INVESTMENT ASSOCIATE

NYC PRIVATE CREDIT

J Harlan Group is currently conducting a highly selective search for an exceptional Investment Associate on behalf of one of the industry's premier Private Credit Investment Firms headquartered in New York City. The firm manages approximately $9.3 billion in assets under management and is recognized as a market leader in middle market direct lending and special situations investing, providing bespoke credit solutions to companies requiring capital for growth, acquisitions, operational improvements, and financial restructurings.

This is an outstanding opportunity for an intellectually curious investment professional who thrives in a rigorous, fast-paced investment environment and seeks significant exposure to the full investment lifecycle—from sourcing and underwriting through transaction execution, portfolio management, and value creation. Associates work directly alongside senior investment professionals and play a meaningful role in evaluating, structuring, executing, and monitoring investments across a diverse portfolio of middle market companies.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive investment and transaction analysis across new direct lending and special situations opportunities.
• Perform detailed credit underwriting, including business, industry, financial, liquidity, and capital structure analysis.
• Build sophisticated financial models, including three-statement models, debt capacity analyses, cash flow forecasting, sensitivity analyses, and downside case scenarios.
• Prepare detailed investment memoranda and present investment opportunities to the firm's Investment Committee.
• Support sourcing and initial screening of proprietary and syndicated loan investment opportunities.
• Manage the investment due diligence process, including coordinating financial, commercial, legal, operational, accounting, and third-party advisors.
• Review and assist in negotiating legal documentation in partnership with internal and external counsel.
• Monitor portfolio investments through ongoing financial analysis, covenant compliance, operating performance reviews, and detailed investment performance updates.
• Monitor market activity through regular interaction with investment banks, restructuring advisors, private equity sponsors, legal counsel, management teams, and other industry professionals.
• Support amendments, refinancings, recapitalizations, restructurings, acquisitions, and other special situations transactions within the portfolio.
• Support the Investment Team's ongoing portfolio management and operational responsibilities.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of relevant experience in Investment Banking, Direct Lending, Private Credit, Leveraged Finance, Financial Sponsors, Restructuring Advisory, Special Situations, or a related investment discipline.
• Strong credit underwriting, financial statement analysis, and corporate finance experience.
• Advanced financial modeling skills, including three-statement modeling, debt sizing, cash flow forecasting, valuation, sensitivity, and downside analyses.
• Experience preparing investment committee memoranda, credit presentations, or transaction analyses.
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate companies, industries, competitive positioning, and investment risks.
• Exceptional analytical, quantitative, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong work ethic with the ability to manage multiple live transactions while meeting demanding deadlines.
• Collaborative team player with excellent interpersonal skills.
• High degree of intellectual curiosity, personal accountability, sound judgment, and professional integrity.

Education

• Bachelor's degree with a strong academic record in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, Engineering, Mathematics, or another quantitative discipline.
• MBA, CFA, CPA, or other advanced degree or professional designation is a plus.

Why This Opportunity

• Work directly with senior investment professionals and firm leadership.
• Participate in every phase of the investment lifecycle—from sourcing and underwriting through execution and portfolio management.
• Gain meaningful responsibility and exposure early in your career.
• Analyze investments across performing, stressed, and special situations credits.
• Join a highly collaborative investment team with direct access to decision makers.
• Build a long-term career within one of the industry's leading private credit investment platforms.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas now or in the future.

The Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate will possess exceptional analytical horsepower, strong commercial instincts, and a genuine passion for investing and credit markets. They will enjoy solving complex investment problems, conducting deep fundamental analysis, and collaborating with senior investment professionals to originate, structure, execute, and monitor investments.

The ideal professional combines exceptional technical skills with sound investment judgment, intellectual curiosity, commercial perspective, and the maturity to interact effectively with management teams, private equity sponsors, advisors, lenders, and senior investment professionals.

Successful candidates demonstrate:

• Outstanding investment judgment and intellectual curiosity.
• Exceptional financial modeling and analytical capabilities.
• Strong business acumen and commercial perspective.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to synthesize complex financial and operating information into actionable investment recommendations.
• High attention to detail without losing sight of broader investment themes.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a willingness to assume increasing responsibility.
• Strong work ethic and commitment to excellence.
• Collaborative personality with the ability to build trusted internal and external relationships.

About the Client

Our client is a leading $9.3 billion private credit investment firm providing customized financing solutions to U.S. middle market companies requiring capital to support growth initiatives, acquisitions, operational improvements, restructurings, and financial distress.

The firm's competitive advantage is driven by the strength of its investment professionals, differentiated sourcing capabilities, rigorous underwriting discipline, deep restructuring expertise, and its ability to deliver customized financing solutions while generating attractive risk-adjusted returns for investors.

The organization offers a highly entrepreneurial culture where investment professionals work directly alongside senior partners in a collaborative, intellectually demanding environment with meaningful responsibility early in their careers.

Successful professionals at the firm are:

• Analytical and relentless in pursuing the best investment outcomes.
• Highly intellectual with exceptional problem-solving abilities.
• Strong communicators capable of rapidly synthesizing complex information.
• Commercially minded with sound business judgment.
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced, transaction-oriented environments.
• Team-oriented professionals who thrive in highly collaborative organizations.
• Individuals of the highest integrity and ethical standards.

The firm's employees maintain the highest professional and ethical standards. Its reputation has been built on disciplined investing, transparency, integrity, and long-term partnerships with management teams, sponsors, borrowers, and investors.

Compensation

Expected base salary for this position is $150,000–$175,000, commensurate with experience. However, base pay if hired will be determined commensurate with experience and is only a part of the total compensation package which includes eligibility for a discretionary bonus and a robust benefits package.

Associates participate in a highly competitive compensation program, including:

• Market-leading base salary.
• Significant annual discretionary performance bonus.
• Eligibility to participate in the firm's carried interest program.
• Comprehensive health and welfare benefits.
• Retirement savings program.
• Long-term wealth creation opportunity through participation in the firm's continued growth.

About J Harlan Group

J Harlan Group LLC is an executive search and advisory firm specializing in recruiting senior professionals for Financial Services, Investment Management, Private Equity, Private Credit, Hedge Funds, Management Consulting, and Public Accounting organizations. Built by industry leaders, J Harlan Group partners with premier investment firms to identify exceptional talent through a highly customized, relationship-driven search process while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, confidentiality, and quality.

If you are interested in joining one of the industry's leading private credit investment firms—or know someone who would be an outstanding fit—we welcome the opportunity to speak with you. Please forward your resume in confidence to Jerry Goldberg at [email protected] or contact him directly at (212) 792-0099.