Growth Associate | M&A Origination

Job Description

Growth Associate | Alkali Partners

The Tone:
This is a full-time role at Alkali Partners, located in Portland, OR (preferred) or remote for U.S.-based candidates. Alkali Partners is an M&A advisory firm serving founder-owned software and technology companies across the middle market. This position is a direct entry point into investment banking, responsible for building the firm’s growth engine by identifying exceptional companies, initiating conversations, and connecting senior dealmakers with founders. The role is critical for driving the top of the deal funnel and shaping the future of an AI-native M&A advisory firm.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-Time
• Location: Portland, OR (preferred) or Remote (U.S.-based)
• Pay: $70000–$90000 yearly
• Team: Works directly with partners and senior bankers.
• Mission: Own the top of the deal funnel by sourcing companies and initiating conversations to generate new M&A mandates.
• Tech Stack: Claude, Salesforce, Grata, PitchBook, Apollo, Amplemarket, n8n

What You’ll Actually Do
• Pipeline Generation: Source, research, and qualify software and technology companies that align with the firm’s investment thesis to keep the deal funnel consistently full.
• Outbound Execution: Design and implement personalized, multi-channel outreach sequences across email, LinkedIn, and phone to initiate genuine conversations with founders and CEOs.
• Pitch Booking: Schedule initial calls with ICP-fit companies for the deal team, with the goal of securing formal sell-side pitch meetings between Alkali bankers and qualified founders.
• Handoff and CRM Management: Ensure every booked call includes a structured Salesforce record and a pre-meeting note, maintaining pipeline hygiene as the source of truth for the deal team.
• Process Building: Contribute to refining qualification criteria, sharpening the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), improving outreach sequences, and institutionalizing effective strategies firm-wide.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Entry-Level. 0 to 2 years of experience in tech sales, SDR/BDR roles, finance, consulting, or an ambitious new graduate. No prior investment banking experience is required.
• Skills:
• Communication: Comfortable initiating conversations through cold calls and in-person interactions, capable of building rapport, and a native-level English writer.
• Volume & Quality: Ability to sustain a high daily output of calls, personalized emails, and sourced companies without compromising quality.
• Data Discipline: Experience maintaining a system of record and ensuring the CRM (e.g., Salesforce) is consistently clean and accurate.
• Agency & Drive: Possesses a relentless, high-agency approach to identifying and solving pipeline challenges, eager for feedback, competitive, and self-directed.
• Bonus:
• Tool Familiarity: Experience with Salesforce, Apollo, Amplemarket, PitchBook, Grata, or n8n.
• Industry Exposure: Familiarity with M&A, private equity, SaaS metrics, or enterprise software.
• AI Fluency: Already uses AI tools as a force multiplier or is eager to learn and apply them.
• Quota Attainment: A demonstrated track record of hitting activity or meeting quotas.
• Commercial Curiosity: A fascination with how businesses generate revenue, grow, and are acquired.