What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Associate position at Ariel Alternatives?
Who We Are
Ariel Alternatives, LLC is the private asset management firm affiliated with Ariel Investments, LLC. Built on the 40-year-old foundation of its parent company, the firm’s first private equity initiative, Project Black, invests in middle-market companies that may or may not currently be minority owned, and seeks to transform these entities into certified minority-owned business enterprises of scale and forge a new class of Black and Latinx enterprises.
Co-Founders Leslie Brun and Mellody Hobson share a desire to make a positive impact by investing in the world they want to see. Every individual on the team – at all levels – plays a role that is critical to our firm’s success. We seek subject matter experts who are unapologetically themselves. We encourage our employees to reach their full potential and give them the runway, support, and resources to succeed.
Position Summary:
We are looking for a Senior Associate to support all aspects of the private equity investment process, from sourcing, to diligencing, structuring, completing platform and add-on acquisitions and executing value creation strategies. In addition to the primary investment team responsibilities, this position will be expected to collaborate with a variety of functions throughout the organization to deliver on the firm’s unified vision. The position will be located in our NY office where we offer a hybrid work model.
Responsibilities:
- Support the deal sourcing and screening effort
- Evaluate potential investment opportunities through rigorous financial analysis, market research and strategic assessments to drive informed investment decisions
- Work directly with senior investment professionals on transaction due diligence (including financial, commercial, operational and legal) and execution
- Prepare investment committee materials, including investment memorandums
- Participate in weekly investment committee meetings and provide support for key deliverables
- Assist in the management and monitoring of portfolio companies, including the execution of add-on acquisitions, assistance with corporate finance and operational initiatives and quarterly valuations
- Assist in the development of marketing materials and communications to limited partners, co-investors and debt providers
- Support ad hoc projects for marketing and limited partner communications, among others
Qualifications:
- Highly motivated and enthusiastic individual; strong interest and passion for investing
- Two years of investment banking experience
- Two or more years of private equity experience; Experience working with B2B supply chain, including financial and professional services, business process outsourcing, IT services and/or energy and utility services preferred, but not required
- Undergraduate degree required; open to all majors
- Strong financial modelling, analytical and quantitative skills; strong understanding of debt and equity capital structures
- Must be a team player and willing to help team members during peak volume periods
- Ability to work independently
- Highly organized individual who can multi-task in a fast-paced environment to meet deadlines in an accurate manner
- Proficient with Microsoft Office tools
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills required
- Must be able to travel domestically 15-20% of the time
Key Characteristics:
- Strong work ethic and initiative – a self-starter
- Innate intellectual capacity and curiosity – asks good questions
- Entrepreneurial spirit
Base Salary:
$125,000 (dependent on skills, experience, and competencies)
Competencies
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Communicate Effectively |
Is able to clearly and succinctly communicate verbally and in writing in a variety of settings and styles; can get messages across that have the desired effect. |
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Stakeholder Focus |
Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external stakeholders (investors, vendors) and acts with them in mind. |
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Time Management |
Uses his/her time effectively and efficiently; values time; concentrates his/her efforts on the more important priorities; gets more done in less time than others; can attend to a broader range of activities. |
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Priority Setting |
Spends his/her time and the time of others on what's important; quickly zeros in on the critical few and puts the trivial many aside; can quickly sense what will help or hinder accomplishing a goal; eliminates roadblocks; creates focus. |
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Dealing with Ambiguity |
Can effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; isn't upset when things are up in the air; doesn't have to finish things before moving on; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty. |
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Action Oriented |
Enjoys working hard; is action oriented and full of energy for the things that he/she sees as challenging; not fearful of acting with a minimum of planning; seizes more opportunities than others. |
Salary : $125,000