Associate - Financial Sponsor Coverage

Position Overview

Harris Williams seeks to hire an Associate to join the Financial Sponsor Coverage team in the Richmond, Virginia office. Harris Williams will not provide sponsorship for employment visas or participate in STEM OPT for this position.

About Harris Williams

We are a global investment bank specializing in M&A and private capital advisory services. Clients worldwide rely on us to help unlock value in their business and turn ambitious goals into reality. We approach every engagement with boundless collaboration, pooling expertise and relationships across industries, service offerings, and geographies. For over 30 years, our clients have trusted us to think strategically, execute precisely, and deliver premium outcomes to help them grow.

Financial Sponsor Coverage Associate Role

The Financial Sponsor Coverage ("FSC") Associate helps drive critical marketing content, firm insights, and analyses in support of the private equity ("PE") coverage efforts of FSC senior bankers and Coverage Officers across the firm. The Associate directs, executes, and assures the quality of workstreams across the team's deliverables in close partnership with FSC senior bankers, FSC Analyst(s), and Sponsor Coverage Coordinators ("SCCs"). This is a hands-on role - the Associate is expected to own and produce client-ready analyses and materials as well as seek to build over time long-term private equity relationships and the market presence needed to represent HW's FSC practice. The Associate will work closely with FSC senior bankers and firm leadership to advance HW’s origination priorities and strategic initiatives across its PE client base.

The Associate responsibilities include:

• Workstream Leadership & Hands-On Execution - Directs and prioritizes the team's workstreams, partnering closely with the FSC Analyst(s), Vice President, and senior bankers to ensure deliverables are on schedule and meet the standard required for senior banker and firm leadership consumption.
• Strategic Analyses & Market Insights - Leads the development of HW proprietary data analyses, including buyer performance/behavior, HW deal trends, process dynamics, and pitch activity, alongside tracking of PE industry and macroeconomic trends; ultimately translates into valuable insights for FSC senior bankers and HW deal teams ahead of client meetings, and creation of FSC content for firmwide use.
• Marketing Materials & Origination Support - Owns strategy and idea generation for HW presentations supporting PE client meetings and calls, leveraging existing and new creative content in support of lead pursuit.
• Senior Banker Coordination - Serves as the primary point of coordination between the FSC Analyst(s)/SCCs and the FSC VP, Director, and MDs, keeping senior bankers apprised of deliverable status and surfacing insights and observations for broader firm distribution.
• Market Presence & Client Engagement - Displays fluency, polish, and command of the M&A and Private Capital Markets needed to represent the firm credibly in front of private equity professionals; over time, the Associate is expected to take on a meaningful role in sponsor-facing interactions.
• FSC Reporting - Supports, develops, and owns FSC recurring reporting needs, including internal dashboards, and related standing deliverables.
• CRM and Data Services - Maintains a deep, current understanding of the firm's CRM and partners with HW data services and technology teams to shape new and improved reports, optimize reporting interfaces, and safeguard data integrity.
• Special Projects - Proactively identifies, pursues, and delivers value-adding projects in support of FSC strategy and broader firm needs, partnering closely with senior bankers, Analyst(s), and SCCs, as well as business operations and technology teams as needed.

Key Requirements

• Experience - 2-4 years of experience in investment banking, private equity, or a related financial services role; prior exposure to sponsor/financial institutions coverage, origination, or deal teams is a plus.
• Business Acumen - Exhibits strong knowledge and understanding of key business and financial markets concepts and terminology needed for sound decision-making in the context of Harris Williams' business, its clients, and the industries it serves.
• Business Analytics - Demonstrates deep proficiency across the Microsoft suite (CRM, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.) and key industry/banker platforms (e.g., Claude/AI tools, PitchBook, Mergermarket, CapIQ, Upslide), along with strong analytical technique in evaluating proprietary and third-party PE and M&A industry data.
• Judgment & Communication - Understands the requirements of FSC deliverables well enough to independently produce a thoughtful, strategic final product; communicates key insights clearly and succinctly to inform senior banker strategy and, ultimately, to facilitate direct dialogue with HW's private equity client base.
• Decision Making & Critical Thinking - Thinks independently and strategically while collaborating seamlessly with FSC Analyst(s) and senior bankers, SCCs, deal teams, and industry bankers, to identify practical solutions and deliver client-ready work product.
• Versatility - Equally comfortable directing workstreams and getting into the details; partners closely with the FSC Analyst(s) to drive projects to completion while upholding to the firm's quality standards.
• Professionalism - Demonstrates the polish, presence, and sound judgment expected of a Financial Sponsor Coverage banker, including the ability to engage directly with senior private equity professionals on behalf of the firm as well as HW bankers and firm leadership.

Qualifications

Successful candidates must demonstrate appropriate knowledge, skills, and abilities for a role. Listed below are skills, competencies, work experience, education, and required certifications/licensures needed to be successful in this position.

Competencies Analytical Thinking, Business Acumen, Customer Experience Management., Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Effective Communications, Leadership, Marketing Strategy and Positioning, Market Research, Selling., Teamwork Work Experience Roles at this level typically require a university / college degree, with 5+ years of industry-relevant experience. Specific certifications are often required. In lieu of a degree, a comparable combination of education, job specific certification(s), and experience (including military service) may be considered.

Education

Masters Certifications No Required Certification(s)

Licenses No Required License(s)

Language Assessments No Required or Preferred Language Assessments

Pay Transparency

Base Salary: $175,000.00 - $200,000.00

Salaries may vary based on geographic location, market data and on individual skills, experience, and education.

This role is incentive eligible with the payment based upon company, business and/or individual performance.

Application Window

Generally, this opening is expected to be posted for two business days from 09/10/2026, although it may be longer with business discretion.

Benefits

• medical/prescription drug coverage (with a Health Savings Account feature)
• dental and vision options
• employee and spouse/child life insurance
• short and long-term disability protection
• 401(k) with PNC match, pension and stock purchase plans
• dependent care reimbursement account
• back-up child/elder care
• adoption, surrogacy, and doula reimbursement
• educational assistance, including select programs fully paid
• a robust wellness program with financial incentives
• maternity and/or parental leave
• up to 11 paid holidays each year
• 9 occasional absence days each year, unless otherwise required by law
• between 15 to 25 vacation days each year, depending on career level
• and years of service

Disability Accommodations Statement

If an accommodation is required to participate in the application process, please contact us via email at View email address on click.appcast.io. Please include "accommodation request" in the subject line title and be sure to include your name, the job ID, and your preferred method of contact in the body of the email. Emails not related to accommodation requests will not receive responses. Applicants may also call View phone number on click.appcast.io and say "Workday" for accommodation assistance. All information provided will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations. At PNC we foster an inclusive and accessible workplace. We provide reasonable accommodations to employment applicants and qualified individuals with a disability who need an accommodation to perform the essential functions of their positions.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

PNC provides equal employment opportunity to qualified persons regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or other categories protected by law. This position is subject to the requirements of Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDIA) and, for any registered role, the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 (SAFE Act) and/or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), which prohibit the hiring of individuals with certain criminal history. California Residents Refer to the California Consumer Privacy Act Privacy Notice to gain understanding of how PNC may use or disclose your personal information in our hiring practices.