Associate, Exit Planning and Transaction Support

What You'll Do

As an Associate on a lean, cross-functional team, you will work collaboratively with a diverse set of colleagues to guide clients through a variety of transaction-related projects focused on preparing companies for sale and supporting them throughout the deal process. You will:

• Work with company management, private equity deal and operating teams, investment bankers, and other third parties to support the development of an equity story and other go-to-market materials
• Utilize both Excel and Business Intelligence tools (PowerBI, Power Query, and Power Pivot) to develop a variety of granular financial, operational, and business segment analyses
• Analyze, quantify, and validate deal-related assumptions including synergies, add-backs, and pro-forma financials
• Manage and / or support the development and population of an investor-ready data room
• Work with CFOs and their teams, respond to due diligence and other deal-related questions from either financial (private equity) or strategic (corporate) buyers
• Travel to client site as needed

Additional information

The following representative engagement is emblematic of the type of work you'll do as an Associate at Accordion: A PE-owned SaaS company requires sale preparation and related transaction support. Accordion has been engaged to take a leadership role alongside the CFO in the sell-side process.

The deliverables include historical financial reporting, financial and operational KPIs, a 5-year financial projection model, and identification of value creation initiatives (realized and yet to be realized) to maximize the exit valuation.

The Accordion team will serve as an extension of the CFO's office to support a sale by responding to requests from investment banks, the executive team, and the sponsor during the preparation process, and to potential buyers during the sale process.

You Have

• Required background of 3 to 5 years of experience in investment banking, private equity, or quality of earnings
• Proven ability to leverage Excel and other tools to manage, simplify, analyze, and present large and complex datasets
• Experience with Business Intelligence tools (PowerBI, Power Query, and Power Pivot) is highly desired
• High attention to detail and advanced quantitative skills, especially as it relates to financial modeling and corporate valuation
• Transactional finance experience, as well as an understanding of operational finance
• Prior experience preparing reports, presentations, and memos; ability to present data-driven insights in a clear, succinct, and comprehensive manner
• Strong drive and motivation, adhering to the highest professional standards in working with clients and colleagues
• An ability to work collaboratively and independently in a team-oriented environment, understanding how to take initiative and seek guidance when needed in order to advance your projects
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or Economics; MBA is a plus

You Are

• Excited to be part of a growing team, with a focus on driving future growth
• Passionate about delivering exceptional client service
• Knowledgeable about the relationship between private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, particularly within the office of the CFO
• Willing to get your hands dirty in the details of a project while simultaneously seeing the whole picture
• Comfortable managing projects with multiple complex workstreams while also focused on your single workstream (you are managing and doing)
• A self-starter with a strong work ethic
• Full of entrepreneurial spirit and comfortable in a fluid, flat organization
• Able to effectively communicate complex issues and solutions, and raise issues to senior team members when necessary
• A team player, able to work with team members across all levels
• Someone who enjoys mentoring others and doing meaningful work
• A leader of others; you lead by example

Pay and benefits

The annual salary for this role ranges from: $120,000 to $170,000 + benefits + bonus.

Actual compensation packages are determined by evaluating a wide array of factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to geographic location, skill set, years and depth of experience, education, certifications, cost of labor and internal equity.

Please note that as per Accordion policy, we do not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters unless such recruiters are engaged to provide candidates for a specified opening and in alignment with our inclusive diversity values. Any employment agency, person or entity that submits an unsolicited resume does so with the understanding that Accordion will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion without any fee owed to the submitting employment agency, person or entity.

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