Career Opportunity

Chief Executive Officer

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Category

Operations

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Location

Chicago, Illinois

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Salary

$250,000 - $300,000

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Job Reference

236031

Job Description

Vice President, M&A / Chief Executive Officer

Private Equity–Backed Professional Services Platform | Remote


The Opportunity

We are partnering with a private equity–backed platform to recruit a Vice President of M&A (Officially titled Chief Executive Officer) to lead the launch and growth of a new roll-up in the professional services sector. The platform is at an early inflection point, with its first acquisition expected to close shortly and approximately $100M of committed capital to deploy over the next several years.


This role is fundamentally an investing and deal leadership position, with primary responsibility for sourcing, underwriting, and executing acquisitions. While the CEO will ultimately build and lead the operating organization, the immediate focus is on capital deployment, platform expansion, and value creation through M&A.


The platform targets highly fragmented, founder-owned businesses in niche professional services markets and is expected to complete acquisitions at a steady pace (~1 deal per quarter), building toward a scaled, multi-entity platform over time.


This is an ideal opportunity for a first-time CEO or senior deal professional seeking ownership, autonomy, and the ability to build a business from the ground up.


Role Focus

Investing & M&A Leadership (Primary – ~75%)

  • Own the full M&A lifecycle, including sourcing, outbound outreach, underwriting, valuation, diligence, negotiation, and execution
  • Build and manage a proprietary acquisition pipeline across fragmented professional services markets
  • Partner closely with the private equity sponsor on investment strategy, capital deployment, and return objectives
  • Lead post-close integration planning and execution
  • Develop a repeatable acquisition and integration playbook to support scalable growth


Executive Leadership & Platform Development (~25%)

  • Serve as CEO of the platform with responsibility for overall leadership and direction
  • Build the corporate infrastructure, including initial hires across business development and support functions
  • Oversee early-stage operations, financial tracking, and KPI development across acquired businesses
  • Act as the primary interface with the private equity sponsor, lenders, and external advisors
  • Help shape the long-term organizational structure as the platform scales


Ideal Candidate Profile

  • Approximately 8–15 years of experience with a strong investing foundation in:
  • Private equity
  • Investment banking
  • Corporate development
  • Search fund / independent sponsor environments
  • Demonstrated ability to source, underwrite, and execute transactions end-to-end
  • Strong financial acumen, including valuation, modeling, and deal structuring
  • Desire to transition from pure investing into a more operator-oriented, ownership-driven role
  • Comfortable operating in ambiguous, fast-moving environments with minimal infrastructure
  • Highly organized, detail-oriented, and execution-focused with the ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously
  • Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships with founders, advisors, and stakeholders


Location & Work Model

  • Fully remote to start
  • Flexibility to evolve into a hybrid model over time


Compensation & Upside

  • Competitive base salary + bonus
  • Meaningful equity participation (~5–7% of the management equity pool)
  • Designed for candidates motivated by long-term value creation and ownership



Why This Role

  • First-time CEO seat with real authority and accountability
  • Significant exposure to investing, deal-making, and capital allocation
  • Backed by an experienced private equity sponsor with a strong track record
  • Opportunity to build and scale a platform from day one
  • Entrepreneurial, high-autonomy environment with substantial upside


Job Responsibilities
Education and Experience
Knowledge and Skill Requirements

Get to know our
Operations Recruiter

Bud Harrison

Senior Partner

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(847) 429-2546

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