Senior Deal Associate - Los Angeles

Benchmark International is seeking an experienced and driven Senior Deal Associate (SDA) in our Los Angeles office. This is an in-office role (not remote or work from home) with business hours from 8:30am to 5:30pm, and business professional work attire as is typical in investment banking type positions. The SDA will report to a Transaction Director (TD) or Managing Partner (MP), may supervise junior personnel, will service the team’s portfolio of businesses for sale, and support the team in closing mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions.

A significant portion of the workday will be spent communicating directly with seller-clients and potential acquirers. This is a frontline M&A role that requires speaking to multiple clients and potential buyers every day. Success in this role requires extensive potential buyer outreach via phone (primarily) and email (secondarily), tested negotiating skills, empathy, client, portfolio, and personnel management expertise, and an understanding of mergers and acquisitions.

Over time, the successful SDA should become the relationship holder with a select group of clients (sellers) and assume direct responsibility for those clients, handling their sale process from the date of going on market through to the successful closing of their transaction.

This is a unique opportunity to join and grow Benchmark International’s newest office in Los Angeles. A global and award-winning M&A firm, Benchmark International has offices located throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, South Africa, and the US. We represent business owners (sell-side exclusive) in achieving their company sale strategies and transact hundreds of deals across multiple industries every year. Our proven model has enabled us to open new offices around the globe, with Los Angeles being the latest addition.

Success in this role will include a well-balanced approach to contributions in four distinct areas.

1. Manage a portfolio of businesses for sale

· Deliver Benchmark International’s proven service model to our clients.

· Work directly with business owners seeking to sell their business, at times serving as Benchmark International’s primary relationship manager with these clients.

· Ensure the team remains responsive to all client requirements including prompt call-backs, professional correspondence, and compliance with our engagement letters.

· Maintain a detailed understanding of each assigned client.

· Take responsibility for the movement of assigned clients through the M&A process, from the initial marketing phase up to the receipt of offer letters, and eventual deal completion.

· Handle other client matters as delegated by the TD or MP.

2. Complete transactions

· Take primary responsibility for advancing prospective buyers from the initial expression of interest to the receipt of bona fide offers.

· After some time and demonstration of capabilities, directly handle deal negotiations with buyers, in collaboration with the seller-client and TD, through to closing.

· After some time and demonstration of capabilities, handle discussions with assigned clients concerning deal structures, transaction values, funds flow, and fees.

3. Supervise and develop the team

· Supervise analysts/associates in their buyer identification and outreach efforts, NDA negotiations, and follow up efforts.

· Work with TD/MP to interview and hire new personnel when necessary.

· Ensure the team operates in a respectful, professional, and nurturing environment.

· Distribute workload appropriately among analysts/associates.

· Allocate tasks to maintain engagement levels and retention.

4. Contribute to corporate growth

· Remain available for additional projects and conference attendance.

· Participate in brand recognition events in the region and throughout the financial community.

· Provide input for process improvements.

· Contribute to office-wide and company-wide training efforts.

· Collaborate with peers in other offices.

As a team member in our organization, you must be an energetic and passionate individual with a positive and highly motivated can-do attitude. You must have the strong desire and ambition to succeed in this rewarding industry. It is also vital for your role as an SDA that you possess excellent analytical, mathematical, interpersonal, written communication, verbal communication, and negotiating skills, as well as professional presentation abilities.

The SDA is a client-facing leadership role that must be able to convey key information, including bad news, and deal with clients’ unique sensitivities, while keeping each client moving through the company sale process at a steady pace. As each team member’s compensation is tied to deal completions, the team will look to the SDA not only for leadership but also for their financial success.

Relevant experience will include two to five years working as an M&A professional or equivalent experience.

The successful applicant must:

· Understand the sequence of events in a company sale process, from client engagement through deal closing.

· Have a firm understanding of company financial statements, working capital analysis, and Adjusted EBITDA calculations, including the process of identifying and defending appropriate add-backs.

· Have a general knowledge of the legal parameters involved in M&A transactions.

· Possess the ability to learn the financial and market dynamics of various industries and business models in relatively short periods.

· Communicate exceptionally well both verbally and in writing.

· Handle setbacks, difficult conversations with business owners, negotiations with veteran professional acquirers, and cooperation with client’s attorneys and accountants.

· Consistently present themselves in a professional manner in keeping with Benchmark International’s image.

· Work outside normal business hours at times, whether early or late, as required by client schedules and expectations.

· Be available to travel for occasional overnight trips.

· Have no unfavorable history with FINRA, the SEC, or any state regulatory agency.

· Be able to obtain a real estate sales associate license within a designated time frame.

The Senior Deal Associate's on-target compensation is $85,000 to $100,000+ per year. This consists of an annual base salary in the range of $60,000 to $72,000, plus commissions equal to a percentage of company revenue obtained from closing transactions, and an additional bonus for achieving the team's annual target.

All Benchmark International positions offer paid time off, standard holidays, and community service days. Employees are eligible for highly competitive company-subsidized medical, dental, vision, and AD&D insurance; 401k with company matching; flexible spending accounts; and flexible dependent care assistance accounts. Quarterly team outings and standing desks are employee favorites at present.

Benchmark International is an active, contributing member of the communities in which we work. The company participates in significant charitable giving opportunities throughout the year. Many of the recipient charities have been identified by our individual employees as a result of their personal passions for supporting particular needs. In addition, each employee is encouraged to use two paid work days per year to provide their labor and skills to the community.

Benchmark International provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected classification. Equal employment opportunity includes, but is not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, demotion, transfer, leaves of absence, and termination. The Company takes allegations of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation seriously, and will promptly investigate when such behavior is reported.