Investor | Glasgow

BGF has built the world’s most active growth capital investment platform, established to help growing SMEs across the UK. Since raising £2.5bn in 2011, they have backed more than 430 businesses and 42,000 jobs, investing over £2.8bn of patient capital. They foster collaboration between SMEs and their talent network of business leaders and industry experts to ensure real, sustainable growth.

Established in 2011, BGF aimed to address a gap in a market: supporting SMEs that had outgrown angel investment but that were not yet large enough to access traditional private equity funding. This equity gap limited the growth of these SMEs and BGF has always sought to serve these businesses first.

Now, with over 180 staff operating from 16 offices, BGF invests in all stages of growth, across all industries. They are passionate about business goals, listening to management teams and offering the support required to them and their CEOs to achieve their ideal outcomes.

BGF fundamentally believes in this formula for helping SMEs in need of a boost to reach the next level. Their balance sheet of £2.5bn means they have the financial power to achieve real results with their portfolio businesses, but they consider the knowledge and expertise they provide access to as equally important.

The investor will contribute to overall investment activity by researching and identifying potential investment opportunities, supporting the evaluation, conversion, and execution of these opportunities, monitoring existing investments and providing general support to the activity of senior investment team members. The investor will work under the supervision and guidance of senior members of the team.

Summary of key duties:

• Take a lead in the proactive research and identification of potential targets for BGF in the local region, using internal and external data sources
• Assist in the initial screening of opportunities
• Conduct focused sector reviews and other origination strategies/campaigns, under the guidance of the wider investment team
• Over time, approach and follow up with prospective investment opportunities (email, phone, events) to arrange an initial meeting with a senior BGF investor
• Communicate directly with companies, advisors and other intermediaries to understand the fit with the investment mandate and the potential attractiveness of the investment opportunity
• Support senior investment staff at marketing events for intermediaries and prospective investee companies
• Support the investment team in the preparation of research and analysis on prospective investments to develop an increased understanding of key investment risks and value drivers
• Assist in the production of key investment outputs including offer letters, heads of terms, investment papers, presentation documents, and legal documents
• Use financial models and valuation techniques to support the investment team in assessing potential valuations, funding requirements and funding structures for prospective investee companies
• Assess financial information and forecasts for prospective investments. Highlight risk areas and areas to understand more fully in due diligence
• Maintain contact with companies that have been introduced to BGF and who may wish to use BGF for growth capital funding in the future
• Build and actively maintain a network of local contacts in banks, accountancy firms, corporate finance advisors and lawyers

• An excellent academic track record. It is desirable to hold an advanced professional qualification e.g. CA, CFA or equivalent, however, this is not an essential requirement
• 3+ years post-qualified experience within Private Equity or similar environments
• Sound business and commercial judgement
• A deep interest in UK business and the UK entrepreneur / SME sector
• Strong interpersonal skills with an ability to work effectively in a small team environment
• Solid business development and relationship management skills
• Proven ability for independently producing high-quality work, with detail orientated mindset
• A strong work ethic with an ability to meet regular and tight deadlines
• Advanced spreadsheet and financial modelling skills