Business Development Associate
Business Development Associate (Private Equity) - Chicago, Illinois
A leading Private Equity firm is seeking a Business Development Associate to join its growing team. This firm invests in lower‑middle‑market companies and employs a thematic, research‑driven sourcing strategy. The organization offers a collaborative, high‑performance environment with significant exposure to senior investors and operators.
The Business Development Associate will be responsible for:
Identifying and engaging founders, executives, and operators at businesses that align with the firm's investment strategy.
Conducting direct outreach to business owners using email, LinkedIn, phone, and industry events to generate proprietary deal flow.
Developing and maintaining long‑tail market coverage across assigned industry segments.
Performing market research, segment mapping, and industry analysis to support thematic sourcing efforts.
Qualifying new opportunities and coordinating introductory discussions with members of the investment team.
Supporting add‑on acquisition sourcing across the portfolio.
Assisting with early‑stage diligence through expert outreach and preliminary industry insight gathering.
The Business Development Associate should have:
0-3 years of experience in private equity sourcing, sales, or other outbound business development roles.
Strong initiative, competitiveness, and a willingness to run a high‑volume, targeted outreach process.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Intellectual curiosity about business models, industry dynamics, and market trends.
Strong organizational skills and familiarity with CRM workflows.
Proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint; experience with sourcing or research tools is a plus.
Bachelor's degree with strong academic and professional performance.
The role is based in a major U.S. city and requires regular in‑office collaboration.
Ideal for individuals seeking long‑term growth in private equity business development.
Candidates must be comfortable with direct outreach and relationship‑building at scale.
The firm offers competitive compensation aligned with market standards.
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