Principal

Lewis & Clark Capital (LACC) is the private equity investing arm of a family office (Lewis & Clark Holdings). We take a selective, pragmatic, and operator-focused approach to investing in the lower middle-market, and partner with successful founders and operators to help realize their vision of moving beyond success to significance. 

Our approach is defined by 5 pillars:

• Operator Focused: We are a team of experienced operators who actively partner with managers to drive business transformation.
• People First: Talent acquisition and people development has underpinned our prior successes and will continue to be a major focus.
• Patient Capital: We maintain a long-term focus, with a sense of urgency to realize near term objectives.
• Entrepreneurship: We are invested & experienced across a broad swathe of industries and sizes with emphasis on entrepreneurial situations.
• Data as our backbone: We believe the key to scaling is to create robust measurement & reporting, to drive efficient decision making.

We enjoy working with candidates who are intellectually curious, motivated to learn on the job, enjoy rolling up their sleeves and understanding business operations, and are driven to challenge status quo using facts and data.

Job Description:

The Principal’s primary objective is to drive equity value through both an organic and inorganic growth focus. Responsibilities include managing deal flow, conducting acquisition target research and prioritization, leading due diligence efforts, building and maintaining valuation models, supporting transaction documentation, overseeing post-deal integration and supporting existing portfolio companies via strategy creation/affirmation and overseeing management’s actions to drive value.

The ideal candidate will possess exceptional business analytics, financial modeling, strategic thinking, and problem-solving abilities, coupled with demonstrated success as an operator in value creation and M&A transactions.  Further, the candidate will thrive in a high pace environment and be adept at managing multiple deals and projects simultaneously. This role requires significant operational experience and the ability to actively engage with portfolio companies as needed. 

Portfolio-Level Responsibilities:

• Develop a deep understanding of portfolio companies' business models, challenges, and growth objectives to identify and support execution for operational improvement and value creation.
• Engage deeply in operational details while balancing multiple high-priority tasks.
• Manage the corporate development function, including acquisitions, divestitures, partnerships, and turnaround initiatives.
• Lead the end-to-end deal process, from Letter of Intent (LOI) through bidding, diligence, and closing.
• Perform forecasting, valuation, and scenario analysis to support strategic transaction decisions.
• Lead the integration process for transactions, ensuring alignment with strategic value drivers and resolving cross-functional issues.
• Leverage IT tools and processes relevant to the company’s industry and objectives.

Fund-Level Responsibilities:

• Support the investment team in evaluating deals, conducting due diligence, and assessing management teams of potential portfolio companies.
• Participate in the development and refinement of the firm’s overall investment strategy.
• Serve as a member of the Investment Committee, providing input and evaluations for significant transactions.

Cross-Functional Leadership:

• Influence stakeholders across portfolio companies to align with integration plans and strategic initiatives.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with key external partners, including banks, accountants, attorneys, business brokers, and other private equity firms or family offices.
• Represent the firm by communicating business priorities to the broader marketplace, , executives, line managers, and Board members.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience as a Vice President or above.  
• History of working in companies across different industries or with various business models.
• Provide strategic leadership and executive presence, ensuring alignment with company goals.
• Demonstrated success in managing acquisitions, divestitures, integrations, and operational improvement projects.
• Strong expertise in financial modeling, valuation, and strategic analysis.
• Ability to rapidly process and synthesize complex information into actionable tactics while maintaining strategic intent.
• Proven ability to influence and collaborate with senior executives, cross-functional teams, and external stakeholders.
• Ability to travel as required to portfolio companies and transaction sites