Mergers & Acquisitions Associate

Our Story

Founded in 2008, Hightower is a wealth management firm that provides investment, financial and retirement planning services to individuals, foundations and family offices, as well as 401(k) consulting and cash management services to corporations. Hightower’s capital solutions, operational support services, size and scale empower its vibrant community of independent-minded wealth advisors to grow their businesses and help their clients achieve their vision of “well-th. rebalanced.” Based in Chicago with advisors across the U.S., we operate as a registered investment advisor (RIA).

Our commitment to our culture is demonstrated every day through the Hightower Way. By joining Hightower, you will build a community of inclusive relationships, take proactive ownership, embrace others’ perspectives, and have an uncompromising dedication to excellence.

What You’ll Do

Hightower is looking to add a motivated and high-performing Associate to its Mergers & Acquisitions (“M&A”) team. The role offers professional development regarding all phases of a deal process – from origination through due diligence and the deal closing - while providing the opportunity for an individual to play a meaningful role in Hightower’s inorganic growth initiatives. This individual will have several strategic and quantitative responsibilities including (but not limited to) relationship management, prospect evaluation and financial analyses. Given the nature of the work, the candidate must be very well-organized, self-motivated, intellectually curious, display attention to detail and desire to work in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Support the M&A team’s pipeline and acquisition efforts aligned with our organization’s broader revenue and profitability goals
• Identify and source new acquisition targets for Hightower through proactive, outbound business development and lead generation projects (cold-calling, email campaigns)
• Continually develop a pipeline of potential targets through ongoing relationship management activities with financial advisors and wealth management executives
• Evaluate and summarize M&A prospect information discovered through marketing materials, public filings, meetings and discovery calls, and other relevant sources
• Determine M&A targets’ cultural and operational fit with Hightower by collaborating with cross-functional department resources and understanding Hightower’s business model
• Assess M&A target metrics, including financial performance, and have the ability to clearly articulate summary findings to internal management
• Assist in financial analysis and due diligence activities by constructing pro-forma financial statements, financial valuation models, and other key quantitative analyses
• Stay informed about wealth management industry trends and competitive landscape through ongoing review of industry publications and research reports
• Prepare materials for use in external business development initiatives, as well as internal meetings, using PowerPoint, Excel, Word, and other presentation tools
  
  
  

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance or other related field from an accredited college or university
• 1-4 years of full-time work experience in business development, sales, transaction advisory, M&A, corporate development, investment banking, or other analytical or relationship management role(s)
• Experience with financial services space or wealth management industry a plus
• General exposure to M&A through prior working experience, internships, or classroom experience
• Experience building a pipeline and closing on opportunities promptly
• Competence in quantitative and analytical skills, including understanding in financial statement analysis and valuation modeling (experience with excel preferred)
• Broad knowledge and facilitation of sales cycle / process
• Experience with CRM tools (Salesforce CRM preferred)
• Strong drive, proactive mindset, and solution-oriented attitude
• Ability to prioritize tasks, communicate expectations, and adhere to deadlines while managing multiple projects simultaneously through working independently
• Effective verbal and written communication skills with ability to communicate to various levels within an organization, external partners and potential prospects
• Must maintain confidentiality at all times, as this position requires high level of responsibility regarding confidential information
  
  
  

What We Offer

• Coverage on the first day of employment for medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401k Matching Plan
• Paid Parental Leave
• Student Loan Assistance
• Pet Insurance
• Flexible PTO Plan
• Hybrid Model Work Schedule (50% in the office)
• Flexible Benefits (FSA, Pre-tax transportation, HSA Employer Contributions)
• We commit to a transparent, people-first environment where talent is maximized through our diverse, equitable and inclusive community
• We nurture a spirit of belonging, are energized by challenges, celebrate our successes, and achieve individual and collective well-th goals
• Base salary of $75,000 - $95,000 plus discretionary bonus (exact base salary amount will be dependent on experience)
  
  
  

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: Hightower is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, national origin, citizenship, veteran status, ancestry, age (over 40), physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related), gender identity or expression, genetic information including sickle cell or hemoglobin C trait, or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state, or local law.

You are a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident or possess other unrestricted U.S. work authorization and will not require sponsorship for U.S. work authorization now or anytime in the future