Associate

at  Locust Walk

JOB DESCRIPTION: ASSOCIATE

Office: Boston, MA; must currently reside in the Boston area or be willing to relocate there before starting. Must have U.S. Citizenship or Green card.

KEY CAREER BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE FOR THIS POSITION?

This person needs to live the Locust Walk values. We are looking first for people who fit our culture. Culture is very important to us, and that fit is critical. A brief overview of our core values and who we are looking for is below:

WHY IS THIS ROLE RIGHT FOR YOU?

If you are looking to build your career with a fast-growing professional services firm with both investment banking and consulting offerings with significant upside potential in position, responsibility, and compensation, we are looking for you. The role is like working as a business or corporate development professional in a biopharma company, but you get the opportunity to work with multiple clients simultaneously on both the strategy and execution of transaction assignments, providing a more dynamic environment, richer experience, and opportunity to grow professionally. The hours are more manageable than an investment bank and the work more integrated than a consulting firm.

A WEEK IN THE LIFE FOR THIS ROLE?

The focus for the Associate is to play a key role in leading the firm’s engagements and to participate in the firm’s new business development activities. Our engagements range from Strategy & Analytics projects (strategic consulting related to transactions) to Strategic Transactions (business development and M&A transactions), and Capital Markets (private capital raises, IPO advisory, and in the near-term public underwriting). Our Associates work with those above and below them to drive high value projects and closing transformational deals. The Associate is responsible for leading execution and overseeing deliverables and analysis generated by Analysts, identifying, and managing discussions with target partners, and supporting deal negotiations and closing. They conduct outreach to potential partners, coordinate investor conversations, and play an active role in generating interest in and concluding a deal. The Associate is often tasked with managing all aspects of the day-to-day execution of a client engagement, including leading update calls with the client, and overseeing all aspects of the Analyst’s work. Business development activities, including participation at networking events and building relationships with industry peers and prospective clients, are essential to furthering our growth. An Associate will help with pitch materials and prepare thought pieces for our marketing materials. Our senior deal team is dedicated to the professional growth and development of our Associates so they can rise through the ranks. Each engagement provides a new learning opportunity.

Experience in life science consulting, investment banking, venture capital industry or internal biotech business/corporate development is a requirement. We are looking for someone who is currently working in a life science strategy consulting firm or investment bank and is frustrated by either not seeing their consulting projects through to execution or find banking or equity research too high level without the ability to impact a company in more material ways. Handing a deliverable to the client and wishing them good luck is not satisfying nor is simply making decks / memos and handing execution to the capital markets or M&A teams. Additionally, if you are in a business development or corporate development role and miss or long for the intellectual stimulation of working in a fast-paced environment on multiple projects but also want to do deals, this job is for you. The candidate must be able to demonstrate the following set of skills:

• Strong life sciences corporate strategy and/or transaction execution experience, including: new opportunity prioritization; partnering and M&A strategy; business development and transaction support; M&A and/or licensing execution; private placement execution; asset forecasting and valuation; portfolio management; or commercialization strategy
• Either a proven track record of working with and managing teams or relevant leadership skills that demonstrate an ability to do so successfully
• Drive strategic recommendations and execution, and act as primary client contact for Strategy and Analytics and transaction execution engagements
• Solid understanding of financial modelling, including at least revenue modeling. Full P&L and discounted cash flow modeling a plus but can be learned on the job; ability to lead trainings on modeling and large database analysis
• Strong communication skills and comfort presenting in front of company management, Boards of Directors, and speaking directly with physicians and other key opinion leaders
• Excellent written and presentation development skills, with ability to offer training in PowerPoint a plus
• Strong competitive spirit balanced by a proven ability to work as part of a team

If you do not have prior biopharma consulting, investment banking, equity research, venture capital, corporate development, or business development experience, then unfortunately this job is not the right fit. An MBA from a top institution is a plus but not a requirement with the right work experience.
Passion for life sciences and transactions. At our core, we strive to help each of our clients achieve success through strategic insights and deal making. While we do not expect consultants to have prior transaction experience or investment bankers to have prior consulting experience, a strong interest and desire to “do deals” is important for this role where everything we do from a strategy and execution perspective revolves around transactions.

HOW MUCH COULD SOMEONE EARN IN THIS ROLE?

Our firm has a multi-part compensation and benefits structure:

• We pay a competitive base with other transaction focused professional services firms.
• Every person at Locust Walk will be eligible to earn a bonus based on exceptional individual and firm performance that encourages both accountability as well as teamwork and helping to grow the overall business.
• We offer a great competitive Total Benefits package which includes health, dental, and vision, as well as other great competitive benefits.
• We have a flexible vacation policy on top of 9 official company holidays.
• We offer a 401k match.
• Hybrid work schedule (Tuesday through Thursday in office)