creation vs. Investment Case
How well the acquired businesses perform against the initial financial and strategic projections made in the deal model, typically measured 1-2 years post-close.
Target · Acquired assets meet or exceed the investment case by at least 10% (e.g., revenue, EBITDA, strategic milestones)

The 'Project Phoenix' acquisition, 18 months post-close, has delivered 15% above its projected EBITDA and hit all key product integration milestones.

Strategic Alignment of Capital Deployment
The proportion of capital deployed on acquisitions that directly supports and advances our stated corporate strategy and long-term objectives.
Target · >80% of capital deployed aligns with the corporate strategy (we're not buying shiny objects just because they're available)

All £50M of acquisition capital spent in 2023 was directly linked to our 'Digital Transformation' and 'Market Expansion' strategic pillars.

Acquisition Premium Discipline
How the average acquisition premium paid (e.g., Enterprise Value / Revenue or EBITDA multiple) compares to industry benchmarks for similar transactions.
Target · Average acquisition premium paid is within 5% of industry benchmarks for comparable transactions (we don't want to be known for overpaying)

Our average EV/EBITDA multiple for acquisitions in the last year was 12.5x, compared to an industry average of 12.0x, showing good discipline.

Investment Thesis Quality
The clarity, robustness, and defensibility of the investment thesis you develop for each potential acquisition. Does it stand up to tough questions from the CEO and the Board?
  • Investment theses are consistently well-articulated, supported by thorough analysis, and effectively communicate the strategic rationale and value drivers. Senior leadership rarely finds major gaps or inconsistencies when you present.
Stakeholder Alignment & Consensus Building
Your ability to get key internal business unit leaders, functional heads (e.g., Product, Sales, Legal), and the executive team on board with the deal rationale, key terms, and the post-merger integration plan.
  • Key internal stakeholders are proactively engaged throughout the deal process, feel heard, and generally support the proposed transaction. You're seen as someone who can bring people together, not just dictate terms. Integration plans are realistic and have buy-in from operational teams.
Proactive Risk Identification & Mitigation
How effectively you identify material deal risks during due diligence (financial, legal, commercial, operational) and develop clear, actionable strategies to mitigate those risks before they become problems.
  • You consistently flag significant risks early in the diligence process, providing clear recommendations on how to address them (e.g., price adjustments, contractual protections, integration plans). No major 'surprises' emerge post-close that weren't identified and addressed during diligence.
Leadership & Mentorship of Deal Teams
Your effectiveness in leading and guiding your deal teams (L3s, L4s), ensuring they're performing at their best, developing their skills, and contributing effectively to deal execution.
  • Your direct reports consistently meet their objectives, show clear professional growth, and feel supported and challenged. You're seen as a fair and effective leader who delegates well and provides constructive feedback. Deal teams under your leadership operate efficiently and cohesively.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Solving Complex Puzzles

You'll be faced with incomplete data, conflicting information, and ambiguous situations every single day. If you love piecing together a coherent story from disparate facts and figuring out how all the moving parts of a deal fit together, you'll get a real kick out of this.

Figuring out how to structure an earn-out that incentivises the seller while protecting our downside, given a highly uncertain market.

High-Stakes Impact & Tangible Growth

Your work directly impacts our company's future. You're not just a cog in the machine; you're driving significant capital allocation decisions and shaping our strategic direction. Seeing a deal you've led close and then watching the acquired business flourish is incredibly rewarding.

Leading the acquisition of a key competitor that significantly expands our market share and product offering.

Continuous Learning & Market Insight

Every deal is different, every target company operates in a unique market, and every negotiation presents new challenges. You'll constantly be learning about new industries, business models, and deal structures. If you thrive on intellectual challenge and staying on top of market trends, you'll love it here.

Deep-diving into a niche industry to understand its specific regulatory landscape and competitive dynamics for a potential target.

What frustrates people
  • The 'Hurry Up and Wait' Whiplash: You'll have intense, 7-day work weeks sprinting towards a deadline, immediately followed by a week or two of complete silence while you wait for the other side to respond. It's tough on your personal life.
  • Death by a Thousand Paper Cuts: Spending 60% of your time on diligence cleaning up a target's horribly disorganized financials and inconsistent data provided in the Virtual Data Room (VDR). It's tedious, but someone has to do it.
  • The 11th Hour Deal Collapse: Pouring 4 months of your life into a deal, only to have it fall apart at the very last minute due to a financing issue, a sudden change of heart from the seller, or a market crash. It's soul-crushing.
  • Internal Politics & Pet Projects: Being asked to spend time evaluating a 'strategic' acquisition that is clearly a pet project of a senior executive, even when the numbers and strategic fit make absolutely no sense. Yes, it happens.
  • The Post-Mortem Blame Game: When a closed deal underperforms, that beautifully crafted deal model you built is scrutinised, and the assumptions (which were signed off on by everyone) are suddenly 'your' aggressive assumptions. You need thick skin.
  • Synergy Realisation vs. Fantasy: Watching the operational teams struggle to achieve those 'transformative synergies' that were so easily plugged into a spreadsheet to make the deal math work. It's a constant battle between theory and reality.
What this role does not give you
  • Predictable work schedules or a standard 40-hour week. Deal-time is not clock-out time.
  • Guaranteed success for every project you touch. Many deals fall apart, and that's just the nature of the beast.
  • A quiet, solitary work environment. You'll be constantly collaborating, negotiating, and presenting.
  • Instant gratification. M&A deals take months, sometimes years, to come to fruition and even longer to show their true value.

8Who you work with

You'll directly shape the company's growth trajectory, market position, and overall competitive advantage through strategic acquisitions. Your work dictates where we invest our capital and what our business looks like in 3-5 years. Frankly, it's a big deal.

Inside the business
  • CFO and Finance leadership
  • Head of Product and Business Unit VPs
  • Legal Counsel
  • CEO and Executive Leadership Team
  • Board of Directors (for deal presentations and approvals)
Outside the business
  • Investment Bankers and M&A Advisors
  • Legal Advisors (external counsel)
  • Target Company Management and Founders
  • Private Equity firms and Venture Capitalists
  • Due Diligence providers (e.g., accounting, commercial, technical firms)

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • A proven track record (12-16 years) of leading M&A transactions in an investment banking, private equity, or corporate development setting. We're not looking for someone to learn on the job here.
  • Expert-level financial modelling skills, including building complex LBO, DCF, and accretion/dilution models from scratch, and presenting them to senior audiences.
  • Demonstrated experience in managing cross-functional due diligence processes and synthesising complex findings into actionable recommendations.
  • Strong negotiation skills, with experience leading commercial discussions and drafting key terms in LOIs/Term Sheets.
  • Experience managing and mentoring junior team members (analysts/associates) in a deal environment.
  • Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex deal rationales to executive leadership and the Board.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Advanced Scenario Modelling & Simulation

Traditional sensitivity analysis is good, but it's often limited to a few variables. For our biggest, riskiest deals, we need to move towards probabilistic modelling to truly understand the range of potential outcomes and quantify risk more effectively. This means stress-testing our assumptions in a much more sophisticated way.

Monte Carlo Simulations · Real Options Valuation · Dynamic Financial Modelling · Advanced Data Visualisation for Probabilistic Outcomes

  • This quarter: Explore advanced Excel add-ins or Python libraries (e.g., NumPy, SciPy) for Monte Carlo simulations. Try to apply it to a historical deal model.
  • Next 6 months: Take an online course or workshop specifically on advanced financial modelling techniques, including probabilistic methods and real options.
  • Within 12 months: Lead a project to integrate advanced scenario modelling into our standard deal evaluation framework for high-value targets. Document the methodology and train your team.
  • Ongoing: Read academic papers or industry reports on cutting-edge valuation techniques and discuss their applicability to our M&A strategy with your Director.

Quick win: For your next deal, try to build a simple Monte Carlo simulation for one key variable (e.g., target revenue growth) in your model. It's a great way to start understanding the mechanics and communicating a range of outcomes.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Attending leading M&A conferences and industry events (e.g., Mergermarket, Euromoney) to stay abreast of market trends, network with peers, and identify potential deal opportunities.
  • Participating in executive education programmes focused on corporate strategy, M&A leadership, or advanced negotiation skills.
  • Engaging in continuous learning around specific industry sectors (e.g., AI in SaaS, FinTech regulatory changes) to deepen your domain expertise.
  • Building a strong professional network with investment bankers, private equity professionals, and legal advisors to enhance deal flow and market intelligence.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

AI-Powered M&A Analytics & Deal Sourcing

Frankly, competitors are already using AI to screen thousands of targets in minutes, identify hidden risks in VDRs, and even draft initial investment memos. If you're not using these tools, you'll be left behind. It's about augmenting your intelligence, not replacing it.

  • Advanced Prompt Engineering for M&A
  • AI for Risk Identification & Mitigation
  • Predictive Analytics for Integration Success
  • Automated Market Mapping & Target Screening

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Financial Modeling & Valuation
  • Due Diligence Management
  • Synergy Quantification & Analysis
  • Deal Structuring
  • Negotiation & Term Sheet Acumen
  • Post-Merger Integration (PMI) Planning

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    Internal Promotion from Lead M&A Specialist (L4)

    Roughly 3-5 years as an L4

    Skills to master

    • At L4, you'd have mastered managing individual deal processes and coordinating diligence. To step up to L5, you'd need to demonstrate the ability to lead multiple deals concurrently, develop strategic investment theses independently, and effectively mentor junior team members.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully led 3-5 full deal cycles as an L4, including complex transactions.
    • Consistently received positive feedback on your ability to manage cross-functional teams and external advisors.
    • Demonstrated strong commercial judgment and strategic thinking beyond just deal execution.
    • Proactively mentored junior team members, showing leadership potential.
  2. 2

    Investment Banking Vice President (VP) / Associate Director

    Typically 2-4 years as a VP in M&A

    Skills to master

    • You'd bring deep financial modelling, valuation, and deal execution experience. The transition involves shifting from an advisory role to an principal role, focusing more on internal strategy, post-merger integration planning, and managing internal stakeholders rather than just external clients.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Managed multiple sell-side and buy-side M&A mandates as a VP.
    • Strong client relationship management skills.
    • Proven ability to lead transaction processes from origination to close.
    • A desire to move to the 'buy-side' and directly impact corporate strategy.
  3. 3

    Private Equity Associate / Principal

    Roughly 3-6 years in Private Equity

    Skills to master

    • You'd bring a strong investor mindset, deep diligence experience, and a focus on value creation. The shift involves adapting to a corporate environment, understanding internal strategic objectives, and navigating corporate politics rather than purely financial returns for a fund.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Led or significantly contributed to multiple private equity transactions (investments and exits).
    • Strong commercial and operational diligence experience.
    • Proven ability to identify and drive value creation initiatives within portfolio companies.
    • A desire to apply your investment acumen within a corporate strategy context.
  4. 4

    Corporate Development Manager at another firm

    Typically 3-5 years in a similar role

    Skills to master

    • You'd bring direct experience in corporate M&A. The focus would be on adapting to our specific industry, culture, and strategic priorities, and potentially stepping up to manage more complex or larger-scale transactions.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully led corporate M&A deals in a relevant industry.
    • Demonstrated ability to manage the full deal lifecycle.
    • Strong track record of collaborating with internal business units and executive teams.
    • A desire for a new challenge in a growing, dynamic company.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This work can lead to broader corporate development leadership, a CFO role, or leading a business after it has been acquired.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Senior M&A Manager / Principal is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

The record names a next step, but the catalogue has no page for it yet:

  • Director, M&A & Corporate Strategy (L6)

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Data Analysis and Visualisation, worked against Senior M&A Manager / Principal.

Data Analysis and Visualisation Level 7

Applied to your work in Senior M&A Manager / Principal

1. To enable the learner to critically analyse the theoretical underpinnings of data analytics and their impact on decision-making in business management contexts. 2. To enable the learner to assess diverse data analysis activities, techniques, and tools applicable to business management scenarios. 3. To enable the learner to compare and contrast various predictive analytic techniques, evaluating their strengths and weaknesses in forecasting future business events. 4. To enable the learner to evaluate how predictive analytic techniques can be practically implemented for forecasting purposes within the business sector. 5. To enable the learner to evaluate prescriptive analytic techniques, illustrating their application with relevant examples from the business management domain. 6. To enable the learner to apply a suitable programming language or data analysis tool to conduct data analysis and visualisation tasks related to business management problems.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Senior M&A Manager / Principal
  • Financial Modeling & Valuation
  • Due Diligence Management
  • Synergy Quantification & Analysis
  • Deal Structuring
  • Negotiation & Term Sheet Acumen
  • Post-Merger Integration (PMI) Planning
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Senior M&A Manager / Principal is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Director, M&A & Corporate Strategy (L6)

    Roughly 3-5 years as a Senior M&A Manager / Principal

    This is a significant step up, moving from leading individual deals to shaping the entire M&A pipeline and strategy for a business unit or the whole company. You'll also take on more direct leadership of managers.

    • Enterprise-wide M&A Strategy Owning the M&A strategy for a significant business unit or the entire company, aligning it with overall corporate objectives.
    • Strategic Partnering & Alliances Identifying and cultivating strategic partnerships beyond just acquisitions, including joint ventures and minority investments.
    • Crisis Management in M&A Leading the team through unexpected deal challenges, regulatory hurdles, or post-close integration issues.
    • Capital Allocation Strategy Contributing to broader capital allocation decisions across the organisation.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real: M&A is often seen as a traditional, manual process. But the truth is, AI isn't just for tech roles anymore. It's fundamentally changing how we do M&A, allowing you to ditch the tedious tasks and focus on the high-value strategic thinking that actually matters.

We're not talking about AI replacing your job; we're talking about it making you incredibly more efficient. Imagine cutting down hours of document review, market screening, and first-draft writing. That's more time for deep analysis, critical negotiation, and building relationships—the stuff that truly drives deals.

VDR Content Automation

Use AI tools to automatically scan thousands of documents in a Virtual Data Room. It'll identify specific clauses (like change of control or non-competes), flag red-flag terms, or even spot missing information that would take you days to find manually. No more endless scrolling through PDFs.

Accelerated Target Screening

Leverage AI-powered platforms to screen a universe of thousands of potential acquisition targets against a complex set of financial and strategic criteria. You'll do in minutes what used to take weeks of manual research and spreadsheet wrangling. Find those hidden gems faster.

Rapid Diligence Research

Use AI assistants to quickly summarise analyst reports, earnings call transcripts, and market research related to a target company. You'll get a synthesised brief on risks, opportunities, and market sentiment in a fraction of the time, letting you get to the insights quicker.

First-Draft Generation

Utilise AI to create the initial draft of standardised documents, such as an initial investment summary, a detailed list of diligence questions based on the CIM, or internal update emails. It's not perfect, but it gets you 80% of the way there, saving you hours of staring at a blank page.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Senior M&A Manager / Principal?

Common routes in include Internal Promotion from Lead M&A Specialist (Roughly 3-5 years as an L4), Investment Banking Vice President (VP) / Associate Director (Typically 2-4 years as a VP in M&A), Private Equity Associate / Principal (Roughly 3-6 years in Private Equity) and Corporate Development Manager at another firm (Typically 3-5 years in a similar role). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Senior M&A Manager / Principal progress to?

This role can lead on to Director, M&A & Corporate Strategy (Roughly 3-5 years as a Senior M&A Manager / Principal), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Senior M&A Manager / Principal?

Increasingly, AI-Powered M&A Analytics & Deal Sourcing. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

Free tools

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17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 6

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in corporate strategy

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

The skills built as a Senior M&A Manager carry across sectors. Corporate M&A, private equity, investment banking and general management all draw on the ability to analyse businesses, lead deals and manage complex projects.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my free Data Fluency module What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.