Private Equity Senior Associate

CSC Generation is the AI-native holding company re-engineering omni-channel retail. We acquire iconic brands and transform them with Genesis—our operating platform unifying a Data Fabric, Automation Engine, proprietary tools, and shared services—to modernize operations, elevate customer experience, and expand margins.

With $1B+ in revenue across 13 brands, our portfolio includes Sur La Table, Backcountry, One Kings Lane, and more—premier home and outdoor banners that double as real-world innovation hubs. CSC Generation continues to grow through M&A, revitalizing companies with strong brand recognition and loyal customers.

Overview

We’re looking for a Private Equity Senior Associate to join our Investments team. You’ll be a core member of small deal teams responsible for sourcing, evaluating, and executing acquisitions, as well as supporting value-creation initiatives across CSC’s portfolio of consumer and retail brands.

This role is ideal for a high-performing investor with strong transaction experience who enjoys deep analytics, complex operational challenges (carve-outs, distressed, special situations), and hands-on portfolio engagement.

What you get to do

Investment analysis & evaluation

• Screen inbound and proprietary opportunities across consumer, retail, ecommerce, and related sectors.
• Build and refine LBO and returns models, including sensitivity analysis by channel, store fleet, and digital KPIs.
• Lead market and competitive research to size opportunities and benchmark category performance.
• Help develop sector theses (e.g., omnichannel retail, outdoor & sporting goods, home, specialty consumer) and maintain target lists.
• Own day-to-day workstreams on live deals: data requests, model builds, Q&A, and coordination with internal teams and external advisors.
• Analyze historical and projected financial performance, working capital, unit economics, and store / SKU productivity.
• Partner with CSC’s functional leaders (merchandising, supply chain, digital, finance, data/AI) to run operational and technology due diligence.
• Draft investment committee materials: investment thesis, value-creation plan, risks/mitigants, and exit scenarios.
• Support negotiation of key business terms, including structure, earn-outs, and go-forward management incentives.
• Help launch 100-day plans and multi-year value-creation roadmaps for newly acquired brands.
• Track portfolio performance through dashboards and monthly reviews; flag variances and assist operators in course correction.
• Support initiatives such as pricing and promotion optimization, channel mix improvements, merchandising strategy, store fleet rationalization, and SG&A efficiency.
• Work with CSC’s AI and analytics teams to embed automation and data-driven decision-making into portfolio operations.

Firm building & leadership

• Mentor and develop deal team members on modeling, research, and communication.
• Contribute to internal tools, playbooks, and templates that enhance our investment and operating approach.

What you bring

• 4–7 years of total professional experience , including:
• 2+ years in investment banking, management consulting, or restructuring/special situations advisory; and
• 2+ years in private equity, special situations, or principal investing
• Experience with consumer, retail, ecommerce, or multi-unit businesses strongly preferred.
• Exposure to distressed / special situations, corporate carve-outs, or complex integrations is a plus.
• MBA preferred, but not required.

Technical & analytical skills

• Advanced financial modeling skills (full LBOs, operating models, returns analysis, debt sizing).
• Strong command of accounting, cash flows, and capital structures; comfortable evaluating lender viewpoints.
• Ability to turn incomplete or messy data into clear insights and recommendations.
• High proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint; familiarity with BI tools or SQL/Python is a plus.
• Meaningful experience running workstreams on live deals (diligence, QofE, legal docs, financing, or integration planning).
• Strong communication skills and ability to work directly with senior executives and advisors.
• Comfort operating in lean teams with high ownership.

Mindset & culture fit

• Low-ego, resourceful, and energized by turnaround and “special situations” environments.
• Excited to work at the intersection of operations, technology, and investing.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and high-paced decision-making.
• Willing to travel to portfolio companies and partners as needed.

What’s in it for you?

• Executive Access: Work directly with brand CEOs and senior leadership, solving real business problems and earning mentorship from top operators.
• AI-First Skill Building: Get hands-on with the most advanced AI tools in the market. From automation to prompt engineering, you’ll build a modern tech stack that sets you apart in any industry.
• Accelerated Career Path: High performers are quickly entrusted with greater responsibility, new challenges, and leadership opportunities across our portfolio of brands.
• Competitive benefits: Paid time off policies, 401(k)/RRSP match, medical/dental/vision and a variety of supplemental policies, and employee discounts at our portfolio companies.
• Step 1: If you align with our vision and meet the qualifications, we’ll reach out to schedule a conversation and introduce CSC.