Associate – Private Equity

Boston, MA

To apply for this role, submit your resume to info@polarisgrowthfund.com.

Who we are

PGF is a private equity fund dedicated to investing in founder-owned B2B software and technology-enabled services companies. The fund seeks to invest $10-$40 million of equity to acquire majority ownership stakes in growth-oriented technology businesses throughout the US and Canada. In addition to shareholder liquidity, PGF’s equity investments support acquisition and growth capital initiatives at its portfolio companies.

Our collective passion is partnering with, and supporting, the founders and management teams of vertically focused, founder-owned and bootstrapped (i.e. have not raised previous institutional capital) businesses. We believe strongly that our experience, focused strategy, and dedicated resources allow us to be uniquely complementary partners to entrepreneurs. We are believers in the power of market leadership, and have a long track record of working alongside our entrepreneur partners to unlock value by investing in growth, refining strategy, and ultimately achieving leadership. Our portfolio includes category leaders across multiple end markets including government, healthcare, insurance, legal, automotive, and education.

PGF is the dedicated growth buyout fund within Polaris Partners, which was founded in 1996 and manages over $5.5B in committed capital. The broader Polaris platform provides a wealth of resources, network, and experience from which PGF team members and portfolio companies can draw in support of their growth. PGF is currently investing out of its $286M Fund II after successfully raising and deploying its inaugural $175M Fund I. We encourage you to visit www.polarisgrowthfund.com to learn more about our firm and the kinds of companies with which we have been fortunate to partner.

What you’ll do

• Assess and execute investment opportunities. Process and evaluate new investment opportunities either through direct or advisor channels. This includes reading CIMs, analyzing financial and customer data, researching market trends & sizing, building financial models, working with lending partners and other third parties, and conducting customer and market diligence calls.
• Connect with founders / CEOs. By nature, our firm strategy emphasizes a smaller set of close relationships rather than the more traditional, volume-based approach employed by many firms. You will be responsible for establishing dialogue with founders and CEOs on a regular basis, playing a critical role in cultivating the universe of entrepreneurs for whom we may be a potential partner. We have a strong track record of investing in associate-sourced companies and believe strongly that our strategy and approach provide unparalleled exposure and development opportunity on this critical capability for those aspiring to be a career investor.
• Deeply engage with portfolio companies. We are usually the first institutional investors at our companies, which means we are intimately involved inside and out of the board room. As an associate you will be critical in establishing a successful working relationship with the management team. You will help on numerous fronts including financial budgeting and reporting, supporting key senior team hires, evaluating and executing add-on acquisitions, and preparing and participating in Board and key strategic meetings.
• Little bit of everything in-between. We are a small, collaborative team that in many ways mirrors the entrepreneurial DNA of the companies with which we partner. As such you will be exposed to all facets of our business, and may find yourself chipping in on things like fundraising materials, CRM organization, press releases, organizing team outings, and more. Operating within a group that values team orientation and employs a flat organizational ethos, your contributions will have a tangible impact on our shared growth and success.

What we’re looking for

• A low-ego, team player. Someone who is willing to embrace the fun and less fun parts of the day with equal enthusiasm.
• A thinker. Someone who is intellectually curious and able to learn to identify and shape compelling investment opportunities.
• A different perspective. Someone who can share new ideas and experiences to help continue to mold our team and culture.
• A strong EQ and communicator. Someone who can communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and defuse conflict.
• 1-3 years of investing, investment banking, or management consulting experience

What we offer

• Well-rounded experience. We understand that we are competing with other private equity groups, hedge funds, and tech companies for top talent. We believe we offer an attractive opportunity to see and contribute to all aspects of the investing lifecycle all while maintaining work-life balance.
• A growing organization. Polaris has a long and successful track record and PGF represents a unique opportunity to leverage this successful platform but have room for impact and autonomy that is hard to come by.
• Upwards mobility. We are committed to making this an environment where all team members can grow. With that professional growth comes increasing levels of responsibility, management and opportunity.

PGF is a specialized affiliate fund of Polaris Partners. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer of investment advisory services by Polaris or a solicitation or an offer of interests in any private fund sponsored by Polaris. Any offer of interests in a Polaris fund will be made solely to qualified investors via a private placement memorandum. Certain statements contained herein are based on current expectations with respect to potential PGF investment characteristics and may constitute “forward looking” statements. Actual events or results of PGF may differ materially from those reflected or contemplated in such forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that all PGF investments will ultimately reflect the characteristics or achieve the initiatives listed.