What Is a Private Equity Vice President and How to Become One
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What Does a Vice President in Private Equity Do?
As a vice president in private equity, you oversee deals and agreements, including an overall investment strategy and daily operations. In this management role, you may lead and mentor team members, work directly with clients, vet transactions, and give presentations. This job heavily emphasizes communication, including negotiation skills and the ability to convince current or potential clients to invest in your company. Many details of this job vary by company, and some vice presidents at this level work with other vice presidents to manage deals and help direct the overall company strategy. Vice presidents in private equity usually work under a director or principal and directly oversee senior associates.
How to Become a Vice President in Private Equity
The primary qualifications for becoming a vice president in private equity are an MBA and several years of experience in private equity. Most vice presidents move through several other positions first, including analyst, associate, and senior associate before finally getting a job as a vice president. These are highly competitive positions, but many senior associates change career paths instead of becoming vice presidents because the nature of the job changes significantly at that point. As such, consider looking for an opportunity to shadow a vice president in this field to ensure this job matches what you expect from it. Fulfilling the responsibilities and duties of a vice president in private equity requires interpersonal skills, attention to detail, presentation skills, leadership skills, and the ability to travel as necessary.
