The Firm: The Sterling Group
Founded in 1982, The Sterling Group is a private equity and private credit investment firm targeting investments in basic manufacturing, distribution, and industrial services companies. Sterling has sponsored the buyout of 73 platform companies and numerous add-on acquisitions for a total transaction value of over twenty-five billion. The firm currently manages over $9.2 billion in assets across its Flagship and Foundation Funds. Foundation Fund I, a six hundred and forty million fund raised in 2023, targets platform companies with ten to thirty million of EBITDA and is based in Dallas, TX.
Position: Principal, Sourcing Foundation Fund
The Principal, Sourcing will be a key contributor to Sterling’s deal origination strategy for the Foundation Fund. This role is focused on building and strengthening relationships with M&A advisors, managing buyside brokers, developing investment themes, generating proprietary deal flow, and increasing the firm’s visibility and reputation within the investment banking community. The ideal candidate will have strong industrial and business services sector knowledge, significant connectivity within the middle market investment banking community, and a highly proactive approach to sourcing and relationship development. While focused on Foundation Fund sourcing activities, this position is a part of Sterling’s broader originations team with team members in Houston and New York. The position is based in Dallas, TX.
Areas of Impact
Deal Origination Strategy
- Lead sourcing efforts at the Foundation Fund.
- Represent Sterling to investment banks, brokers, buyside advisors, business owners and other deal intermediaries in middle market.
- Actively build new relationships and deepen existing ones to gain early access to limited-process and off-market deals.
- Collaborate with the investment team in the development and management of investment themes to drive non-intermediated deal flow
- Work with the investment teams to support add-on acquisition strategies at existing and new portfolio companies
- Maintain a pulse on middle-market deal activity across relevant sectors.
Market Coverage & Relationship Management
- Develop and maintain connectivity with senior bankers and deal teams across middle-market and lower middle-market firms.
- Own relationship tracking, coverage frequency, and meeting cadence.
- Serve as the face of Sterling to advisors and drive top-of-funnel deal flow through regular engagement.
- Work closely with Sterling investment professionals to align sourcing with firm strategy and target profile.
Execution Collaboration
- Collaborate with deal teams on early-stage diligence for sourced opportunities.
- Provide institutional context and feedback from intermediaries to support competitive positioning in processes.
- Coordinate with internal stakeholders on CRM usage, market intelligence, and relationship prioritization.
Qualifications
- 6 – 8+ years of experience in investment banking, private equity, or deal origination.
- Strong preference for candidates with experience in the middle market.
- Demonstrated ability to generate proprietary opportunities and build advisor trust.
- Proactive, high-energy communicator with strong relationship-building capabilities. Capacity for heavy travel as dictated by the cadence of regional and national sourcing events and Foundation Fund deal support.
- Bachelor’s degree required
Competencies
- Execution-focused and relationship-driven.
- Entrepreneurial mindset with ability to build Sterling’s presence in a competitive market.
- Strategic thinker with attention to detail and ability to manage multiple pipelines.
- Persuasive communicator who builds credibility and trust.
- Strong business judgment and market awareness.
- Collaborative and aligned with Sterling’s values and long-term investment approach.
