We are seeking a Portfolio Operating Executive (REMOTE) for a full time and direct hire role for one of our amazing Private Equity partners. You will work remotely but will be required to travel to meet with clients at times. Must live in the Eastern or Central time zone with ready access to commercial air travel.
Overview:
You will work for a middle-market private equity firm that specializes in investing in founder-led and family-owned businesses across a range of stages, including control (majority ownership) and non-control investments in businesses. This role is working with one of their control funds portfolio companies, and these companies are typically small and successful companies that have enormous potential to scale. They typically have a $5-$40 million target revenue and $1-$4 million target EBITDA, and they span across sectors such as business services, consumer products, healthcare, niche manufacturing, and value-added distribution.
This role is a director level Operating Executive, and you will act as the quarterback for onboarding and integration of new portfolio company investments. You will work closely with deal teams, portfolio company management, and other members of the portfolio services group, ensuring smooth transitions, early value creation, and long-term scalability. You will coordinate across finance, HR, technology, and operations to ensure successful execution of their framework and drive alignment with founders and management teams. The role includes coordination, integration leadership, and interpersonal effectiveness more than hands-on technical execution.
Responsibilities:
- Drive successful onboarding and integration, foster strong relationships, provide strategic business and operational leadership, develop and lead high-impact teams and enhance value creation opportunities.
- Oversee onboarding across multiple portfolio companies within the control investments fund.
- Lead post-merger integration efforts across finance, IT, HR, and commercial functions.
- Develop and implement integration playbooks, synergy tracking, and reporting processes.
- Support add-on integrations and platform investment onboarding.
- Build trust and credibility with founders, boards, and portfolio company leadership.
- Represent the PE firm on founder calls with strong professional manner and confidence.
- Serve as a partner who inspires confidence in both sponsors and operators.
- Maintain oversight of financial, HR, and systems-related initiatives in coordination with subject matter experts.
- Support FP&A activities including cash flow forecasting, budgeting, and debt covenant tracking.
- Identify, prioritize, and communicate operational risks and growth opportunities.
- Collaborate with and oversee interim finance and operations resources.
- Partner with portfolio leadership in selecting and onboarding permanent hires.
- Provide structured leadership to cross-functional teams to ensure accountability and delivery.
- Lead operational transformation projects aimed at EBITDA improvement and growth.
- Implement structured program management (PMO) to ensure consistent execution.
- Leverage technology and systems (ERP, CRM, BI tools) to modernize operations and reporting.
Responsibilities through stages of engagement:
- Pre-LOI:
- Partner with deal team on operational and financial capability assessments.
- Identify integration considerations and organization design and talent needs.
- Due Diligence:
- Contribute to operational and financial diligence workstreams.
- Assess infrastructure readiness and preliminary integration plans.
- First 100 Days:
- Deploy framework initiatives with founders and management teams.
- Coordinate onboarding of critical systems (GL, CRM, HR/Payroll).
- Align stakeholders on integration and growth priorities.
- First Year:
- Drive integration of add-ons and realization of synergies.
- Execute value creation playbooks with measurable EBITDA impact.
- Establish repeatable processes and dashboards to support long-term success.
Requirements:
- 7-10 years of experience working with private equity portfolio companies, doing management consulting, or related operating roles.
- Proven track record leading M&A integrations, synergy realization, and post-close execution.
- Strong foundation in finance (FP&A, accounting, capital structures) with ability to engage confidently, even though its not required to operate as a CFO.
- Demonstrated experience driving operational transformation and EBITDA improvement.
- Background in program management (PMO) with experience designing and executing playbooks.
- Broad business acumen across finance, HR, technology, and operations.
- Tech-savvy, with exposure to ERP, CRM, and BI tools.
- Hands-on and structured leader with the ability to coordinate cross-functional teams.
- Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to prioritize dynamically across multiple companies.
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with a strong professional manner to speak with founders, boards, and executives.
- Professional, resilient, and adept at navigating ambiguity.
- Degree in Finance, Business, or related field. An MBA, CPA, or CFA is a plus.
- Preferably living in the Eastern or Central time zone with easy access to commercial air travel.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, or military or veteran status. You must be legally authorized to work in the United States without current or future sponsorship.
