Business Development Associate - Chicago

Soul Equity Solutions • Chicago, IL

4d

About The Position

Private Equity Business Development Associate About the Firm The Business Development Associate will play a central role in driving this firm's proprietary deal origination efforts, with a primary focus on direct-to-founder and CEO relationship building. Based in Chicago and reporting to the VP of Originations, this individual will work closely with a seasoned BD team to source new investment opportunities, cultivate relationships with intermediaries, and ensure the firm's pipeline remains full of high-quality, healthcare-focused opportunities aligned with the firm’s investment theses. The ideal candidate is a proactive, highly organized, and relationship-oriented self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment, brings credibility and presence to both founder conversations and intermediary relationships, and is motivated by the tangible impact of their sourcing efforts on the firm’s investment activity.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree required
• 3–5 years of professional experience, ideally with exposure to investment banking, private equity, business development, or other relevant financial or transaction-oriented work; familiarity with the healthcare industry is a significant plus
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the charisma, presence, and confidence to establish credibility with founders, CEOs, and senior intermediaries
• Proactive and self-motivated; works with a sense of urgency and thrives in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Strong EQ and interpersonal skills; able to build trust and long-term relationships across a wide range of counterparties
• Resourceful, process-oriented, and tech-savvy; comfortable operating in a small, entrepreneurial office environment

Responsibilities

• Leading direct calling and proprietary sourcing efforts, approximately 80% of the role, targeting founder- and CEO-owned healthcare businesses based on team-generated thesis lists and add-on priorities
• Supporting firm's portfolio companies in their pursuit of add-on investments through market mapping, target list development, and direct outreach as needed
• Engaging long-tail investment banks, business brokers, and other intermediaries through outbound calls, in-person meetings, and industry conferences to ensure the firm sees relevant deal flow
• Strengthening existing intermediary relationships and developing new ones, with a structured approach to coverage and regular touch points with top-tier deal sources
• Representing the firm at conferences, trade shows, and industry association events relevant to the healthcare sector
• Assisting with initial deal screening using established firm criteria and helping qualify new investment opportunities for team review
• Diligently tracking all BD activities related to pipeline, deal flow, and funnel metrics within the firm’s CRM system
• Supporting monthly activities related to intermediary coverage reporting, deal data hygiene, and thesis development

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level