Origination Associate
Job Title: Origination Associate
Company: Dark Alpha Capital
Location: Remote (U.S.-based preferred)
Reports to: Managing Partner
About Dark Alpha Capital
Dark Alpha Capital is an independent sponsor and private equity firm focused on acquiring and scaling lower middle market companies in business services, industrial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and aerospace & defense.
We target opportunities with $1 million+ in EBITDA and meaningful growth potential, often where founders are seeking succession or liquidity.
Our approach combines proprietary deal sourcing, operational excellence, and value creation to deliver strong returns for our investors and partners.
Position Overview
The Origination Associate plays a pivotal role in sourcing, qualifying, and initiating proprietary acquisition opportunities.
This role is ideal for a self-starter with a strong interest in private equity and M&A who thrives at the intersection of research, outreach, and relationship management.
You’ll be responsible for building relationships with business owners, intermediaries, and other market participants to uncover deals that fit Dark Alpha Capital’s investment criteria.
Key Responsibilities
Deal Origination & Sourcing
Identify, research, and target proprietary acquisition opportunities within DAC’s focus industries.
Conduct outreach via email, phone, and LinkedIn to initiate conversations with business owners and intermediaries.
Develop a steady pipeline of qualified leads that match DAC’s investment criteria (typically $1M–$10M EBITDA).
Track and manage all outreach activities using DAC’s CRM (Bitrix24).
Support creation of sector-specific sourcing lists and strategies in collaboration with senior leadership.
Research & Analysis
Perform preliminary financial and qualitative analysis on target companies.
Gather and organize key data points such as revenue, EBITDA, ownership, location, and business model.
Summarize potential opportunities for internal investment discussions and pipeline reviews.
Maintain a strong understanding of industry trends and competitor movements in DAC’s target sectors.
Collaboration & Support
Work directly with the Managing Partner to refine messaging and origination strategy.
Collaborate with the investment team to hand off qualified leads for deeper due diligence.
Assist in managing inbound inquiries and relationships with brokers, advisors, and accountants.
Contribute to continuous improvement of origination processes, reporting, and outreach performance metrics.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or related field.
1–3 years of experience in private equity, investment banking, search fund, M&A advisory, corporate development, or high-performance outbound business development.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; comfortable engaging business owners and executives.
Strong analytical mindset with the ability to assess financial metrics and business models.
Experience with CRM systems (Bitrix24 preferred) and prospecting tools such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Apollo, Grata, or Axial.
Entrepreneurial, persistent, and able to manage multiple sourcing pipelines simultaneously.
Performance Metrics
Number of qualified proprietary deals sourced monthly.
Quality and fit of opportunities entering preliminary diligence.
Conversion rates from outreach to signed NDAs or CIM reviews.
Expansion of DAC’s network of business owners, brokers, and referral sources.
Compensation
Base Salary: Competitive (commensurate with experience)
Performance Bonus: Based on number and quality of qualified proprietary deals sourced and progressed.
Advancement: Opportunity to transition into Deal Associate or Vice President of Origination roles as performance and experience grow.
Ideal Candidate
Highly motivated and intellectually curious.
Thrives in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced environment.
Strong communicator and natural relationship builder.
Passionate about private equity, M&A, and the process of finding hidden value in the lower middle market.
Would you like me to make a version tailored for posting on Upwork or LinkedIn (shorter, more results-focused, and with skill-based bullet points for algorithm optimization)?
That version performs much better for sourcing high-quality candidates.
You said:
i need success fee compensation duh
ChatGPT said:
Perfect — here’s the fully revised version of the Origination Associate job description for Dark Alpha Capital, this time including a success-fee-based compensation structure that fits your independent sponsor model (no fixed salary, pay tied to qualified deal flow and closed transactions).
Job Title: Origination Associate
Company: Dark Alpha Capital
Location: Remote (U.S.-based preferred)
Reports to: Managing Partner
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
This is a success-fee-based role—no fixed salary. Compensation is tied directly to measurable deal activity and outcomes:
Qualified Deal Fee: $500–$2,500 per qualified proprietary deal introduced that passes DAC’s initial screening and proceeds to NDA or CIM stage.
Closing Success Fee: 0.25%–1.00% of the total enterprise value or DAC’s equity check for any closed acquisition that originated through your efforts (paid at closing).
Milestone Bonuses: Potential for discretionary bonuses based on sourcing volume, strategic introductions, or repeatable deal flow generation.
Advancement Path: Top performers may transition into a full-time Deal Associate or Vice President of Origination role with a base + carry 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.
Performance Metrics
Number of qualified proprietary opportunities sourced per month.
Conversion rate from outreach to NDA/CIM.
Quality of opportunities (fit, responsiveness, EBITDA range, etc.).
Closed-deal contribution and repeat relationships established.