Business Development and M&A Associate

POSITION SUMMARY

North Park Group is a private family office investment group of business operators based out of Fort Lauderdale, FL and Chicago, IL. We focus on the acquisition of family-owned United States based manufacturing and distribution businesses with the strategy to hold and grow them. We believe in the fundamentals that make family-owned businesses great: People, Customer Service, Teamwork, Continuous Improvement, and Long-term Value Creation. We have the flexibility and creativity to tailor our investment to meet the business characteristics and shareholder goals. With a focus on small and middle market businesses, we understand the challenges and opportunities facing niche businesses. North Park Group works closely with businesses to develop and execute strategic growth plans to create long-term value for shareholders and employees.

Background on North Park Group

North Park Group is now looking to bring in a Business Development & M&A Associate for North Park Group.

North Park Group is seeking a
Business Development & M&A Associate
to support deal sourcing, evaluation, diligence, and transaction execution. This role will work directly with senior leadership and play a meaningful role across the full lifecycle of acquisitions — from first conversation through close and post-acquisition transition.

This is an opportunity for someone who wants
real responsibility
, exposure to business owners and operators, and a clear path to growing into a senior investing role.

Key Responsibilities

Deal Sourcing & Relationship Management

· Source acquisition opportunities through business brokers, intermediaries, direct outreach, and proprietary channels

· Build and maintain relationships with business owners, advisors, lenders, and M&A intermediaries

· Track and manage deal pipeline activity using CRM and internal tools

· Represent North Park Group professionally in outreach, meetings, and conferences

Deal Evaluation & Execution

· Screen opportunities and prepare initial investment summaries

· Build and maintain financial and operating models

· Support valuation analysis and deal structuring

· Coordinate due diligence across financial, legal, operational, and commercial workstreams

· Assist with LOI preparation, transaction documentation, and closing processes

· Work closely with external advisors (accountants, attorneys, lenders)

Post-Acquisition Support

· Assist with transition planning and early post-close initiatives

· Support portfolio company strategic and operational projects as needed

QUALIFICATIONS

• 2–5 years of experience in private equity, investment banking, transaction advisory, corporate development, search fund / ETA, or related fields
• Strong financial modeling and analytical skills
• Comfortable interacting with business owners and senior executives
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple workstreams
• Self-starter who thrives in a lean, entrepreneurial environment
• Willingness to travel periodically for deal work

Manufacturing or industrial experience is a plus, but not required.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

The successful candidate will exhibit the following attributes:

Relationship-First, Not Transaction-First

• Comfortable building
  long-term trust
  with owners and brokers
• Listens more than they talk
• Understands that sourcing is about
  credibility and consistency
  , not spamming CIMs

Owner Mindset

• Thinks like a business owner, not an analyst
• Naturally asks:
  "Would I want to own this?"
• Cares about
  quality, durability, and downside protection

Comfort With Ambiguity

• Doesn't need a playbook for everything
• Comfortable working with imperfect data and evolving priorities
• Can move a deal forward without waiting for permission

High Integrity + Low Ego

• Honest with brokers, sellers, and teammates
• Will say "we're not the right buyer" when appropriate
• Doesn't oversell or bluff

Process-Oriented but Not Bureaucratic

• Organized, disciplined, and reliable
• Keeps pipelines clean and follow-ups tight
• Doesn't create busywork or unnecessary memos

Commercial Curiosity

• Genuinely interested in how businesses make money
• Asks smart questions about customers, pricing, labor, capex
• Enjoys factory floors and operator conversations

Resilient & Patient

• Understands that 95%+ of deals
  do not close
• Doesn't get discouraged by slow processes or dead deals
• Keeps showing up consistently

Strong Written & Verbal Communicator

• Can write clean, concise outreach emails
• Can summarize complex deals simply
• Comfortable talking to owners, brokers, lenders, and lawyers

Bias Toward Action

• Follows up without being asked
• Moves deals forward proactively
• Balances speed with judgment

Long-Term Orientation

• Not chasing a two-year resume flip
• Motivated by building something durable
• Aligned with reinvestment and compounding over time

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

· Normal office environment

· Some travel (25%) will be required

· Locations:

o  Chicago, IL

o  St. Charles, IL

o  Madison, OH

o  Memphis, TN

o  Wichita, KS

o  Fort Lauderdale, FL

COMPENSATION RANGE

Compensation Range:

Base range - $100-200K depending on qualifications

Bonus - STI incentive target of 0-40% - variable based on achieving specific benchmarks in year-over-year EBITDA growth and Cash Return on Initial Equity.

Incentive equity in new deals

Ability to co-invest in future North Park Group acquisitions