2-Year Associate, Direct Lending (Summer 2027)

1P284 THE CARLYLE GROUP EMPLOYEE CO., LLC; New York (NY); On-site; USD 135,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits

Annual discretionary incentive

Retirement benefits

Paid time off

Job summary

The Carlyle Group seeks an Associate, Direct Lending, to join our Global Credit team in New York. The role supports the investment lifecycle, including underwriting, structuring, and monitoring a diverse portfolio.

You will work within deal teams and leverage AI technologies to improve diligence and execution while delivering rigorous analysis. Ideal candidates have 2–3 years in credit investing or sponsor-backed finance, strong financial modeling skills, and a BA/BS in finance, economics, or

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution required.
• Degree in finance, economics, accounting, or related field preferred.
• 2–3 years of experience in direct lending, leveraged finance, or credit investing; sponsor-backed transactions preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support underwriting and structuring of direct lending transactions.
• Develop investment memoranda and presentation materials for credit committee review.
• Perform financial modeling, cash flow projections, and downside analyses.
• Contribute to portfolio monitoring, covenant tracking, and reporting.
• Assist in legal documentation and deal execution workflows.
• Leverage AI tools to streamline diligence and deal execution.

Skills

Financial modeling

Valuation

Analytical thinking

Deal execution

AI solutions familiarity

Education

Bachelor's degree in finance/economics/accounting

Job description

Global Credit Overview:

Our Global Credit segment is a multi-product, markets-focused investment platform. Established in 1999 with our first high yield fund, Global Credit currently operates 150 active vehicles across its four business segments, Liquid Credit, Private Credit, Real Assets Credit, and Asset-Backed Finance. As of June 30, 2026, Carlyle’s Global Credit platform has over 215 investment professionals and ~$211 billion in AUM. Carlyle’s Direct Lending strategy focuses on originating senior secured loans to U.S. and European companies. These borrowers are predominantly sponsor backed, though the platform has the scale and ability to provide financing to non-sponsored borrowers as well. As of June 30, 2026, Carlyle’s Direct Lending strategy has approximately $14 billion of assets under management primarily across two business development companies (“BDC’s”), two evergreen open-ended private funds (Carlyle Direct Lending Fund & Carlyle European Direct Lending), as well as a variety of rated structures and separately managed accounts.

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 Education Requirements & Certificates

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution required

Degree in finance, economics, accounting, or a related field preferred

Professional Experience

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.

Who We Are

When people, ideas, and capital come together, opportunity expands across private markets. At Carlyle, this belief has shaped how we invest for decades, fueling growth for companies and delivering performance for investors. Visit our website to learn more about our firm and the ways our platform is shaping private markets.

About Us

The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) is a global investment firm with $485 billion of assets under management, across 678 investment vehicles as of June 30, 2026. Founded in 1987 in Washington, DC, Carlyle has grown into one of the world's largest and most successful investment firms, with more than 2,500 professionals operating in 28 offices in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. Carlyle’s purpose is to connect people, ideas, and capital to fuel growth for companies and performance for investors, which range from public and private pension funds to wealthy individuals and families to sovereign wealth funds, unions and corporations. Carlyle invests across three segments – Global Private Equity, Global Credit and Carlyle AlpInvest – and has deep expertise across industries, markets, and geographies. At Carlyle, we believe that a wide spectrum of experiences and viewpoints drives performance and success. Our CEO, Harvey Schwartz, has stated that, "To build better businesses and create value for all of our stakeholders, we are focused on assembling leadership teams with the strongest insights from a range of perspectives." Reflecting this view, emphasis is placed on development, retention and inclusion through our internal processes and seven Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). We cultivate a culture where ideas are openly shared and challenged, connecting diverse expertise and perspectives to drive enduring value.