Associate – Financial Sponsor Coverage Group

Houlihan Lokey; New York (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Houlihan Lokey is seeking an Associate to support New York-based Senior Coverage Officers within the Financial Sponsors Coverage Group. You will drive coverage initiatives, portfolio reviews, and marketing efforts, with a path toward client-facing origination.

You will collaborate across firm product groups and industry teams to deliver comprehensive advisory solutions and cultivate long-term sponsor relationships.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree with academic distinction.
• At least three years of professional working experience in investment banking, corporate development, or consulting preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and analytical capabilities.
• Exceptional work ethic and a high-impact, low-ego personality.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and hit deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Comfort working with AI tools to streamline workflows and boost productivity.
• Demonstrated ability to think independently and act entrepreneurially.
• Structured approach to origination and business development; experience in account management or relationship development is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Assist Senior Coverage Officers in advising sponsor clients on complex M&A, financing, and capital structures, coordinating Houlihan Lokey’s services.
• Prepare ad hoc reports, analyses, and marketing materials to support origination efforts.
• Collaborate with product groups (Capital Solutions) and industry bankers nationwide to deliver high-quality advisory services.
• Contribute to a culture of collaboration, high performance, and integrity.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Analytical skills

Work ethic

Collaboration

Time management

AI tools experience

Independent thinking

Origination / business development

Stakeholder interaction

Entrepreneurial mindset

Maturity and presence

Education

Undergraduate degree with academic distinction

Tools

AI tools

Job description

Business Unit:

Financial Sponsor Coverage Group

Industry:

No Industry

Overview

Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (NYSE:HLI) is a leading global investment bank recognized for delivering independent strategic and financial advice to corporations, financial sponsors, and governments. With uniquely deep industry expertise, broad international reach, and a partnership approach rooted in trust, the firm provides innovative, integrated solutions across mergers and acquisitions, capital solutions, financial restructuring, and financial and valuation advisory. Our unmatched transaction volumes provide differentiated, data-driven perspectives that help our clients achieve their most critical goals. To learn more about Houlihan Lokey, please visit HL.com.

Scope:

Houlihan Lokey’s Financial Sponsors Coverage Group (FSCG) is one of the broadest and deepest in the world, with 31 senior bankers dedicated to the sponsors community. Our international team provides coverage to more than 1,900 firms across the financial sponsor landscape, located in the United States, Europe and elsewhere. The group’s mandate is to provide best-in-class advice to private equity firms, credit funds and other sources of alternative capital on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, valuations and capital structures.

The Opportunity:

Houlihan Lokey is seeking an Associate to support our New York-based Senior Coverage Officers within the Financial Sponsors Coverage Group. In this role, you will drive key coverage initiatives, including portfolio reviews, firmwide marketing efforts, and ultimately new business origination. Additionally, you will collaborate closely with product and industry groups across our firm to deliver comprehensive solutions. This a dynamic role with upward mobility; over time, the role is designed to become increasingly client-facing, with a strong focus on business development and cultivating long-term sponsor relationships.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist Senior Coverage Officers in advising sponsor clients on complex M&A, financing, and capital structures, and help coordinate the full suite of Houlihan Lokey’s services

• Prepare ad hoc reports, analyses, and marketing materials to support Coverage Officers and the firm’s origination efforts

• Collaborate closely with Houlihan Lokey’s product groups – specifically Capital Solutions (including debt & equity financings) – and industry sector bankers nationwide to deliver seamless, high-quality advisory services to clients

• Embody and promote a culture of collaboration, high performance, and integrity

Prerequisites

• An undergraduate degree with academic distinction

• At least three years of professional working experience. Relevant experience in fields like investment banking, corporate development, or consulting are preferred.

Qualifications

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Strong interpersonal skills

• Strong analytical capabilities and financial acumen

• Exceptional work ethic

• A high-impact, low-ego personality with a natural talent for collaboration

• The ability to manage multiple projects and hit deadlines in a highly organized manner

• Comfort working with AI tools to streamline workflows and boost daily productivity

• A very high degree of intellectual curiosity and the ability to think independently in a fast-paced environment

• A structured and rigorous approach to origination and business development; ideally direct experience in account management or relationship development

• Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with all levels of staff

• Maturity and presence to interact effectively with Private Equity funds and HL stakeholders

• Ability to grow our business and act entrepreneurially

• Ability to integrate smoothly into Houlihan Lokey’s culture, characterized by collaboration, entrepreneurship, and excellence

Compensation and Benefits

Houlihan Lokey is committed to providing its employees with an exciting career opportunity and competitive total compensation package, which may include other components such as discretionary incentive compensation. The firm’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the possible salary range for this role at the time of posting is:

$150,000-$175,000

Actual salary at the time of hire may vary and may be above or below the range based on various factors, including, but not limited to, the candidate’s relevant qualifications, skills, and experience and the location where this position may be filled.

Houlihan Lokey provides a competitive benefits package. Our current benefits offerings can be found here:

2026 Benefits

_ We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. _

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