Investment Banking Associate | Business Services

US.020 Houlihan Lokey Financial Advisors, Inc.; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Job summary

Houlihan Lokey in Los Angeles, CA, seeks an Associate in Corporate Finance to support M&A transactions with financial modeling, marketing materials, and analyses as part of a four-person deal team.

The role requires 3+ years of investment banking experience, advanced accounting/finance knowledge, and excellent communication skills; competitive compensation and benefits are offered.

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of accounting and finance.
• 3+ years of Investment Banking experience.
• Undergraduate degree.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, analyze, and explain historical and projected financial information.
• Coordinate and perform business due diligence and execute M&A transactions.
• Prepare marketing materials, confidential information presentations, management presentations, and other presentations as needed.
• Perform valuation and ad hoc financial analyses.
• Assist in the marketing and execution of existing engagements.
• Build relationships and maintain direct contact with clients, prospective clients, and professional advisors.
• Communicate effectively with all members of the team, including supervision and mentoring of junior staff members.

Skills

Advanced knowledge of accounting and 0

Education

Undergraduate degree

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Job description

Business Unit: Corporate Finance Industry: Business Services 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.

Corporate Finance

Houlihan Lokey has extensive expertise in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, activist shareholder and takeover defense, and other related advisory services for a broad range of U.S. and international clients. Our experience in M&A has earned us consistent recognition throughout the industry. In 2025, LSEG ranked our firm the No. 1 investment bank for all global M&A transactions.

Business Services

Houlihan Lokey’s Business Services Group offers M&A advisory, capital raising, valuation, and corporate restructurings to public and private companies. We work with companies providing professional and technology-related services across a number of end markets and regularly collaborate with other Houlihan Lokey industry and product groups to bring the highest level of knowledge, services, and relationships to our clients. Our team covers a broad array of sectors, with bankers dedicated to each of our primary coverage areas. We maintain deep, senior-level relationships with major strategic and financial buyers of professional and technology-related services companies, as well as large, public, and private company thought leaders within the industry. As one of the leading M&A advisors in our sector, we help open doors to opportunities—whether our clients are seeking a strategic or financial partner in a change-of-control or minority-investment transaction.

Job Description

Associates are primarily responsible for the creation and oversight of financial models, marketing materials, internal and external presentations, as well as performing research and various analyses in support of new business generation and the execution of M&A transactions. Associates are afforded meaningful responsibility and are generally members of four-person deal teams, comprising a Managing Director, Vice President, Associate, and Financial Analyst. The Business Services team has particularly strong sector practices in the areas of Environmental Services, Training & Education, Transportation & Logistics, Marketing Services, IT Services, BPO Services, Information Services, Engineering & Construction, Testing, Inspection & Certification, and Rental Service.

As part of our team, you will:

• Prepare, analyze, and explain historical and projected financial information
• Coordinate and perform business due diligence and execute M&A transactions
• Prepare marketing materials, confidential information presentations, management presentations, and other presentations as needed
• Perform valuation and ad hoc financial analyses
• Assist in the marketing and execution of existing engagements
• Build relationships and maintain direct contact with clients, prospective clients, and professional advisors
• Communicate effectively with all members of the team, including the supervision and mentoring of junior staff members

The environment at Houlihan Lokey is both collegial and entrepreneurial. Teamwork is essential to the firm’s success. At the same time, creativity and new ideas are encouraged. Associates are given substantial responsibility and are encouraged to help us grow our business.

Basic Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of accounting and finance
• Undergraduate degree
• 3+ years of Investment Banking experience
• Strong analytical/technical and qualitative abilities

Preferred Qualifications

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong financial and computer skills (Excel, Word and PowerPoint)
• Excellent public speaking and presentation skills
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple project deliverables simultaneously
• Extensive operational financial modeling and valuation experience
• Hands-on M&A experience
• Transaction experience in Business Services is a plus

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: $175,000 - $225,000 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.

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.