East 57th Street Partners
Business Development & M&A Associate
East 57th Street Partners, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60290
Business Development & M&A Associate
Private Equity Firm | Founder-Led & Family-Owned Business Acquisitions
Location:
• Chicago, IL Metro Area
or
Fort Lauderdale, FL Metro Area
• Candidates must be local and willing to work
in-office
Travel:
• Regular travel to portfolio company locations and acquisition targets
Compensation:
•
Base Salary:
Up to
$150,000
•
Bonus:
Short-Term Incentive (STI) target of
0–40% , variable based on achieving defined benchmarks tied to:
– Year-over-year EBITDA growth
– Cash Return on Initial Equity
•
Incentive Equity:
Participation in new acquisitions
•
Co-Investment:
Ability to co-invest alongside the firm in future transactions
Role Overview Our client is a growing private equity firm focused on acquiring and scaling
founder-led and family-owned businesses . The firm partners closely with owners and management teams to drive long-term value creation through operational excellence, disciplined growth, and thoughtful capital deployment.
The firm is seeking a
Business Development & M&A Associate
to support
deal sourcing, evaluation, diligence, and transaction execution . This role works directly with senior leadership and plays a meaningful role across the
full lifecycle of acquisitions
— from first conversation with a business owner through close and post-acquisition transition.
This is an opportunity for a motivated professional seeking
real responsibility , direct exposure to founders and operators, and a
clear path to advancement
within a growing private equity platform.
Key Responsibilities Deal Sourcing & Business Development
Support proprietary sourcing initiatives targeting founder-led and family-owned businesses
Conduct outbound outreach to business owners, intermediaries, and referral partners
Build and maintain relationships with bankers, brokers, attorneys, accountants, and industry contacts
Manage inbound deal flow and perform initial opportunity screening
Track pipeline activity and outreach efforts within CRM and internal systems
Deal Evaluation & Investment Analysis
Perform initial financial and qualitative assessments of acquisition opportunities
Build and maintain operating models, transaction models, and return analyses
Support valuation analysis and preparation of investment memoranda
Assist with investment committee presentations and materials
Evaluate strategic fit, risks, and value-creation opportunities
Due Diligence & Transaction Execution
Support financial, operational, commercial, and legal diligence efforts
Coordinate with third-party advisors (QoE, legal, tax, insurance, etc.)
Participate in management meetings, site visits, and diligence calls
Assist with purchase agreement review and transaction structuring
Help manage deal timelines from LOI through close
Post-Acquisition & Portfolio Support
Assist with post-close transition and integration planning
Support tracking of performance against investment thesis and value-creation plans
Provide analytical and strategic support to portfolio companies as needed
Maintain ongoing relationships with management teams and founders
Ideal Candidate Profile
2–5 years of experience in
private equity, investment banking, search funds, transaction advisory, strategy consulting, or operating roles
Strong interest in lower-middle-market investing and founder-led businesses
Solid financial modeling and analytical skillset
Comfortable interacting directly with business owners, executives, and advisors
Highly organized and capable of managing multiple live opportunities simultaneously
Entrepreneurial mindset with strong ownership mentality
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
High integrity, professionalism, and attention to detail
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field required
MBA or advanced degree a plus, but not required
Why This Opportunity
Direct exposure to
business owners and senior decision-makers
Meaningful responsibility across sourcing, diligence, execution, and post-close
Competitive compensation with
performance-based upside
Incentive equity and co-investment
opportunities aligned with deal success
Clear growth path within a lean, execution-oriented private equity firm
Opportunity to help build and scale enduring businesses alongside founders
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Private Equity Firm | Founder-Led & Family-Owned Business Acquisitions
Location:
• Chicago, IL Metro Area
or
Fort Lauderdale, FL Metro Area
• Candidates must be local and willing to work
in-office
Travel:
• Regular travel to portfolio company locations and acquisition targets
Compensation:
•
Base Salary:
Up to
$150,000
•
Bonus:
Short-Term Incentive (STI) target of
0–40% , variable based on achieving defined benchmarks tied to:
– Year-over-year EBITDA growth
– Cash Return on Initial Equity
•
Incentive Equity:
Participation in new acquisitions
•
Co-Investment:
Ability to co-invest alongside the firm in future transactions
Role Overview Our client is a growing private equity firm focused on acquiring and scaling
founder-led and family-owned businesses . The firm partners closely with owners and management teams to drive long-term value creation through operational excellence, disciplined growth, and thoughtful capital deployment.
The firm is seeking a
Business Development & M&A Associate
to support
deal sourcing, evaluation, diligence, and transaction execution . This role works directly with senior leadership and plays a meaningful role across the
full lifecycle of acquisitions
— from first conversation with a business owner through close and post-acquisition transition.
This is an opportunity for a motivated professional seeking
real responsibility , direct exposure to founders and operators, and a
clear path to advancement
within a growing private equity platform.
Key Responsibilities Deal Sourcing & Business Development
Support proprietary sourcing initiatives targeting founder-led and family-owned businesses
Conduct outbound outreach to business owners, intermediaries, and referral partners
Build and maintain relationships with bankers, brokers, attorneys, accountants, and industry contacts
Manage inbound deal flow and perform initial opportunity screening
Track pipeline activity and outreach efforts within CRM and internal systems
Deal Evaluation & Investment Analysis
Perform initial financial and qualitative assessments of acquisition opportunities
Build and maintain operating models, transaction models, and return analyses
Support valuation analysis and preparation of investment memoranda
Assist with investment committee presentations and materials
Evaluate strategic fit, risks, and value-creation opportunities
Due Diligence & Transaction Execution
Support financial, operational, commercial, and legal diligence efforts
Coordinate with third-party advisors (QoE, legal, tax, insurance, etc.)
Participate in management meetings, site visits, and diligence calls
Assist with purchase agreement review and transaction structuring
Help manage deal timelines from LOI through close
Post-Acquisition & Portfolio Support
Assist with post-close transition and integration planning
Support tracking of performance against investment thesis and value-creation plans
Provide analytical and strategic support to portfolio companies as needed
Maintain ongoing relationships with management teams and founders
Ideal Candidate Profile
2–5 years of experience in
private equity, investment banking, search funds, transaction advisory, strategy consulting, or operating roles
Strong interest in lower-middle-market investing and founder-led businesses
Solid financial modeling and analytical skillset
Comfortable interacting directly with business owners, executives, and advisors
Highly organized and capable of managing multiple live opportunities simultaneously
Entrepreneurial mindset with strong ownership mentality
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
High integrity, professionalism, and attention to detail
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field required
MBA or advanced degree a plus, but not required
Why This Opportunity
Direct exposure to
business owners and senior decision-makers
Meaningful responsibility across sourcing, diligence, execution, and post-close
Competitive compensation with
performance-based upside
Incentive equity and co-investment
opportunities aligned with deal success
Clear growth path within a lean, execution-oriented private equity firm
Opportunity to help build and scale enduring businesses alongside founders
#J-18808-Ljbffr