Associate - Venture & Growth

Americas
Financial Advisory
Los Angeles

Lazard is one of the world’s leading financial advisory and asset management firms. Our people make the difference. With just over 3,000 employees, our tight-knit community allows for professionals eager to learn and willing to teach to connect and grow together. We believe that diversity, equity, inclusion, and allyship are not just business imperatives — they are central pillars of our employee experience. Our entrepreneurial culture and flat structure allow creative ideas and original concepts to drive our business forward — and for careers to take flight. 

Through our financial advisory business, Lazard advises clients around the world on strategic and financial matters including mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, capital structure and capital raising. Our client relationships are built on trust and discretion. As the world’s largest advisory-focused firm, we have exceptional depth of expertise across industry sectors and geographies. We value the rich diversity that comes from blending local perspective with our global network.

The Venture & Growth Banking team is one of the newest teams to be formed at Lazard and has grown from 8 to 22 FTEs in just over 2.5 years. The team focuses on working alongside our sector teams to raise capital, particularly minority growth equity capital, for some of the most exciting companies across the United States and Europe at the forefront of technological innovation in their respective industries. The team has raised over $3bn in primary proceeds for our clients since arriving at Lazard across a multitude of stages and sectors.

Lazard is seeking to recruit an Associate to join the Venture & Growth Banking Team in Los Angeles, California. The Associate will be part of the founding team in the Los Angeles office and will report to senior bankers on each transaction.

We’ll trust you to:

  • Demonstrate strong technical and analytical skills; build financial and capital structure models with ease
  • Research, analyze, sensitize, and adapt both internal and client-prepared financial and statistical analysis/ models; evaluate qualitative and quantitative data
  • Assist in the preparation and producing of presentations and marketing materials for VGB clients and prospective clients in consultation with team members
  • Support the team’s Managing Directors in their own coverage of the North American venture and growth investor landscape by analyzing the market, producing marketing materials, and providing clients with insights on the market
  • Build out personal relationships with junior investment individuals at target funds
  • Effectively manage your own work and that of juniors; take responsibility for accuracy; quality check finished products with regards to content, consistency and grammar; be responsible for the accuracy of numerical work produced by junior bankers before delivering the final product to senior bankers
  • Build relationships with other sector teams across the Lazard network to ensure close engagement between VGB and the wider bank
  • Day to day management, supervision, and development of Analysts; be responsible for the delegation of work to juniors and active supervision of information reported back to Associates; act as a role model for Analysts
  • Assist MD’s and senior bankers on an ad hoc basis as needed with various reports and analyses
  • Support and manage analyst(s) on the completion of the teams broader responsibilities of refreshing and reviewing fundraising data, and be closely involved in the review and tracking of new companies to develop our pipeline, as well as identify prospective investors that could become distribution targets
  • Under the guidance of a Senior Associate/VP, Associates will be expected to be able to lead on the day-to-day execution of a process flawlessly
  • Use your own knowledge and judgement to add information to presentations where appropriate; assist in due diligence efforts
  • Demonstrate competency using various technology platforms including the Microsoft Office Suite, Teams, with proficiency at using Google Suite & Deal Cloud also preferred
  • Communicate effectively and appropriately; turn ideas into concise and comprehensive presentations
  • Be a proactive team participant; share information; broadens profile across Lazard groups and regions
  • Anticipate needs; be proactive in making value-added contributions
  • Independently develop sound and logical views; understand both big picture and minutiae
  • Show confidence, professionalism and accountability
  • Contribute to firm-wide initiatives including recruiting, training, professional development and other activities.

You’ll need to have: 

  • 3+ years of investment banking, private equity, or venture capital experiences;
  • Significant transaction experience within an investment banking environment;
  • Solid understanding of financial modelling and experience of running fundraising/M&A processes – e.g. valuation, IM drafting, managing roadshows, etc;
  • A passion for technology and high growth start-ups with a strong work ethic;
  • An entrepreneurial mindset for solving problems and identifying ways we can continue to improve our service to clients and improve our internal processes;
  • Good knowledge of finance and accounting practices to support fundraising activity;
  • Self-motivation with demonstrated ability to manage conflicting priorities and requests;
  • Ability to take initiative and function independently, balanced with strong team skills;
  • Excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills with the ability to maintain relationships with colleagues and clients at all levels; strong written skills;
  • Ability to deliver requested materials to senior bankers in a timely manner;
  • Demonstrated awareness of the regulatory environment
  • Commitment to a high standards of professional and ethical conduct, adherence to legal and regulatory requirements of the banking environment, and strict observance of Lazard policies and procedures.

What we offer:

We strive to enhance the total health and well-being of our employees through comprehensive, competitive benefits. Our goal is to offer a highly individualized employee experience that enables you to balance your commitments to career, family, and community. When you work for Lazard, you are working for an organization that cares about your unique talents and passions, and will continue to invest in the development of your career. 

We expect the base salary range for this role to be approximately $185,000 - $250,000 USD. Various factors contribute to determining the actual base compensation offered, including but not limited to the applicant’s years of relevant experience, career tenure, qualifications, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and relevant skills for the role. Base salary is one component of Lazard Financial Advisory’s compensation package, which also includes comprehensive benefits and may include incentive compensation.

Does this sound like you?

Apply! We’ll get in touch on the next steps. 


Diversity and Inclusion at Lazard

Lazard is an intellectual capital business focused on delivering the best advice and solutions to clients. Achieving these objectives requires us to identify, develop and retain the best talent. A workforce comprised of people with varied backgrounds and experiences creates a rich diversity of thought that empowers us to challenge conventional wisdom, as diverse perspectives lead to better decisions.

Our appreciation of diversity’s strength is ingrained in our multi-cultural heritage. As a global firm that has grown organically from local roots in different countries, we have a deep tradition of respect for individual differences, which has been core to our success for several decades.

The ongoing cultivation of diversity and an inclusive, equitable culture are essential to our continued growth. We are committed to sustaining an environment in which all employees – regardless of socioeconomic status, race, color, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, physical abilities, veteran or military status – can bring their whole selves to work to maximize their individual potential and our collective success.

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This opportunity is closed to applications.