Corporate Development Associate

Job Description

Corporate Development Associate | Summit Companies

The Tone:
This is a full-time role at Summit Companies, located in Mendota Heights, MN. Summit Companies is the nation’s leading fire protection company, providing comprehensive fire detection, suppression, and security services, including design, installation, testing, inspections, and maintenance across many verticals. This position is central to the company’s strategic growth, supporting all aspects of the corporate development process to evaluate and execute new acquisitions and integrate them successfully, thereby expanding Summit’s presence across over 100 locations in more than 30 states.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person, Mendota Heights, MN

• Team: Works closely with senior leadership and has exposure to the Board of Directors, acting as primary backup to Partners.
• Mission: This person supports the identification, evaluation, execution, and integration of new acquisitions to drive the company’s strategic expansion and enhance portfolio performance.

What You’ll Actually Do
• Evaluate Opportunities: Review new deal opportunities with Partners, preparing screening memos and developing appropriate financial models to assess viability.
• Conduct Analysis: Analyze historical and projected financial statements, create and analyze financial projection and leveraged buyout models, and perform in-depth data gathering on companies and industries.
• Manage Due Diligence: Coordinate comprehensive diligence efforts with the deal team, presenting findings and recommendations to the investment committee, and participating in the negotiation and closing of investment documentation.
• Gather Insights: Interview management, customers, competitors, investors, analysts, partners, and suppliers, then present findings, key takeaways, and strategic recommendations to team members.
• Support Portfolio Management: Act as the primary backup to Partners on assigned existing portfolio investments, preparing or coordinating monthly financial calls, quarterly board materials, and portfolio valuations, and assisting with ongoing legal documentation.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree with an emphasis in finance, accounting, or economics.
• Experience: A minimum of 2-3 years of financial due diligence/transaction advisory, investment banking, or private equity experience.
• Skills: Proven capabilities in business and financial analysis, mergers and acquisitions, financial modeling, and research. Requires strong communication skills, a high motivation level, and outstanding interpersonal skills.
• Bonus: Advanced degrees and certifications such as CPA, CFA, or MBA are strongly preferred. Combined work history including public accounting in Audit and Transaction Advisory, Corporate Development, Investment Banking, and/or Private Equity is highly valued.