Associate, Private Equity

Job Description

Associate, Private Equity | Sinclair Inc.

The Tone:
This is a full-time role at Sinclair Inc., working specifically within its direct investment arm, Sinclair Ventures, and located in Hunt Valley, MD. Sinclair Ventures is building a long-term operating platform, deploying over $500M of permanent capital into lower-middle-market control investments across essential services with an “atoms, not bits” mandate. Sinclair Inc. itself is a diversified media company and a leading provider of local news and sports. This role matters because the Associate acts as the analytical engine of the deal team, owning the financial work, leading investment thesis research, and running diligence on live transactions. You will have meaningful influence on investment decisions and contribute directly to building the firm.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person, Hunt Valley, MD
• Pay: $125000–$150000 yearly
• Team: Small team at Sinclair Ventures, working directly with senior partners to build the firm and get real reps.
• Mission: Own the financial analysis, lead research, and drive diligence processes to identify and execute control investments in essential services.
• Tech Stack: Excel, PowerPoint, PitchBook, AlphaSense

What You’ll Actually Do
• Financial Modeling: Own end-to-end LBO, operating, and returns models, developing base, downside, and management cases with a strong point of view on key drivers. Drive valuation using DCF, comps, precedents, and sum-of-the-parts analysis, including PPA, tax structuring, rollover, and earn-outs, while auditing third-party models and Quality of Earnings reports.
• Investment Research: Build comprehensive investment theses within target verticals like water and environmental services, infrastructure services, civil and site work, and industrial manufacturing. Map landscapes, value chains, and consolidation patterns, conducting primary research to develop conviction and produce thematic work that translates into actionable target lists for the firm.
• Deal Execution: Lead the full diligence process for live transactions, from triaging CIMs and proprietary opportunities to coordinating QoE providers, consultants, lenders, and legal counsel. Translate findings into deal-relevant conclusions, draft Investment Committee memos and lender materials, and actively participate in management meetings, banker calls, and negotiations.
• Portfolio Management: Support portfolio companies on operating reviews, key performance indicator (KPI) reporting, and capital structure initiatives. Track performance against underwriting, surface variances early, and underwrite add-on acquisitions with the same rigor as platform deals.
• Firm Building: Develop and implement critical infrastructure, including pipeline systems, banker CRM, Investment Committee and diligence templates, and internal playbooks. Identify operational gaps and proactively build solutions to enhance the firm’s long-term operating platform.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Bachelor’s degree required with a genuine interest in essential services and the “atoms” side of the economy, demonstrating intellectual curiosity and a drive to become the default expert on covered segments.
• Experience: 2–5 years in private equity, investment banking (M&A or leveraged finance), or top-tier consulting with demonstrated live-deal experience in modeling, diligence, Investment Committee drafting, and management interaction.
• Skills: Advanced LBO and operating modeling from a blank sheet, fluency in valuation methods (DCF, comps, precedents), debt mechanics, and returns attribution, strong reading and analysis of QoE, audited financials, and debt documents, and proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, PitchBook, and AlphaSense.
• Bonus: MBA, CFA, or CPA certification, direct private equity experience, or a background in industrials, infrastructure, or services is helpful.