2-Year Associate, Direct Lending (Summer 2026)

Position Summary
The Associate, Direct Lending, will play a central role on Carlyle's Global Credit team, supporting all aspects of the investment lifecycle. This two-year program is designed for professionals with foundational experience in credit investing or sponsor-backed finance who are looking to deepen their expertise in middle-market direct lending. Associates are embedded within deal teams and contribute meaningfully to underwriting, structuring, and managing a diverse portfolio of credit investments. The position offers exposure to a range of sectors and investment structures, all within a collaborative, high-performing environment where judgment, initiative, and analytical rigor are valued.

This role will leverage AI technologies to streamline operations, enhance decision-making, and drive execution of key responsibilities with greater efficiency and impact. While AI is a powerful enabler, it does not replace strategic thinking; human insight and judgment will remain essential.

Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct industry research and competitive analysis to support investment decisions
• Build and maintain detailed financial models, including cash flow projections and downside scenarios
• Develop investment memoranda and presentation materials for credit committee review
• Participate in underwriting new transactions, including initial screening, structuring, and term sheet development
• Support legal documentation and transaction execution processes
• Perform ongoing portfolio monitoring, including covenant compliance, performance tracking, and reporting
• Contribute to internal valuation processes and periodic portfolio reviews,
• Support investor-related activities such as fundraising, marketing materials, and data requests
• Prepare sector updates and sponsor coverage materials
• Generate benchmarking and comparable analysis to inform credit structuring
• Draft and refine pipeline summaries and meeting notes for internal use
• Extract insights from third-party data sources and summarize trends for deal teams

Many of the responsibilities may be supported through the use of AI technologies, allowing greater focus on the following strategic areas:

• Deepening thematic insights across core sectors through collaborative research
• Enhancing credit structuring practices with data-informed refinements
• Strengthening sponsor relationships through proactive engagement and tailored insights
• Driving thought leadership within the direct lending strategy

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution required
• Degree in finance, economics, accounting, or a related field preferred
• 2 to 3 years of experience in direct lending, leveraged finance, restructuring, credit investing, or M&A
• Prior exposure to sponsor-backed transactions strongly preferred
• Solid financial modeling and valuation skills
• Exceptional analytical capabilities with demonstrated attention to detail
• Ability to manage competing priorities and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Familiarity with AI solutions that streamline diligence or deal execution workflows is advantageous

Benefits/Compensation
The compensation range for this role is specific to New York, and takes into account a wide range of factors including but not limited to the skill sets required/preferred; prior experience and training; licenses and/or certifications.

The anticipated base salary range for this role is $150,000.

In addition to the base salary, the hired professional will enjoy a comprehensive benefits package spanning retirement benefits, health insurance, life insurance and disability, paid time off, paid holidays, family planning benefits and various wellness programs. Additionally, the hired professional may also be eligible to participate in an annual discretionary incentive program, the award of which will be dependent on various factors, including, without limitation, individual and organizational performance.

Due to the high volume of candidates, please be advised that only candidates selected to interview will be contacted by Carlyle.