Senior Associate - Private Equity

Lumina Search Group; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Lumina Search Group is seeking a Senior Associate for its Los Angeles-based private equity team. The role covers the full investment lifecycle, from deal execution to portfolio oversight, with a lean, entrepreneurial environment and high responsibility from day one.

You will build and lead financial models (including LBOs), conduct diligence, and draft memos. Collaboration with senior professionals and portfolio management is essential to drive value creation.

Qualifications

• 4-6 years of combined investment banking and private equity experience.
• At least 2 years at a PE firm.
• Hands-on experience on 2+ closed buyout transactions, ideally in the lower or core middle market.
• Expert financial modeling and valuation skills, built from scratch.
• Clear, concise writing and the ability to present to investment committee and management teams.
• Bachelor's degree with a strong academic record.
• Strong financial modeling, valuation, due diligence, and analytical capabilities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work directly with management teams and external advisors.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple workstreams in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
• Prior private equity experience required.
• Deal experience in [software, SaaS or tech-enabled services], with fluency in recurring-revenue metrics (ARR, net retention, CAC payback, Rule of 40)
• Experience mentoring junior team members.
• Exposure to founder-owned businesses, carve-outs or add-on acquisition programs.

Responsibilities

• Deal execution: Build and own operating and LBO models, leads diligence workstreams, drafts memos, and supports negotiation of terms.
• Sourcing and origination: Evaluate inbound opportunities, build market maps, drive outreach, and represent the firm at conferences.
• Team and firm building: Supervise and mentor Associates and Analysts, contribute to fundraising materials and LP reporting.

Skills

Financial modeling

Valuation

Due diligence

Analytical capabilities

Communication

Executive presentation

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

LBO modeling

Job description

A Los Angeles-based private equity firm is seeking a Senior Associate to join its growing investment team. The firm focuses on investing in lower middle-market software and services businesses, partnering closely with management teams to drive operational improvements, execute strategic initiatives, and accelerate long-term growth.

all phases of the investment lifecycle, including transaction execution, financial analysis, due diligence, portfolio company oversight, and value creation initiatives. The Senior Associate will collaborate closely with senior investment professionals in a lean, entrepreneurial environment and take on a high level of responsibility from day one.

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING:

Deal execution

• Build and own operating and LBO models, including returns, sensitivity and capital structure analysis
• Lead commercial, financial and operational diligence workstreams and coordinate third-party advisors (QoE, legal, IT, market studies)
• Draft investment committee memos and present findings to the investment committee
• Support negotiation of LOIs, purchase agreements and financing terms with lenders

Sourcing and origination

• Evaluate inbound opportunities from bankers, brokers and founders and screen them against the firm's criteria
• Build thematic theses and market maps in target sub-sectors, and drive proactive outreach to founder-owned companies
• Represent the firm at industry conferences and with the intermediary community
• Work with portfolio management teams on 100-day plans, KPI reporting, budgeting and board materials
• Support add-on acquisitions, refinancings and exit preparation
• Help recruit and evaluate senior executives at portfolio companies

Team and firm building

• Supervise, review and develop Associates and Analysts
• Contribute to fundraising materials, LP reporting and firm initiatives

WHAT YOU NEED:

• 4-6 years of combined investment banking and private equity experience, including at
• least 2 years at a PE firm
• Hands-on experience on 2+ closed buyout transactions, ideally in the lower or core middle market
• Expert financial modeling and valuation skills, built from scratch
• Clear, concise writing and the ability to present to investment committee and management teams
• Bachelor's degree with a strong academic record
• Strong financial modeling, valuation, due diligence, and analytical capabilities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work directly with management teams and external advisors.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple workstreams in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
• Prior private equity experience required
• Deal experience in [software, SaaS or tech-enabled services], with fluency in recurring-revenue metrics (ARR, net retention, CAC payback, Rule of 40)
• Experience managing or mentoring junior team members
• Exposure to founder-owned businesses, carve-outs or add-on acquisition programs

What we look for

• Ownership mindset: you drive the deal process without being chased
• Judgment about what matters in diligence, not just completeness
• Credibility with founders and CEOs who have never worked with private equity