Business Development Associate

East 57th Street Partners; Fort Worth, Arlington, Dallas (TX, TX, TX); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Direct exposure to live transactions

Clear path for career advancement

Collaborative culture with mentorship

Job summary

A Dallas-based private equity firm is seeking a Business Development Associate who will support deal sourcing and acquisition analysis. The candidate will manage relationships with business owners and intermediaries, conduct opportunity screening, and assist in negotiations. This role offers direct exposure to senior investment professionals and a clear path for career advancement within the firm. The ideal candidate is driven, detail-oriented, and possesses strong financial acumen.

Qualifications

• 1–4 years of experience in private equity or investment banking.
• Ability to interpret financial statements and assess business performance.
• Detail-oriented and capable of managing multiple opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Source new investment opportunities through outreach and market research.
• Analyze financial statements and prepare investment summaries.
• Support negotiations and coordinate with internal teams.

Skills

Strong financial acumen

Excellent communication skills

Organizational skills

Entrepreneurial mindset

Education

Bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, accounting, or business

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

Job Title

Business Development Associate

Compensation

Competitive Base Salary + Performance Bonus + Deal-Based Incentives

Overview

A Dallas-based private equity firm is seeking a Business Development Associate to support deal sourcing, acquisition analysis, and transaction qualification across its investment platform. This individual will play a critical role in identifying new investment opportunities, managing relationships with intermediaries and founders, and supporting early-stage deal evaluation and negotiations.

The ideal candidate is highly motivated, commercially minded, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced, relationship-driven environment. This role offers direct exposure to senior investment professionals, active participation in transaction execution, and a clear path for advancement within the firm.

Key Responsibilities

Deal Sourcing & Origination

• Proactively source new investment opportunities through outbound outreach, relationship development, and market research.
• Build and maintain relationships with business owners, founders, investment bankers, brokers, and other deal intermediaries.
• Manage inbound deal flow, ensuring timely follow-up and effective communication with potential sellers and advisors.
• Support the firm’s proprietary sourcing initiatives and outbound origination campaigns.

Acquisition Analysis & Deal Qualification

• Conduct initial screening and qualification of acquisition opportunities.
• Analyze financial statements, operating metrics, and industry dynamics to assess investment fit.
• Prepare high-level investment summaries, teasers, and preliminary valuation assessments.
• Assist in developing investment theses and evaluating strategic alignment with the firm’s platform and portfolio.

Transaction Support & Negotiations

• Support senior team members through early-stage negotiations and deal structuring discussions.
• Participate in management calls, site visits, and diligence planning activities.
• Coordinate with internal investment, operations, and finance teams during deal evaluation.
• Help track deal progress and manage CRM and pipeline reporting.
• Serve as a key point of contact for prospective sellers during early engagement phases.
• Monitor market trends, competitive dynamics, and acquisition activity within target industries.
• Provide ongoing market intelligence to the investment team to inform sourcing strategy.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; finance, economics, accounting, or business preferred.
• 1–4 years of experience in private equity, investment banking, corporate development, transaction advisory, or business development within financial services.
• Strong financial acumen with the ability to interpret financial statements and assess business performance.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; comfortable engaging directly with business owners and intermediaries.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple active opportunities simultaneously.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a strong desire to learn and grow within a private equity environment.

Preferred Experience

• Prior experience in deal sourcing, origination, or transaction screening.
• Exposure to lower‑middle‑market or middle‑market private equity transactions.
• Experience working with CRM systems and deal-tracking tools.
• Familiarity with M&A processes, LOIs, and early-stage diligence.

Why This Role

• Direct exposure to live transactions and senior decision‑makers.
• Hands‑on involvement across the full deal lifecycle—from sourcing to close.
• Clear path for career advancement within the investment team.
• Opportunity to build a strong personal deal network in the DFW market.
• Collaborative, entrepreneurial culture with strong mentorship.

Seniority level

• Mid‑Senior level

Employment type

• Full‑time

Job function

• Accounting / Auditing, Finance, and Strategy / Planning

Industries

• Business Consulting and Services, Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals, and Financial Services

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