Senior Associate - FDD (Financial Due Diligence)

DPO&Co. - DPO Consulting and Investing, LLC; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mentorship from senior professionals

Fast track to becoming a trusted advisor

Job summary

A boutique M&A consulting firm located in Chicago seeks a Financial Diligence professional with significant experience in financial analysis and accounting. You will lead deal engagements while managing and mentoring junior team members. Ideal candidates should have a relevant bachelor's degree and 3-6 years of experience in financial diligence or audit. The firm offers a culture focused on integrity, collaboration, and rapid career advancement in a high-growth environment.

Qualifications

• 3–6 years of experience in financial diligence, audit, FP&A, or PE portfolio operations.
• Strong understanding of financial statements and M&A accounting principles.
• Comfortable managing ambiguity and multiple deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Lead small financial diligence engagements and contribute to larger projects.
• Review analyses prepared by junior staff for accuracy and clarity.
• Synthesize findings into client-ready deliverables.

Skills

US GAAP

Financial diligence

Interpersonal skills

Excel

Writing skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field

CPA, CA, or CFA preferred or in progress

Tools

QuickBooks

Sage

NetSuite

SAP

Oracle

Power BI

Alteryx

Job description

Overview

DPO&Co is a boutique M&A consulting and private investing firm serving private equity sponsors and founder-led businesses across the deal lifecycle. With deep experience in FDD, strategic advisory, portco operations, and fractional finance leadership, we think and act like investors—because we are. With a global delivery footprint and track record across 220+ projects and 80+ PE firms, we offer unmatched hands-on learning and impact.

Why This Role Is Unique

Most firms put you in a silo — operations, finance & accounting, or strategy. You will own all these at DPO&Co, where you’ll:

• Independently lead workstreams on deals from $10M to $400M EV, serving as the primary driver for assigned areas of financial due diligence
• Directly manage Analysts and Senior Analysts, providing guidance, oversight, and feedback to ensure quality and timely deliverables
• Serve as primary point of contact for specific diligence areas, interacting regularly with clients, management teams, and private equity sponsors
• Engage with clients and PE deal teams to deliver actionable insights, influencing deal terms and strategic decisions
• Contribute to business development and proposal efforts, including drafting scopes of work, pricing, and pitch materials
• Serve as interim finance leadership (e.g., Assistant Controller, FP&A lead) during integrations, standups, and standalone CFO Services engagements
• Gain exposure to tax diligence, purchase accounting, post-close reconciliations, and more
• Assist in executing and leading strategy and operations consulting engagements
• Join a lean team where your voice matters and your development is prioritized

What You’ll Do

• Lead small FDD and other engagements, and be a key contributor on larger, more complex projects
• Review and refine analyses prepared by junior staff, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and clarity in all work products
• Synthesize financial findings into client-ready deliverables, presenting clear narratives supported by rigorous analysis
• Manage client and target communications, responding promptly to requests and proactively addressing issues
• Assist in scoping and budgeting new engagements, providing input based on prior experience and understanding of client needs
• Collaborate with legal counsel on purchase agreements; provide inputs for earnouts, TSAs, etc.
• Build or review LBO models and valuation bridges to support client negotiations and IC materials
• Lead and execute in post-close activities, including opening balance sheet setup, ASC 805 entries, and reporting processes

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s (Master’s preferred) degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; CPA, CA, or CFA preferred or in progress
• 3–6 years of experience in financial diligence, audit, FP&A, or PE portfolio operations
• Strong understanding of US GAAP, IFRS, financial statements, and M&A accounting principles
• Familiarity with PE-style diligence, EBITDA bridges, and transaction structuring
• Experience with ERP systems such as QuickBooks, Sage, NetSuite, SAP, Oracle
• Proficient in Excel and other MS Office tools; Power BI or Alteryx experience is a plus
• Comfortable managing ambiguity and multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Strong interpersonal and writing skills; able to communicate clearly with clients and team members

What You’ll Gain

• A fast track to becoming a trusted advisor to PE firms and operators
• Cross-functional exposure that’s rare in traditional accounting or advisory firms
• Mentorship from senior professionals who have been in your shoes
• A culture built on integrity, collaboration, and a PE owner's mindset
• The chance to help shape a high-growth, entrepreneurial firm

At DPO&Co, you won’t just work on deals—you’ll help shape them, execute them, and lead what comes next. Apply now!