Associate

Founders-Advisors-LLC; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Founders Advisors seeks an Associate to join its Consumer team, advising founder- and family-owned businesses on sell-side and buy-side M&A across consumer services, multi-unit restaurants, and retail. The role progresses toward leading live deals and serving as the primary client, buyer, and investor liaison.

You will build and review financial models, create marketing materials, and coordinate diligence, while mentoring Analysts and collaborating with senior bankers to shape deal strategy and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 4–6 years of investment banking experience.
• Demonstrated experience serving as a deal quarterback or execution lead.
• Strong interpersonal and client-facing skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High attention to detail, strong judgment, and a service-oriented mindset.

Responsibilities

• Take on growing responsibility for day-to-day execution on live sell-side and buy-side engagements, working with senior bankers to develop into the deal quarterback role.
• Build and maintain financial models and valuation analyses (DCF, precedent transactions, comps, LBO) to support deal positioning.
• Develop marketing materials (teasers, CIMs, management presentations, pitch materials).
• Support buyer and investor outreach, tracking engagement and coordinating first-round meetings.
• Help manage virtual data rooms and the diligence process, including Q&A sessions.
• Mentor Analysts and coordinate team workflow, while partnering with senior bankers on strategy and client messaging.

Skills

Financial modeling

Valuation

Client-facing

Project management

Team management

Attention to detail

Communication

Deal execution

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Role OverviewFounders Advisors is seeking an Associate to join its Consumer team, advising founder- and family-owned businesses across consumer services, multi-unit restaurant and retail, and consumer goods on sell-side M&A. This is a client-facing role for a banker who has moved beyond pure modeling and analysis and is ready to grow into greater ownership of live deals — working closely with senior bankers, taking on increasing responsibility for workstreams and analyst oversight, and developing into the primary link between clients, buyers, and investors.Under the guidance of senior bankers, you will build toward running point on marketing materials, valuation work, buyer and investor outreach, and diligence coordination, while ensuring the work product delivered to clients reflects the quality and care Founders Advisors is known for.Key ResponsibilitiesTake on growing responsibility for day-to-day execution on live sell-side and buy-side engagements, working alongside senior bankers to develop into the deal quarterback role over timeBuild and maintain financial models and valuation analyses — including DCF, precedent transaction, trading comparable, and LBO analyses — to support deal positioning and negotiationsContribute to and help direct the development of marketing materials, including teasers, confidential information memoranda (CIMs), management presentations, and new-business pitch materialsSupport buyer and investor outreach, including tracking engagement, helping coordinate first-round meetings, and maintaining process trackersHelp manage virtual data rooms and the diligence process, including document organization, buyer Q&A, and coordination of management diligence sessionsServe as a client-facing point of contact on execution matters, translating financial, commercial, and operational detail into clear, decision-ready analysisBegin mentoring and reviewing the work of Analysts, building toward fuller oversight of their work product as your experience growsPartner closely with senior bankers (Vice Presidents, Directors, and Partners) to learn and help shape deal strategy, process design, and client messagingBuild sector knowledge and help maintain supporting materials — industry overviews, precedent transaction trackers, and market trend analysis — for the Consumer teamQualifications & ExperienceBachelor’s degree required4–6 years of investment banking experience, with some exposure to industrials transactions preferred but not requiredDemonstrated experience serving as a deal quarterback, execution lead, or project managerStrong interpersonal skills, especially in client-facing situationsStrong technical skills in financial modeling, valuation, and transaction executionProven ability to manage teams, timelines, and competing prioritiesExcellent written and verbal communication skillsHigh attention to detail, strong judgment, and a service-oriented mindset