Managing Director, Private Equity Business Development

Managing Director, Private Equity Business Development

Human Capital Solutions

Company Overview

Smith + Howard Advisory delivers clarity, confidence, and strategic execution to middle-market businesses, helping them understand where they are, where they're going, and how to get there with the right talent, insights, and solutions.

Smith + Howard is an award-winning national advisory platform offering tax, audit, accounting, and wealth management services. Our culture blends the entrepreneurial spirit of a growth firm with the integrity and service of a trusted advisor.

Position Summary

We're hiring a Managing Director, Private Equity Business Development, to drive Smith + Howard's human capital consulting, talent, and executive search practice into the private equity market. This is a senior, quota-carrying seat for a dealmaker who already knows how GPs, operating partners, and portfolio CEOs make talent decisions and who can convert those relationships into placed searches, HR advisory engagements, and long-term consulting partnerships across the portfolio.

Reporting to the Advisory Leader/Chief Strategy Officer, you will execute the strategy and own the pipeline: opening doors at PE firms, embedding with value-creation and human capital leaders, and pulling through work across executive search, HR due diligence, organizational design, leadership assessment, total rewards, and interim talent solutions.

Services You’ll Represent

You'll represent a comprehensive suite of human capital consulting and talent solutions designed to help private equity firms and their portfolio companies create value throughout the investment lifecycle. Working alongside experienced advisors and consultants, you'll bring integrated solutions that address leadership, organizational, and workforce challenges from diligence through exit, including:

• Human Capital Strategy & Advisory
• Human Capital Due Diligence & M&A Integration
• Organizational Design & Workforce Planning
• Organizational Development, Organizational Effectiveness & Workforce Renewal
• Change Management & Transformation
• Leadership Assessment, Development, Coaching & Succession
• Compensation & Total Rewards Strategy
• Culture, Engagement & Talent Strategy
• Fractional CHRO & HR Leadership
• HR Technology, Payroll & Workforce Optimization
• HR Compliance, Employee Relations & Investigations
• Interim Executive & HR Leadership
• Executive Search

Key Responsibilities

• Own the Number: Carry a new national business quota for human capital consulting, executive search, and interim talent services sold into PE firms and their portfolio companies.
• Open the Sponsor Doors: Build and expand relationships with GPs, operating partners, human capital leads, portfolio CEOs, CHROs, and CFOs across the lower-middle and middle market.
• Sell Across the Deal Lifecycle: Position solutions at critical deal stages, including pre-LOI diligence, the first 100 days, value creation, C-suite build-out, carve-outs, add-ons, and exit preparation.
• Package Integrated Solutions: Partner with our search, HR advisory, total rewards, and org effectiveness leaders to shape scoped, priced, and differentiated proposals that win.
• Run a Disciplined Pipeline: Manage a rigorous cadence of prospecting, qualification, pursuit, and close in the CRM; forecast accurately and drive predictable revenue.
• Build the Brand: Represent Fahrenheit at ACG, Kayo, PEI, SEG, and regional PE events; publish points of view on human capital in PE-backed companies.
• Feed the Flywheel: Turn every engagement into referrals and multi-service pull-through across the Smith + Howard platform.

Qualifications

• 8+ years selling human capital consulting, executive search, retained search, leadership advisory, or talent solutions directly into private equity firms and their portfolio companies
• Demonstrated new logo wins and quota attainment in a solution selling environment
• Active, warm relationships with GPs, operating partners, human capital leads, and portfolio operators, especially across the Southeast PE corridor
• Working knowledge of PE value creation levers, hold-period pressures, and how talent decisions get made across diligence, the first 100 days, and exit
• Executive presence, sharp discovery skills, and the credibility to sit across from a managing partner or CEO and lead the conversation
• Self-directed, entrepreneurial mindset; comfortable building a book from a standing start with platform support behind you
• Collaborative instinct: You win as a team by pulling in delivery leaders, subject-matter experts, and cross-practice partners to close and deliver

Education and Certifications

• Bachelor's degree required
• MBA or advanced degree a plus

Work Environment

Location: Southeast U.S. preferred (Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, Jacksonville, or Miami). Hybrid schedule with meaningful autonomy over how and where you build the business.

Travel: This role requires willingness to travel nationally (~30–40%) for client meetings, industry events, and portfolio visits.

Compensation

• Base Salary: $160,000 - $190,000 annually
• Performance Incentives: Attractive commission plan designed to reward top sales performance, new business generation, and revenue growth.
• Total Rewards Package: Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage; HSA/FSA options; employer-paid life insurance and short-term disability; critical illness, cancer, and accident coverage; 401(k) plan; paid holidays; generous paid time off; and a dedicated professional development budget.
• Growth Opportunity: Join a high-impact, entrepreneurial team where strong performers can make a significant contribution and share in the success they create.