Delivering Fund-to-Portfolio Hiring for a Global Private Equity Firm

Key takeaways

• Delivered 15 placements across fund and portfolio mandates within 12 months for a private equity firm, supporting investment execution and portfolio value creation
• Managed eight concurrent searches across investment, operations, investor relations, and technical functions as an exclusive search partner
• Provided qualified shortlists within an average of 14 days, enabling consistent hiring momentum across multiple workstreams

The challenge

A private equity firm required a single search partner to support hiring across both the fund and multiple portfolio companies.

At fund level, the firm needed investment professionals from associate through to managing director level, alongside portfolio operations and value creation specialists, and investor relations and fundraising hires.

Across the portfolio, hiring demand extended to engineering, data, cloud, and IT roles to support operational improvement, digital transformation, and growth initiatives.

The firm sought a partner with extensive private equity knowledge and the ability to manage multiple concurrent searches across investment and technical disciplines – all while maintaining consistency, pace, and candidate quality.

The solution

Selby Jennings implemented a coordinated hiring program designed to support fund-level growth and portfolio expansion simultaneously.

Rather than treating mandates independently, we structured delivery around the firm’s broader investment strategy. Dedicated consultants covered investment and investor relations hiring at fund level, while specialist teams focused on operational and technical mandates across portfolio companies.

This structure enabled us to:

• Coordinate eight concurrent searches across functions and seniority levels
• Deliver qualified shortlists within an average of 14 days
• Maintain consistent assessment standards across investment and technical hiring
• Provide market insight to inform workforce planning and compensation positioning

By aligning hiring processes to fund objectives and portfolio growth milestones, we created a scalable and repeatable search model.

The results

Within 12 months, Selby Jennings secured 15 placements across fund-level and portfolio mandates.

At fund level, the firm strengthened its investment, portfolio operations, and investor relations capability with hires aligned to its sector focus and fundraising strategy. Across the portfolio, engineering, data, cloud, and IT placements supported operational improvements and technology-led value creation initiatives.

Despite managing up to eight concurrent searches at peak demand, delivery remained consistent. The firm benefited from a streamlined hiring structure, reduced reliance on multiple search providers, and a unified approach to talent acquisition.

As a result, the private equity firm strengthened internal capability across fund and portfolio, supporting long-term performance and value growth.

Summary

For private equity firms, securing the right talent across fund and portfolio is central to delivering on investment strategy, and directly impacts execution and returns.

Selby Jennings partners with private equity clients to deliver targeted talent solutions across investment, operations, investor relations, and portfolio technology functions. By aligning hiring to investment strategy and growth plans, we help firms place the right people in the right roles at the right time.