Investment Banking Associate, Secondary Advisory

Solutions for Today’s Challenges. Vision for Tomorrow’s Opportunities. Join William Blair, the Premier Global Partnership. William Blair is the premier global partnership providing advisory services, strategies and solutions to companies, investors and institutions worldwide. Our Private Capital Advisory (PCA) team advises leading alternative asset managers and institutional investors across all asset classes. Within PCA, the Secondary Advisory team acts as a strategic advisor to its clients on a broad range of liquidity solutions, including GP-led secondaries, portfolio transactions, fund restructurings and other liquidity options in conjunction with our sector investment banking teams.

As an Associate, you will play a central role in transaction origination and execution, client management, working directly with senior bankers, private equity sponsors, institutional investors and management teams on complex and highly strategic transactions across the private markets ecosystem.

At William Blair, Associates are empowered to make meaningful contributions from day one. Our entrepreneurial culture, collaborative environment and commitment to professional development create an exceptional platform for building a long-term career in private capital advisory.

What differentiates William Blair:
Significant responsibility and ownership over live transactions and origination efforts. Direct exposure to senior bankers, general partners (GPs), limited partners (LPs) and institutional investors. Experience across one of the fastest-growing areas of private capital markets. An independent partnership culture focused on collaboration, integrity and long-term client relationships. Extensive training, mentorship and leadership development opportunities. A collaborative and entrepreneurial environment that encourages intellectual curiosity and initiative.

As an Investment Banking Associate within the Secondary Advisory team, you will be responsible for managing transaction work streams across a variety of private market liquidity solutions. You will oversee financial analyses, coordinate due diligence processes, manage Analysts, develop client presentations and contribute directly to strategic recommendations. The role requires strong analytical, presentational and project management capabilities, excellent communication skills and a genuine interest in private markets.

Successful candidates will possess advanced financial modelling expertise, strong commercial judgement and the ability to manage multiple transaction work streams simultaneously.

• Lead execution work streams across GP-led secondary transactions, e.g. continuation funds, portfolio sales and other liquidity solutions.
• Develop, review and oversee complex financial models and valuation analyses.
• Prepare and review confidential marketing materials, investor presentations, transaction memoranda and management presentations.
• Coordinate financial, operational and commercial due diligence processes.
• Manage transaction timelines and support communication among clients, investors and external advisers.
• Analyse portfolio company performance, valuation trends and strategic alternatives.
• Identify transaction risks, opportunities and key findings and communicate recommendations to senior team members.
• Ability to draft high impact and professional power point presentations for highly sophisticated investors.

• Develop deep knowledge of private equity, growth & venture, private credit, infrastructure and real asset investment strategies.
• Monitor and understand private market fundraising dynamics, secondary market developments and capital formation trends.
• Analyse institutional investor behaviour, liquidity needs and portfolio management strategies.
• Evaluate market conditions impacting secondary transaction pricing, execution and investor demand.
• Conduct industry research and strategic assessments to support client conversations and transaction recommendations.

• Serve as a day-to-day contact for clients, institutional…