Director of Business Development

Career Opportunities at Sagard; California, New York, Newport Beach, Denver (MO, NY, CA, NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dynamic and innovative firm as the Director of Business Development, where you will play a pivotal role in expanding the private credit business. In this high-impact position, you will leverage your extensive experience and strong market connections to identify and cultivate relationships that drive deal origination. Collaborate with senior leadership to refine strategies and enhance visibility within the market. This role offers the opportunity to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment that values diversity and excellence. If you are a motivated self-starter with a passion for private credit, this is your chance to make a significant impact.

Qualifications

• 8–12+ years in private credit or investment banking required.
• Strong network and knowledge of private credit products essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead efforts to originate new credit investment opportunities.
• Develop relationships with private equity sponsors and advisors.
• Monitor market trends to inform sourcing strategy.

Skills

Private Credit Knowledge

Relationship Management

Deal Origination

Strategic Thinking

Market Analysis

Education

Bachelor's Degree

MBA or equivalent

Tools

CRM Tools

Job description

Sagard overview:

Sagard Holdings (“Sagard”) is a multi-strategy alternative asset manager with professionals located in Canada (Montreal, Toronto), the US, Europe and Asia. Since 2016, Sagard has grown exponentially. Assets under management have expanded from US$500M to more than US$27B and Sagard’s team of diverse professionals has grown from 50 to more than 400 team members.

Sagard invests across four asset classes: private equity, credit, real estate, and venture capital. Sagard was founded by Power Corporation of Canada as a complement to its global investment holdings and serves as one of its key strategic priorities with strong, long-term growth objectives.

Sagard’s entrepreneurial DNA is palpable across our entire team and is a platform built by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs. Sagard looks to generate attractive returns by matching investment opportunities with flexible capital solutions and pairing entrepreneurs with teams that have deep industry knowledge. Sagard develops long-term partnerships and empowers the growth of its investments through a unique global network of portfolio companies, limited partners, advisors, and other valued relationships.

Sagard is a UN PRI signatory and strives to measure and assess the social and economic impact it has on the people and businesses within our network, as well as on our society as a whole.

The Director of Business Development will play a key role in growing Sagard’s private credit business. This individual will be responsible for expanding the firm's direct lending and private credit investment pipeline by identifying, initiating, and cultivating relationships with financial sponsors, advisors, intermediaries, and borrowers across the United States.

Reporting to the Head of Business development, this is a high-impact, externally facing role that requires strong market connectivity, strong understanding of private credit products, and the strategic mindset to align sourcing activities with the firm’s investment objectives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Deal Origination & Relationship Management
• Lead and manage the firm’s efforts to originate new credit investment opportunities with a focus on middle market and lower-middle market transactions.
• Develop and maintain deep, trusted relationships with private equity sponsors, investment bankers, advisors, consultants, and corporate borrowers.
• Represent the firm at industry conferences, sponsor meetings, and networking events to enhance visibility and deal flow.
• Strategic Market Development
• Identify new sectors, sponsor relationships, and channels to increase deal origination volume and diversity.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to refine the go-to-market approach based on evolving market conditions and firm capabilities.
• Serve as a front-line filter for new deal opportunities—screening leads, and conducting initial qualification.
• Track pipeline progress using CRM tools and deliver regular updates on activity metrics, relationship coverage, and market feedback.
• Coordinate with internal investment teams to transition opportunities through underwriting, diligence, and execution phases.
• Monitor and communicate market trends in credit, sponsor activity, and macroeconomic conditions to inform sourcing strategy.
• Provide feedback to the investment team on shifting market sentiment, deal structures, and pricing dynamics.

Experience and Qualifications:

• 8–12+ years of experience in private credit, direct lending, leveraged finance, investment banking, private equity or other transactional settings.
• Demonstrated success in originating private credit transactions.
• Strong network among private equity firms, intermediaries, and corporate finance advisors.
• Strong knowledge of private credit products, capital structures, and credit underwriting fundamentals.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with a track record of cultivating long-term institutional relationships.
• Commercially minded with the ability to think strategically and align origination efforts with broader portfolio construction goals.
• Proven experience working in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment with high standards for execution and accountability.

Personal Attributes

• Highly motivated, self-starter with a “hunter” mentality and entrepreneurial spirit.
• Polished communicator, comfortable engaging with senior stakeholders both internally and externally.
• Team-oriented and collaborative, with a low-ego, high-performance mindset.
• Intellectually curious, with a passion for markets and a deep interest in middle-market private capital solutions.

Join Sagard and become part of a collaborative, entrepreneurial culture that values diversity, innovation, and excellence.