Equity Associate Jobs in Minnesota (NOW HIRING)

Associate Role

Spencer Stuart is seeking to recruit an Associate for the Private Equity team focused on executive search and pre-deal offerings for private equity firms and their portfolio companies. With exposure to a broad set of clients and leadership challenges, this Associate will help to identify and develop diverse candidate slates as an essential member of the project team, with a focus on the Healthcare sector. The Associate role combines research, assessment, validation, project management, and relationship-building skills to deliver extraordinary service and value to Spencer Stuart clients.

Successful candidates will have a proven track record of being driven, graceful under pressure, resilient, and demonstrating strong project management ability, commitment to excellence, writing skills, results orientation, rigorous attention to details, intellectual curiosity and ideally, an understanding of the private equity operating model. The Associate will enjoy the challenge of working internally with a variety of Consultants and externally with diverse, senior-level executives and board members.

The Associate will ideally be based in New York City, though exceptional candidates based in Minneapolis or Boston will also be considered. There is an expectation of being in the office a minimum of two days a week. In the early stages, it will be beneficial for the individual to spend more time in the office to build relationships, engage with colleagues and participate in the local office community.

Key Relationships

Reports to:

• Private Equity Practice Leader

• Private Equity Team Healthcare Consultant Lead (on a project basis)

Other key relationships:

• PE Practice Manager

• Market Leader

• Analysts, Associates, Senior Associates, and Consultants, EEA's

• Associate Practice Leader

• Talent Partner

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute actively to the start-up phase of each pre-deal engagement, participating in client kick-off meetings with the Consultant and assisting in the development of internal teams and work flows to meaningfully and swiftly address client needs and critical dilligence activities.

• Gather relevant information regarding the appropriate industries and target companies. Identify potential prospects and sources and represent the client effectively in the marketplace, discussing the opportunity with relevant executives and providing high-end, bespoke support when facilitating executive introductions, management insights, or other search activities.

• Partner with Consultants to develop and present our relationship access and insights. Anticipate what needs might drive investment decisions and actively work to create deal angles and to supply additional information, such as related industry/segment trends, market findings, customer feedback, supplier issues, or other items of distinct value as it pertains to management teams and specific executives.

• Contribute to the preparation of position specifications, candidate presentations and reference reports adhering to the Firm's assessment methodology and leadership frameworks.

• Communicate effectively with Consultants, and EEAs, Analysts, Associates, or client success colleagues affiliated with a client. Given the holistic nature of relationship management, and the body of human capital consulting required over the life of an asset or portfolio of assets, the Associate will need to remain fully abreast of all developments, in order to communicate accurately and credibly, as part of the glue that binds these activities together.

• Work with each project team to prepare organized information for candidate reports, and client update meetings, giving an informed perspective on work to date, and how they match and align to the value creation efforts of our clients.

• Be aware of market activities and management changes in the relevant industry's sector; keep team members apprised of relevant developments that could inform search strategies and client insights.

• Add to the firm's candidate pool expertise by continually identifying and introducing new talent to the firm. Ensure that up to date assignment, company and candidate information during the course of an assignment is always available for colleagues, by leveraging technology and information from the firm's state-of-the-art, proprietary database.

• Contribute to responses to inquiries for new business, as well as business development initiatives, inclusive of reactive RFPs in partnership with Analysts and GTM teams, or proactive business development planning within teh sector of interest

• Be willing and proactive about contributing to local, practice or firm-wide initiatives. Coordinate and share practice related information with colleagues for potentially broader distribution.

• Contribute to broader Private Equity Business initiatives, such as learning loops, intellectual capital pieces, solution refinement, and the development of junior memebrs on the team (e.g., Analysts).

Ideal Experience

• 4+ years of experience, ideally from a professional services environment serving private equity clients through the lens of human capital solutions. Other relevant client-service organizations will be considered, including executive search, strategy consulting, or networking services, in addition to in-house human capital roles (i.e., serving the human capital or value creation team of a private equity firm).

• Advancement of skills and knowledge evidenced through promotion or tenure.

• Interest or experience in the Healthcare industry.

• Superior project management skills demonstrated through experience working in a high-performance environment where multiple projects and competing demands are the norm.

• Excellent communication skills shown through clear, structured and concise presentation.

• Undergraduate degree required, postgraduate degree a plus.

The base compensation range for this position is $100-130k per year. The actual base compensation offered within this range will be dependent on the individual's skills, experiences, and qualifications. This position will be eligible to participate in our annual discretionary bonus program.

Spencer Stuart also offers a competitive benefits package, which includes:

• Retirement savings plan with discretionary profit sharing contribution and employer match;

• PTO (minimum 15 days per year, increases with tenure), paid sick time (10 days per year), company holidays (12 days per year), and paid leaves of absence when applicable;

• Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, and healthcare flexible spending account;

• Life Insurance, and short-term and long-term disability insurance;

• Wellness benefits, including an employee assistance program, virtual mental health program, and mindfulness program; and

• Voluntary benefit options, including supplemental life insurance, identity theft protection, and whole life insurance with long-term care and critical illness coverage.

Compensation and benefits are commensurate with other high-end professional services firms.

Critical Capabilities for Success

Project Management

Plans, manages and drives efforts to support client needs and deliverables, while directing, influencing and coaching Analysts and peers aligned to the same mission. Successful Associates will do this while handling multiple projects with competing deadlines, working with individuals who have differing styles, and managing challenging expectations.

• Takes an end-to-end view of each project and the required resources; works at pace and with attention to detail while managing competing deadlines and priorities; has a sense of urgency.

• Works on multiple projects; meets deadlines and is resilient under pressure; delivers on commitments on time or notifies as early as possible if deadlines will slip.

• Demonstrates enthusiasm, tenacity, and intellectual curiosity; action-oriented; deals with problems immediately, be it with colleagues or clients directly.

• Is results focused and flexible; demonstrates a strong work ethic and commitment to team.

Candidate Development and Human Capital Consulting

A successful Associate will develop excellence in search strategy to build strong contact management lists, cultivate sources and prospects, and will understand how to effectively leverage and enhance Spencer Stuart's relationships in the marketplace.

• Observes and asks questions to fully understand the issue; synthesizes information from a variety of internal/external sources, despite possibly having ambiguous or incomplete information.

• Gathers relevant data from a variety of sources, including views gathered through Third Party Sourcing (TPS), and forensic referencing, to help determine broad capabilities, gaps, qualifications/fit; and to articulate other elements of information that inform value creation plans and corresponding talent agendas.

• Adds meaningful notes on Quest, diligently uses the initial assessment feature, and works proactively with consultants and clients to link talent agenda items and insights with diligence and post-close planning efforts.

Credibility and Influence

Communicates effectively both in writing and verbally; has "gravitas" (executive presence) and maturity, and is able to build relationships. Able to hook candidates and appropriately align client and consultant expectations and needs with market opportunity and progress, building a strong internal and external brand:

• Interacts with a range of internal and external stakeholders and candidates/clients with differing styles and egos, understanding and appreciating what is important to each.

• Becomes a credible and authentic professional by observing colleagues and emulating role models.

• Adapts verbal and written communications according to expectations for role and audience, specifically how to be confident, succinct, concise, prepared and professional.

Market and Candidate Knowledge

Obtains and incorporates knowledge to enhance client work in a meaningful way. Knows how to get information, effectively uses the available firm resources, developing and sharing candidate pool knowledge:

• Identifies executive movements in the market and updates Quest (ideally in real time) and colleagues; asks questions and shows interest in networking.

• Has a genuine interest in/curiosity about people and businesses; and has an understanding of businesses and their interrelationships, in particular the driving forces behind deal flow and deal activity, actively building a personal awareness and team knowledge around the marketplace and the ecosystem of critical influencers and key agents.

• Understands how to identify and navigate the various relevant sources available (Quest, Passport, Global Information Services, Hoovers, LinkedIn, etc.), as well as key people, leveraging both internal and external content and networks to drive distinct and unique insights and outcomes.

Developing self and others

Develops self and others; seeks and provides feedback, modifies own performance or behavior based on feedback. A successful Associate is constantly growing, learning and enhancing his/her skills and capabilities:

• Seeks and is open to feedback from colleagues, placing value on self development efforts; seeks opportunities for growth.

• Is self-aware and open to changing one's own behavior.

• Understands the importance of both managing up and down.

Firm Values

Champions the Firm's values, culture and Code of Conduct; engages, participates and collaborates with others. A successful Associate, who people like working with and who may over time also have a leadership role:

• Accepts others' opinions and encourages teamwork.

• Brings cultural awareness and sensitivity to each interaction with colleagues.

• Participates actively and contributes to internal activities; engages with office and practice.

• Represents Spencer Stuart well by speaking positively about the Firm and aligning behavior to Firm values.

• Conducts themselves in a way that is consistent with the Firm's values.