
Head of Business Development
Soul Equity Solutions, Boston, MA, United States
Private Equity Head of Business Development
About the Role
The Head of Business Development will lead origination efforts at a Boston based PE Firm. This role will own the end‑to‑end sourcing process, from strategy and outreach through to signed LOIs, and will manage and further develop the firm’s business development platform.
Lead all proactive deal sourcing efforts
Serve as the primary external face of the firm to intermediaries and many founder‑owners
Manage and optimize a large, long‑standing contact database (24,000+ names; ~3,000 active)
Provide day‑to‑day leadership for the BD function (including working closely with an existing BD professional, Michaela)
This is an execution‑heavy, highly entrepreneurial role with significant autonomy, suited for someone who enjoys picking up the phone, attending conferences, and building real relationships with small business owners.
Key Responsibilities
Origination & Deal Flow
Own the full sourcing funnel from idea generation through to signed LOI
Proactively originate opportunities in the firm's core sectors (industrial / industrial services / skilled trades)
Make high volumes of targeted outreach calls and emails each week to founders and intermediaries
Build and maintain strong relationships with investment bankers, brokers, and other deal sources
Qualify opportunities, structure initial conversations, and manage founder expectations through the early stages of a process
Coordinate closely with the deal team at the LOI stage and hand off opportunities effectively
Relationship Management & Market Coverage
Develop and maintain a prioritized coverage model for intermediaries and other deal sources (e.g., A/B/C tiers; appropriate touch cadence)
Represent the firm at industry events, trade shows, and ACG / deal‑making conferences
Serve as a consistent, credible, and straightforward point of contact for the market
Platform & Process Leadership
Own and refine the BD tech stack (CRM, databases, tools; leveraging both existing software and new off‑the‑shelf solutions)
Work with the existing BD team member to implement better list segmentation, contact strategies, and workflows
Analyze pipeline data, conversion metrics, and sourcing effectiveness; report regularly to the partnership
Identify and implement new tools, automation, and approaches to better manage a 20k+ contact universe
Team Leadership & Collaboration
Provide day‑to‑day leadership, mentorship, and direction to the current BD professional
Run BD meetings and pipeline reviews with the partnership
Collaborate closely with the investment team on sector priorities, target profiles, and feedback loops
Over time, help scope and build out the BD team further (e.g., future associate‑level hires) once the go‑forward model is defined
Professional Experience & Qualifications
Bachelor's degree required.
Strong preference for 6–10 years, 5 years of relevant experience considered
Prior experience working with founder‑owned / small businesses strongly preferred
Familiarity with industrial / industrial services sectors is a plus but not required
Skills & Attributes
Genuine interest in small businesses and the stories of founders; able to build trust quickly and authentically
Comfortable making a high volume of outbound calls and managing a large coverage universe
Strong organizational and CRM skills; able to segment, prioritize, and actively manage thousands of relationships
Data‑driven approach to pipeline management and process improvement
High degree of maturity and judgment; capable of owning sourcing decisions with substantial autonomy
Clear, concise communicator who can represent the firm professionally with bankers and business owners
Collaborative, low‑ego style; fits well in a small, tight‑knit team environment
Values work‑life balance and a sustainable career path more than pure headline compensation or “big fund” prestige
Location
Boston‑based role
In‑office 4 days per week (Monday–Thursday); Friday flexibility
Regular travel to conferences, trade shows, and meetings with founders / intermediaries as needed
Salary
Competitive base salary
This firm is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.
About Soul Equity Solutions
Soul Equity Solutions is a NYC based boutique executive search firm, exclusively recruiting for Private Equity Middle Market firms. We conduct searches at all seniority levels throughout the US for both investor roles and non‑investing roles (including Business Development, Investor Relations). We are well known for our highly boutique, specialized service. Our clients and candidates rely on our personal approach, strong connections, and supportive process to meet their objectives.
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