Vice President of Business Development

Soul Equity Solutions; Westport (CT); On-site; USD 275,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

Soul Equity Solutions, a retained executive search firm serving Middle Market Private Equity, seeks a Vice President of Business Development to lead origination efforts from day one. You will work with senior investment professionals and own significant sourcing activity as the platform expands.

The role offers a clear path to broader leadership within 1–2 years, with opportunities to build out coverage, deepen relationships, and generate high-quality investment opportunities in founder- and

Qualifications

• Proven experience in private equity business development, deal origination, or a closely related PE sourcing role.
• Strong network of investment bankers, intermediaries, business owners, and other relevant deal sources.
• Demonstrated track record of generating and advancing high-quality investment opportunities.
• Strong understanding of lower middle-market private equity and the dynamics of founder- and family-owned businesses.
• Experience across one or more relevant target sectors, ideally including business services, industrials, manufacturing, or other fragmented industries.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain relationships with investment bankers, intermediaries, business owners, and other sources of investment opportunities.
• Generate and advance high-quality deal flow aligned with the firm's investment strategy.
• Build and expand coverage across the firm's target sectors and lower middle-market ecosystem.
• Identify opportunities through intermediary relationships, direct outreach, and other sourcing channels.
• Represent the firm with prospective business owners, intermediaries, and industry contacts.
• Build and maintain target-company and intermediary coverage aligned with the firm's investment criteria.
• Identify market trends, sector opportunities, and coverage gaps relevant to the firm's investment strategy.
• Track pipeline activity, relationship development, and sourcing metrics.
• Develop a strong understanding of fragmented markets and businesses where buy-and-build strategies may be particularly compelling.

Skills

PE deal origination

Relationship development

Sourcing

Market research

Communication

Job description

Vice President, Business Development- Private Equity

Full Time | Connecticut | 3-7 Years of Experience

About the Company

A well-established lower middle-market private equity firm based in Connecticut, focused on control investments in founder- and family-owned businesses. The firm has a long track record of partnering with management teams to support growth and build leading businesses.

The firm is entering an exciting new phase of growth under an experienced investment team and is currently raising its next fund.

The firm invests primarily in business services and select industrial and manufacturing businesses, with a particular interest in companies operating in fragmented markets where there is meaningful opportunity for organic growth and add-on acquisitions.

About the Role

The firm is hiring a Vice President of Business Development, with a clear path to take on broader leadership responsibility for the firm's business development function within the next one to two years.

The VP will work closely with senior investment professionals from day one, with meaningful responsibility for origination and the opportunity to take increasing ownership of the firm's sourcing efforts as the platform grows.

The firm is looking to strengthen its origination capabilities as it enters its next phase of growth and raises its next fund. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of developing intermediary relationships and generating high-quality investment opportunities.

Highlights

• Meaningful origination responsibility from day one: Work directly with senior investment professionals and have a visible impact on the firm's investment pipeline.
• Lean, established investment platform: Business development has meaningful visibility across the investment team and a direct connection to investment activity.
• Opportunity to build: Join the firm at an important point in its growth and help strengthen and expand its origination capabilities.

The Path Forward

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to expand their scope toward a senior leadership role within the firm's business development function over the next one to two years.

This is a growth opportunity for a proven originator who is ready to take on greater ownership of strategy, relationships, coverage, and sourcing activity.

Key Responsibilities

Origination & Relationship Development

• Develop and maintain relationships with investment bankers, intermediaries, business owners, and other sources of investment opportunities
• Generate and advance high-quality deal flow aligned with the firm's investment strategy
• Build and expand coverage across the firm's target sectors and lower middle-market ecosystem
• Identify opportunities through intermediary relationships, direct outreach, and other sourcing channels
• Represent the firm with prospective business owners, intermediaries, and industry contacts
• Build and maintain target-company and intermediary coverage aligned with the firm's investment criteria
• Identify market trends, sector opportunities, and coverage gaps relevant to the firm's investment strategy
• Track pipeline activity, relationship development, and sourcing metrics
• Develop a strong understanding of fragmented markets and businesses where buy-and-build strategies may be particularly compelling

Collaboration with the Investment Team

• Partner closely with the investment team on target-company development and sector prioritization
• Provide market intelligence and relationship insight to help evaluate potential investment opportunities
• Help develop and refine the firm's origination strategy and coverage model

Professional Experience & Qualifications

• Proven experience in private equity business development, deal origination, or a closely related PE sourcing role
• Strong network of investment bankers, intermediaries, business owners, and other relevant deal sources
• Demonstrated track record of generating and advancing high-quality investment opportunities
• Strong understanding of lower middle-market private equity and the dynamics of founder- and family-owned businesses
• Experience across one or more relevant target sectors, ideally including business services, industrials, manufacturing, or other fragmented industries
• Strong relationship-building, communication, and external representation skills
• Ability to work effectively with senior investment professionals and translate market relationships into actionable opportunities
• Genuine interest in and readiness for increasing ownership of the BD function over time

Compensation

$275-350k all-in compensation (base + bonus)

About Soul Equity Solutions

Soul Equity is a retained Executive Search firm dedicated exclusively to guiding Middle Market Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies to best-in-class talent. Our boutique recruiting experience is highly bespoke and curated to our clients' needs.

This firm is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment, including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.