PEPI, Senior Associate - M&A and Performance Improvement – Sports, Media, and Entertainment

Overview

This role supports private equity and corporate clients through complex transactions within the Sports, Media, and Entertainment (SM&E) team in the organization’s Private Equity Performance Improvement practice.

Engagements focus on operational expertise across the full transaction lifecycle, including operational due diligence, Day 1 and 100 milestone planning, integration and separation planning, synergy assessment, transition services agreements (TSAs), performance improvement, and related governance and project management.

Responsibilities

• Identify key client business issues and oversee workstreams, owning key client deliverables.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration and supplement standard assessment methods and tools with innovative approaches.
• Evaluate and validate analysis; develop recommendations in the context of the overall engagement.
• Lead client interactions, facilitate working sessions, and present findings to senior stakeholders.
• Translate complex analytical outputs into clear, actionable insights and executive-ready deliverables across integration, carve-out, and performance improvement engagements.
• Own and maintain key deliverables throughout the engagement, including:
  • Synergy and performance improvement models
  • Separation and one-time cost models
  • Integration and carve-out trackers
  • Other workstream outputs
• Ensure accuracy and executive-ready quality across all stages of the transaction lifecycle.
• Provide informal leadership by coordinating across workstreams, aligning priorities and execution plans, and supporting team development through coaching, feedback, and on-the-job guidance.

Requirements

• 4-6+ years of professional experience in management consulting, investment banking, private equity, or corporate development.
• Demonstrated track record of M&A, ideally with experience in the SM&E space.
• Strong technical and analytical capabilities, including:
  • Advanced financial modeling for client deliverables
  • Expert Excel skills
  • Ability to structure and analyze large, complex datasets to drive insights
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Eager to learn about core operations of SM&E.
• Initiative and drive, critical thinking skills, and flexibility to travel at least 75% of the time.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA preferred.
• Experience in integration/separation planning and execution (a plus, but not required).

Compensation & Benefits

• Full-time Positions and Part-time Positions Over 30 hours.
• Regular employees working 30 or more hours per week are eligible for fringe benefits, including healthcare plans, flexible spending and savings accounts, life, AD&D, and disability coverages at rates determined periodically.
• Eligibility-dependent annual discretionary contribution to a 401(k) retirement savings plan.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan.
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal days, seventy-two (72) hours of sick time (prorated for part time employees), ten federal holidays, one floating holiday, and parental leave.
• Vacation and personal days vary based on tenure and role type.
• Salary range: $100,000 - $170,000 annually, dependent on education, experience, skills, and geography.
• Discretionary bonus program based on individual and firm performance (ask recruiter for details).

Location

Offices throughout the US.