Job Title: Vice President, Investments

Location: Flexible, with preference for Minneapolis or Milwaukee metro areas

About Gardner Standard

Gardner Standard is a private investment firm focused on acquiring and strengthening lower middle market companies, with an emphasis on aerospace & defense, precision manufacturing, and engineered products businesses. We are deep value investors focused on special situations. We bring operational excellence and strategic investment to unlock value in businesses facing complexity or underperformance.

We invest for the long run and embrace business challenges. We acquire businesses with strong underlying fundamentals and untapped potential, applying a hands-on approach to drive sustainable and profitable growth.

We are not passive investors. We work closely with our management teams to create value and build better businesses.

Position Overview

We are seeking a driven, hands-on investment professional to join our team. The successful candidate will help source, evaluate, acquire, and improve lower middle market businesses alongside Gardner Standard's investment and operating leadership.

The successful candidate will be involved in every stage of the investment lifecycle, from sourcing opportunities and evaluating acquisitions to working alongside management teams to improve performance and create value after closing.

The ideal candidate combines strong accounting and financial acumen with transaction experience, intellectual curiosity, and a genuine interest in investing. He or she is comfortable building financial models, conducting diligence, working through challenging situations, and partnering directly with business owners, lenders, advisors, and management teams.

The strongest candidates are equally comfortable discussing financial statements, negotiating acquisitions, evaluating risk, and working alongside management teams to improve business performance.

This is not a traditional private equity role. We are looking for someone who wants meaningful responsibility, direct exposure to decision makers, and the opportunity to play a significant role in the long-term growth of the firm.

Who Thrives Here

Candidates who are most successful in this role often have a blend of:

• Strong accounting and financial analytical ability
• Transaction experience
• Entrepreneurial drive
• Intellectual curiosity
• Desire to own and improve businesses

Successful backgrounds may include:

• Public Accounting (3)
• Transaction Advisory Services
• Private Equity (5)
• Independent Sponsorship (2)
• Investment Banking (1)
• Corporate Development (6)
• Restructuring & Turnaround Consulting (4)

The strongest candidates are excited by both investing and operating and are motivated by the opportunity to build long-term equity value rather than simply advise from the sidelines.

Key Responsibilities

• Source and evaluate new investment opportunities across Gardner Standard’s target industries and special situations landscape
• Build, revise, and maintain detailed financial models, including acquisition models, operating models, liquidity analyses, 13-week cash flow forecasts, and scenario analyses
• Conduct rigorous due diligence across financial, operational, commercial, and legal workstreams
• Work closely with business owners, investment bankers, lenders, attorneys, turnaround professionals, and management teams throughout transaction processes
• Assist in the management of existing portfolio companies and real estate investments
• Partner with portfolio company leadership teams post-close to improve performance, implement strategic initiatives, and drive value creation
• Support acquisition integration, operational improvement initiatives, strategic planning efforts, and special projects across the portfolio
• Take ownership of transaction workstreams and portfolio initiatives from inception through execution

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• CPA preferred; strong accounting and financial acumen required
• 3+ years of experience in public accounting, transaction advisory, private equity, investment banking, family office investing, corporate development, restructuring, turnaround consulting, or related fields
• Experience evaluating acquisitions, conducting diligence, building financial models, and working with lower middle market businesses strongly preferred
• Demonstrated ability to build and analyze:
• Three-statement financial models
• 13-week cash flow forecasts
• Acquisition and valuation models
• Operating and scenario analysis models
• Strong business judgment and problem-solving ability, particularly in situations involving complexity, ambiguity, and imperfect information
• Demonstrated ability to independently drive projects, transactions, and initiatives with limited oversight
• Ability to build credibility with business owners, lenders, attorneys, investment bankers, consultants, and management teams
• Advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills required; experience with Power BI, ERP systems, and business intelligence tools preferred
• Comfortable operating in a lean environment with a high degree of autonomy and accountability
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to present complex information clearly and concisely
• Strong work ethic, humility, sound judgment, and a desire to build businesses rather than simply advise them

What We Offer

• Opportunity to help source, acquire, and improve businesses alongside experienced operators and investors
• Direct exposure to acquisitions, portfolio company leadership teams, lenders, advisors, and business owners
• Significant responsibility and visibility from day one
• Competitive compensation, including participation in carried interest for new investments
• Long-term opportunity to grow into a senior leadership and partnership role within Gardner Standard

Pay: $250,000.00 - $300,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: Remote