Associate

Opportunity Snapshot

Shore Search Partners (“SSP”), a strategy within Shore Capital Partners, is seeking an Investment Associate to support the evaluation, underwriting, execution and monitoring of lower middle-market investments via search funds and independent sponsor structures. Search funds (or “Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition,” “ETA,” or “searches”) are formed by 1–2 individuals seeking to acquire and operate a lower middle-market company. Within SSP, there is a particular emphasis on roll-up initiation, supporting entrepreneurs who are pursuing buy-and-build strategies rather than solely traditional single-asset searches. In the Associate role, responsibilities center on evaluating, underwriting, and executing lower middle-market roll-up opportunities—both those sourced through searchers and those identified independently in the open market.

SSP sits at the intersection of traditional private equity and Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA). The Associate role reflects this blend, combining a high volume of deals and fast decision-making cycles with meaningful, direct engagement alongside searchers who are often preparing to become CEOs of acquired companies and platform investments. This position requires independent ownership of analysis, disciplined underwriting judgment, and the ability to form defensible investment recommendations in fast-moving situations, with limited information and time. Associates report to the Vice President, work closely with Partners and maintain clear ownership of both their own work and the output of supporting junior team members. Performance is measured by execution reliability (quality and timeliness), sound judgment, and clarity of thought.

The Associate supports each stage of the investment process, including opportunity evaluation, industry and market analysis, financial modeling and underwriting, due diligence, investment committee materials preparation, and transaction execution. The role also involves coordinating Shore resources to support searchers and portfolio companies, contributing to deal structuring activities, and helping drive roll-up initiatives from initial thesis through closing.

About Shore Capital Partners

Shore Capital Partners (“SCP” or “Shore”) is a leading lower middle-market private equity firm based in Chicago, IL. SCP proactively seeks to identify attractive industry niches within healthcare, business services, food & beverage, and industrials, recruit best-in-class board members, invest in companies poised for transformational growth, and deliver post-investment services and operational expertise to drive equity value creation. SCP has ~$14B in assets under management, with 84 platform investments, 1,100+ add-on investments and 22 successful exits. Shore’s exits have yielded a multiple of invested capital of 6.4x and an internal rate of return of ~58% on average, placing it in the top 1% of private equity firms by returns.

About Shore Search Partners

SSP is a newer strategy within the Shore ecosystem and is led by Michael Aubrey, Cale Werder, Cameron Perkins, Jacob Balley, Cyrus Hessabi, and Pedro Russell with long-term runway and scaling. The role has the potential for upward mobility and professional growth within Shore Search Partners. For more information, please visit the website here.

Responsibilities

• Own financial modeling and returns analyses for new platform and add-on acquisitions and validate key assumptions driving investment outcomes
• Assess key value drivers, investment risks, value creation levers, and gating issues, synthesizing financial and qualitative factors into a clear investment view
• Evaluate fragmented industries and roll-up theses, including consolidation dynamics, competitive positioning, demand drivers and structural risks, directing market research efforts to validate assumptions
• Identify key due diligence plan priorities, questions and frameworks for addressing core diligence gaps to validate conviction (or lack thereof) at pace
• Develop and present structured investment recommendations to senior leadership and investment committee, clearly articulating merits, risks and key decision drivers, through polished and reliable presentation materials
• Oversee the work of an Analyst when required (e.g. as part of normal investment evaluation processes)
• Manage core diligence workstreams end-to-end, coordinating third-party advisors, searchers, and internal stakeholders to ensure timely execution
• Oversee portfolio monitoring, proactively identifying performance trends, risks, and value-creation opportunities through financial and KPI assessments

Professional Qualifications

• Advanced financial modeling skills and familiarity with transaction diligence processes, with the ability to independently lead analytical workstreams and produce investment committee presentations
• Direct transaction experience in M&A, investment banking, private equity, or principal investing required, with meaningful responsibility in live deal execution, ideally 2–4 years of experience in investment banking, private equity, or a similarly rigorous, fast-paced, analytical role
• Exceptional analytical judgment and problem-solving skills, particularly in settings with limited information and time, with rigorous attention to detail and consistent intellectual honesty
• Strong Excel / financial modeling expertise, i.e. the ability to build, audit, and refine complex models in Excel with limited oversight
• Advanced PowerPoint experience, with consistency in producing polished, investor-ready materials and overseeing the quality of presentation outputs
• Demonstrated ability to operate autonomously, take full ownership of workstreams, oversee Analyst output when required, and drive investment processes forward with limited direction
• Proven ability to perform under tight timelines while managing multiple concurrent transactions and priorities
• Clear written and verbal communication ability, both internally with investment team peers and externally representing the firm when communicating with searchers, sellers, advisors and other third parties           
• High emotional intelligence and interpersonal maturity, with the ability to engage effectively with Partners, searchers, management teams, and external advisors
• Leadership, initiative, and a sustained record of high performance in academic and professional settings
• Bachelor’s degree required

Compensation

• Compensation will be competitive and commensurate with experience, and will include an attractive base salary, annual bonus opportunity, and a comprehensive benefits package

Additional Information on Shore Capital

• Shore Capital Origin
• ELA Highlight Video
• ELA State of the Union
• Vanderbilt Center for Entrepreneurship: Creating a PE Firm with Justin Ishbia of Shore Capital Partners
• Podcast: Entrepreneurial Lessons of Grit, Growth, and Giving Back
• Podcast: CEO Success in Operating Small Business Acquisitions