Associate, European Mid-Market

Job Title: Associate, European Mid-Market

Contract Type: Permanent, full-time

Location: London, St Pauls

Department: Structured & Private Equity, European Mid-Market

Reporting to: Principal, European Mid-Market

Position Summary:

The European Mid-Market strategy launched in 2019 with a €1.0bn debut fund and invested in 15 businesses across Europe. Following strong portfolio performance and successful realisations, a €3.0bn second fund was raised in 2025, approximately three times the size of its predecessor. Building on this momentum, the strategy continues to expand its investment activities across the UK and Europe and remains well positioned for further growth in the years ahead.

The strategy sits within ICG, one of Europe's largest and fastest-growing alternative asset managers, with approximately $126bn of assets under management. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to combine the resources, brand and institutional infrastructure of a global platform with the entrepreneurial culture of a rapidly growing investment strategy. As the Mid-Market platform continues to scale, the role offers an opportunity to help build a market-leading franchise, whilst developing alongside a business that remains in a significant growth phase.

ICG is a market leader in partnership capital investing, a fast-growing niche within the broader private equity market. The strategy partners with founders, entrepreneurs, management teams and private equity sponsors through flexible and bespoke investment structures, providing exposure to a diverse range of transaction types, sectors and investment situations, alongside a high cadence of investing activity.

The Mid-Market team comprises 22 investment professionals across the UK, France, Germany, Italy and the Nordics. Following this hire, the London team will comprise 11 professionals, including the Fund Head. While Mid-Market operates as a distinct team with its own culture and identity, it benefits from the resources, expertise and network of ICG's broader Structured and Private Equity platform, including the Large Cap strategy (Europe Fund IX, >€10bn).

The role involves actively supporting the origination, diligence, execution, and monitoring of European fund investments in the UK. At this level, you are expected to support the team on a transaction through financial modelling, business analysis, synthesis of information, coordination of workstreams as required and preparation of investment committee memoranda). Deal teams are intentionally lean, comprising an MD, a Principal or Vice President and an Associate. As a result, Associates are given significant responsibility from day one and gain exposure to all aspects of the investment process, including direct interaction with management teams, advisers, lenders and other stakeholders – this provides an exceptional opportunity to develop investor judgement, transaction experience and long-term investing skills at an accelerated pace.

Primary Responsibilities:

The responsibilities of the role include, but are not limited to: 

Deal execution

• Support deal team on developing and refining an investment thesis.
• Undertake financial and commercial analysis to support investment decisions and assess key risks.
• Lead financial modelling, including operating scenarios, valuation analysis and capital structure structuring.
• Analyse and challenge findings from sell-side due diligence, particularly financial and commercial workstreams.
• Scope and help drive targeted buy-side due diligence.
• Assess the achievability of management’s plan and strategic initiatives.
• Preparing papers for Investment Committee discussions.
• Drive work streams which help complete transactions including funds flow, tax structuring and short-term cash flows.

Value creation and portfolio management

• Drive identified post deal actions.
• Helping to capture and assess value creation activities.
• Assisting with bolt-on targeting and execution, working collaboratively with our investee management teams and internal Value Creation Team.
• Helping monitor monthly financial progress.
• Support the ICG team with internal valuations, reporting and exit planning.

Origination

• Helping identify and research potential platform targets.
• Organise and participate in calls to gain early market insight.
• Attend adviser meetings with bankers and strategy consultants to early build knowledge of opportunities.
• Helping to actively think about and drive angles around opportunities.

Key Requirements/ Qualifications

You will have demonstrable experience of: 

• 3-5 years' experience* in a role providing exposure to M&A transactions, investing or related strategic analysis.
• Experience in investment banking, transaction advisory, due diligence, strategy consulting, private equity, private debt or a related field.
• Buy-side experience would be a plus, particularly from private equity or structuring investing background.
• Interest in working across geographies and sectors.
• Fluent English required, other European language capabilities would be an advantage.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint is expected. A proactive approach to adopting emerging technologies, including AI tools, would be a strong advantage

Personal Attributes

Personal attributes that will make you successful in this role include but are not limited to: 

• Strong communication abilities both within the organization and with external parties.
• Self-starter with a proactive approach and strong sense of ownership.
• Intellectual curiosity and a genuine interest in businesses, industries and investing.
• Reliable and adaptable.
• Excellent interpersonal skills - ability to build effective relationships with management teams, advisers and colleagues.
• Strong commercial judgement and problem-solving ability.
• Keen eye for detail.

Our Global Benefits Framework is centred around these 3 key attributes:

• Wellbeing – Supporting your mental, physical and financial wellbeing as well as your lifestyle needs.
• Inclusivity – Fit for purpose and competitive, no matter who or where you are.
• Longevity – Long term and sustainable in design.

* We are committed to evaluating all applications that meet the role requirements, regardless of the number of years of experience.

Inclusion is one of ICG’s key values and we are committed to creating an equitable and inclusive workplace for everyone. By welcoming different perspectives, we strengthen ICG’s performance, enrich decision-making and contribute to better outcomes for our clients, colleagues, and the markets we serve. Accordingly, our recruitment processes provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees, regardless of age, ethnicity, disability, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or any other characteristic protected by local law.

We are equally committed to delivering an inclusive and accessible candidate experience. If you require information in an alternative format, additional time for assessments, an adjusted interview schedule, or any other support during the recruitment process, please let us know.