Senior M&A Associate

Aspen Standard Wealth; New York (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Health Savings Account (HSA)

401(k) Plan with employer match

Unlimited PTO

Life Insurance

Job summary

Aspen Standard Wealth is building a premier national M&A platform and is hiring a Senior M&A Associate to lead complex, long-cycle transactions and cultivate relationships with RIA principals. This role is based in New York City with up to 20% travel and serves as the face of Aspen to sellers.

You will originate deals, manage LOIs, and coordinate with DealCloud while guiding senior counterparties through the process with independence and accountability.

Qualifications

• 5–10 years in buy-side M&A, wealth management with client acquisition, or enterprise B2B sales in financial services.
• Proven track record of sourcing, closing, or converting outcomes.
• Experience as the trusted primary contact for senior counterparties; second-chair acceptable if clearly the relationship lead.
• Fluent reading of a P&L and basic modeling/valuation logic.

Responsibilities

• Own assigned transactions as Deal Lead from initial engagement through LOI, delivering valuations and managing sellers.
• Operate independently in front of senior RIA principals, advancing deals without leadership escort.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with RIA owners and centers of influence as primary contact.
• Drive outbound origination to prospective sellers and convert nurture portfolio into active pipeline.
• Resolve seller objections and deal complexity independently, avoiding escalations.
• Manage active pipeline and nurturing portfolio without losing momentum.
• Maintain proficiency in DealCloud as backbone for pipeline management.

Skills

M&A deal sourcing

Relationship management

Deal negotiation

CRM proficiency

Financial modeling basics

Tools

DealCloud

Job description

Aspen Standard Wealth is building the next great national RIA platform by combining the resources of a large firm with the independence and culture of the boutique RIAs we partner with. Backed by Alpine Investors, Aspen provides permanent capital and strategic support to top wealth management firms across the country, helping them scale without sacrificing what makes them great.

Founded in 2024, Aspen is one of the fastest-growing companies in the industry, with a bold mission to become a $100B+ AUM platform in the next five years. We take a people-first approach by investing in talent, empowering local leaders, and building a culture of exceptional execution, trust, and integrity. Join us at the ground level and help shape the future of wealth management.

About Alpine Investors:

Alpine Investors is a people-driven private equity firm that is committed to building great companies by working with, learning from, and developing exceptional people. Alpine prides itself on fostering cultures where people value empowerment, diversity, fairness, integrity, and intellectual honesty. Founded in 2001, Alpine specializes in investments in companies in the software and services industries. Alpine has over $17 billion in AUM and has offices in San Francisco, New York, and Salt Lake City.

About the Job:

Aspen Standard Wealth is scaling rapidly through acquisition, and we’re hiring a Senior M&A Associate to expand the team's capacity to manage complex, long-cycle transactions and cultivate the relationships that drive our acquisition pipeline. This role goes well beyond deal support — you'll serve as the Deal Lead on assigned transactions, own relationships with RIA principals and centers of influence, and originate net-new pipeline through outbound prospecting. If you thrive in high-stakes, relationship-driven environments where no two deals are the same, this is your seat.

We're building one of the most active M&A platforms in the RIA space. Every acquisition starts with trust — and this role is the face of Aspen to the sellers who will define our next chapter of growth.

This role is 5 days/week based in New York City, with up to 20% travel.

Responsibilities:

Below are the core areas of work for this role. Over time, responsibilities may evolve, but this should provide a clear view of what to expect.

• Own assigned transactions as Deal Lead from initial engagement through LOI — delivering valuations, fielding objections, and managing sellers through a complex, long-cycle process.
• Operate independently in front of senior RIA principals, advancing deals without requiring leadership accompaniment or oversight.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with RIA business owners and centers of influence, serving as the primary point of contact throughout the deal lifecycle.
• Drive cold outbound origination to prospective sellers and convert target firms from the existing nurture portfolio into active pipeline.
• Resolve seller-side objections, process friction, and deal complexity independently rather than routinely escalating to senior leadership.
• Manage an active pipeline and nurture portfolio simultaneously without losing momentum on either.
• Maintain full proficiency in DealCloud, the team's CRM platform, as the backbone for pipeline management and relationship tracking.

Experiences and Functional Skills Required:

• 5–10 years in at least one of the following: buy-side M&A (PE or Corporate Development); Wealth Management with personal ownership of client acquisition; enterprise B2B sales within financial services; or a strong sales, sourcing, or M&A motion from outside financial services.
• A demonstrated track record of sourcing, closing, or converting outcomes — identifying targets, building relationships, and driving a process to close.
• Experience as the trusted primary point of contact for senior counterparties; second-chair is fine if you were clearly the relationship lead in waiting.
• Proven ability to run a complex deal process through to LOI independently, with senior decision-makers.
• Comfort delivering deal terms, fielding objections, and articulating a value proposition through a long-cycle seller process.
• Resolves problems independently before escalation.
• Fluent reading a P&L and extracting what matters from financial data; familiar with basic modeling and valuation logic.
• Proficiency with an enterprise CRM; DealCloud familiarity a plus.

Behaviors and Mindsets Required:

• Interpersonal Savvy– Reads people and situations accurately and adjusts behavior to work effectively with others.
• Accountability / Ownership Mindset – A belief that you are responsible for outcomes, impact, and follow-through—regardless of ambiguity, obstacles, or who “should” own the problem.

Aspen Standard Wealth offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support employee health, financial security, and overall well-being. Full-time employees in this role are eligible for:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer contributions
• 401(k) Plan with a 4% employer match
• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Life Insurance Coverage

Aspen Standard Wealth is an equal-opportunity employer and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds.