Private Equity Principal

CSC Generation is the AI-native holding company re-engineering omni-channel retail. We acquire iconic brands and transform them with Genesis—our operating platform unifying a Data Fabric, Automation Engine, proprietary tools, and shared services—to modernize operations, elevate customer experience, and expand margins.

With $1B in revenue across 13 brands, our portfolio includes Sur La Table, Backcountry, One Kings Lane, and more—premier home and outdoor banners that double as real-world innovation hubs. CSC Generation continues to grow through M&A, revitalizing companies with strong brand recognition and loyal customers.

We are hiring a Private Equity Principal to help lead CSC’s investment efforts across consumer, retail, ecommerce, and adjacent sectors. You will be responsible for originating and leading transactions, owning relationships with management teams, lenders, and advisors, and driving value creation across a portfolio of brands.

This is a senior investing role for someone who has already led multiple closed deals (ideally complex carve-outs, corporate divestitures, or distressed / special situations) and has a track record of partnering with operators to create value — similar to operationally focused firms that emphasize hands-on improvement and long-term value creation.

What you get to do:

Investment origination, qualification & strategy

• Develop and execute sector theses and sourcing strategies in priority categories (e.g., home, outdoor, specialty retail, DTC / ecommerce).
• Build and maintain relationships with investment bankers, brokers, advisors, lenders, and executives to generate proprietary deal flow.
• Lead early-stage assessment of opportunities: quick screens, high-level models, and go/no-go recommendations.
• Partner with CSC leadership to refine our acquisition strategy, return hurdles, and portfolio construction.

Deal leadership & execution

• Serve as deal captain on transactions from LOI through close: structure, diligence, financing, and documentation.
• Lead negotiation of key commercial terms with sellers, management, and financing partners.
• Oversee investment committee materials and presentations, ensuring a clear thesis, robust downside analysis, and actionable value-creation plan.
• Coordinate internal and external diligence teams (legal, accounting, tax, IT, operations) and hold them accountable to timelines and quality.
• Manage lender and co-investor relationships, including process management.

Portfolio value creation & governance

• Partner with portfolio company CEOs and CSC’s operating leaders to design and oversee 100-day and multi-year value-creation plans.
• Focus on levers such as assortment and merchandising, channel strategy, pricing and promotion, digital/customer acquisition, supply chain efficiency, and store fleet optimization.
• Work with CSC’s technology and AI teams to embed automation and analytics into portfolio operations, creating repeatable playbooks.
• Serve as a board member or observer on select portfolio companies, ensuring disciplined governance, KPI tracking, and strategic focus.
• Lead evaluation and execution of add-on acquisitions and strategic partnerships for portfolio brands.

Team leadership & firm building

• Manage and develop deal team members; set expectations on work quality, modeling, and communication.
• Help refine CSC’s investment processes, standards, and toolkits so the platform scales efficiently.
• Contribute to firm-level priorities, including capital raising support (data room prep, case studies, select LP interactions) and relationships with key financing partners.

What you bring:

• 8–12 years total experience in investing and/or transaction-oriented roles, including:
• Significant time in private equity, special situations, or distressed investing; and
• Prior background in investment banking, restructuring advisory, or top-tier strategy consulting.
• Proven track record as a deal lead on multiple closed transactions (buyouts, corporate carve-outs, distressed or special-situations deals).
• Demonstrated experience driving portfolio value creation — not just closing deals — ideally in consumer, retail, or ecommerce businesses.
• Experience working with middle-market companies and complex situations (multi-brand platforms, cross-border operations, operational turnarounds).

Skills & capabilities

• Expert financial and transaction skills: LBO modeling, capital structure optimization, credit documentation, and risk/return framing.
• Strong command of operational drivers in consumer and retail (traffic, conversion, AOV, merchandising economics, inventory turns, store productivity, customer acquisition costs, etc.).
• Comfortable translating data and analytics into clear operational priorities and action plans.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to influence C-level executives and present to investment committees and boards.

Leadership & cultural fit

• Builder mentality: excited to help shape the investment function of a fast-growing holding company rather than slot into a rigid mega-fund hierarchy.
• Hands-on, sleeves-rolled-up approach consistent with operationally focused PE firms: willing to spend time in distribution centers, stores, and with on-the-ground teams when needed.
• Low ego, high ownership, and strong coaching instincts with junior team members.
• High tolerance for complexity, speed, and ambiguity; energized by special situations and turnarounds.
• Willingness to travel regularly to portfolio companies, partners, and key markets.

What’s in it for you? Joining CSC Generation isn’t just about having a seat at the table—it’s about helping redesign the table entirely. You’ll be challenged, stretched, and supported as you grow faster than you thought possible. In addition to competitive compensation, we offer:

• Executive Access: Work directly with brand CEOs and senior leadership, solving real business problems and earning mentorship from top operators.
• AI-First Skill Building: Get hands-on with the most advanced AI tools in the market. From automation to prompt engineering, you’ll build a modern tech stack that sets you apart in any industry.
• Accelerated Career Path: High performers are quickly entrusted with greater responsibility, new challenges, and leadership opportunities across our portfolio of brands.
• Competitive benefits: Paid time off policies, 401(k)/RRSP match, medical/dental/vision and a variety of supplemental policies, and employee discounts at our portfolio companies.

Our interview process:

• 📞 Step 1: If you align with our vision and meet the qualifications, we’ll reach out to schedule a conversation and introduce CSC.
• 🧠 Step 2: You’ll complete a short AI or product-building challenge so we can understand how you approach problems and execution.
• 💬 Step 3: Participate in deep-dive interviews with CSC leadership focused on your experience, product mindset, and operational thinking.
• 📩 Step 4: Offer. We’ll move fast for the right candidate.

The CSC family of brands provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, provincial, state or local laws.

The CSC family of brands is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact hrbenefits@cscshared.com.