Associate, Portfolio Performance, Private Equity

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry.

Job Description

Position Summary

Ares Private Equity flagship corporate opportunities funds pursue investments in growth-oriented middle market companies in North America and Europe. Our senior investment professionals average over 21 years of experience investing in, advising, underwriting, and restructuring leveraged companies. We seek to invest in high-quality middle market companies in our core industries - Healthcare, Services, Industrials and Consumer - where we can utilize our extensive growth-oriented investing experience, proprietary Value Creation System and our ability to flex into distressed to seek to generate consistent returns across market environments.

Ares is seeking an Associate to join the Value Creation Team (“VCT”) within the Private Equity Group (“PEG”) in our Los Angeles, CA office. The VCT’s core mission is to create value across Ares’ Private Equity portfolio companies and optimize the performance of Ares’ Private Equity funds. The VCT is responsible for supporting the identification and prioritization of key value drivers in partnership with deal teams and management, aligning talent to the key value drivers, monitoring performance of portfolio companies, supporting capital deployment efforts, and driving fund-level analytics. The VCT consists of highly experienced professionals, including former executives at successful private equity-backed companies, advisors at top consulting firms, and former investment professionals.

The Associate, Portfolio Performance role will be focused on assisting senior members of the team with portfolio monitoring, fund-level analytics and executing the performance management function internally. The ideal candidate will have up to three years of experience in analytical roles, strong business acumen, and a desire to learn and develop new skills by working on a variety of workstreams as necessary in a collegial and fast-paced environment.

Primary Functions And Essential Responsibilities

The Associate will partner with the Vice President, Portfolio Performance and larger Private Equity Group (PEG) team members to assist in building and managing the PE Performance Management System, which includes the following:

• Provide support to track, analyze, and report on portfolio company performance.
• Collaborate with senior team members to construct, refine, and communicate complex fund return forecast models to maintain a point of view on optimal portfolio construction and monetization timing.
• Analyze and prepare recommendations on portfolio construction, buy / sell, and other key investment decisions.
• Participate in the regular review of the effectiveness of current processes and workflow, while proposing and implementing improvements.
• Support cross-functional teams on fundraising workstreams, LP requests / reporting, and other
• Collaborate with various internal teams at Ares including but not limited to Private Equity leadership and deal team, Value Creation Team, Investor Relations, Finance & Accounting, and ESG
  
  

Qualifications

• The VCT is looking for self-motivated, highly driven individuals with a passion and interest in Private Equity. In addition to strong analytical skills and comfort in a fast-paced, collaborative environment, successful candidates should have:
• Minimum of a B.S. degree in Finance, Economics, or Accounting;
  
  

Experience Required

• 2-4 years of relevant experience in analytical roles; valuation, accounting, or within a private equity firm and / or investment bank;
• Strong financial modeling and private equity fund modeling abilities;
• Advanced MS Excel and PowerPoint skills required
• Proficient knowledge and understanding of key financial, accounting, and private equity concepts
• Proficient knowledge and understanding of valuation methodologies and PE return concepts (IRR, MIC, DPI, etc.)
• Experience / proficiency with iLevel, Tableau, Power-BI, or Python a plus but not required
  
  

Reporting Relationships

Compensation

The anticipated base salary range for this position is listed below. Total compensation may also include a discretionary performance-based bonus. Note, the range takes into account a broad spectrum of qualifications, including, but not limited to, years of relevant work experience, education, and other relevant qualifications specific to the role.

$110,000.00 - $140,000.00

The firm also offers robust Benefits offerings. Ares U.S. Core Benefits include Comprehensive Medical/Rx, Dental and Vision plans; 401(k) program with company match; Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA); Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSA) with company contribution; Basic and Voluntary Life Insurance; Long-Term Disability (LTD) and Short-Term Disability (STD) insurance; Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and Commuter Benefits plan for parking and transit.

Ares offers a number of additional benefits including access to a world-class medical advisory team, a mental health app that includes coaching, therapy and psychiatry, a mindfulness and wellbeing app, financial wellness benefit that includes access to a financial advisor, new parent leave, reproductive and adoption assistance, emergency backup care, matching gift program, education sponsorship program, and much more.

There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active.