Origination Associate

Job Title: Origination Associate

Company: Dark Alpha Capital
Location: Remote (U.S.-based preferred)
Reports to: VP of M&A Origination

About Dark Alpha Capital

Dark Alpha Capital (“DAC”) is a private equity independent sponsor focused on acquiring and scaling lower middle market companies across business services, industrial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and aerospace & defense.
We pursue transactions typically between $10 million and $200 million in enterprise value, targeting companies with $1 million+ in EBITDA, strong cash flow, and transition-ready ownership.

Our team partners with operating executives and investors to execute proprietary, thesis-driven buyouts and drive long-term value creation.

Position Overview

The Origination Associate will be responsible for identifying, qualifying, and initiating proprietary acquisition opportunities across Dark Alpha Capital’s target sectors.
This is a performance-based origination role with success-fee compensation, ideal for entrepreneurial professionals who thrive on relationship building, outbound deal generation, and results-driven incentives.

You will work directly with the Managing Partner to develop sourcing strategies, execute outreach campaigns, and drive deals into the firm’s pipeline.

Key Responsibilities

Deal Origination

• Identify and source proprietary acquisition opportunities that meet DAC’s investment criteria.
• Execute targeted outreach to business owners, founders, and intermediaries via phone, email, and LinkedIn.
• Qualify potential sellers by assessing company size, profitability, ownership objectives, and industry alignment.
• Maintain accurate CRM records of outreach, communication, and deal status (Bitrix24).
• Coordinate NDAs, CIM collection, and initial screening discussions with the investment team.

Research & Analysis

• Build industry target lists and maintain detailed records of ownership, contact information, and business characteristics.
• Conduct light financial and operational analysis to determine preliminary fit.
• Identify thematic or roll-up opportunities within DAC’s active investment theses.

Collaboration

• Report weekly metrics on outreach volume, conversions, and qualified leads.
• Partner with the Managing Partner to refine sector focus, messaging, and outreach tactics.
• Support coordination between intermediaries, operating partners, and DAC’s investment team.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Economics, or a related field.

• 0–5 years of experience in private equity origination, M&A advisory, corporate development, or B2B outbound development.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable with high-volume outreach to executives and founders.
• Proficiency with CRMs (Bitrix24 preferred), LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Apollo, Grata, or similar tools.
• Analytical thinker with an understanding of financial statements and valuation basics.
• Highly motivated self-starter who thrives in a merit-based, performance-driven environment.

Compensation (Success-Fee Based; No Fixed Salary)

Compensation is tied directly to measurable pipeline outcomes and clear origination attribution:

• Closing Success Fee: 0.25%–5.00% of total fees, net of expenses, collected by DAC for any closed acquisition that originated through your efforts (paid at closing).
• Advancement Path: Top performers may transition into a Senior BDR / VP Origination track with expanded responsibility and a more traditional compensation structure.

Ideal Candidate Traits

• Relentlessly proactive and metrics-driven.
• Excellent communicator and relationship builder.
• Understands the psychology and dynamics of founder-led businesses.
• Curious about private equity deal structures, value creation, and entrepreneurship.
• Excited by a performance-based role where compensation directly reflects results.

Equal Opportunity

Dark Alpha Capital is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please let us know.

Application Question(s):

• Can you work in a Success-fee based compensation only?
• How do you maintain motivation and financial stability in a role where your income depends solely on success-based fees?