Vice President, Primary

Adams Street Partners (“Adams Street”) is a global private markets investment manager that has nearly $76 billion* in assets under management. The firm is 100% employee-owned, which fosters a positive and unique culture of collaboration, intellectual rigor, integrity, and a commitment to professional development. For the eighth year in a row, Adams Street was named one of Pension & Investments’ Best Places to Work in Money Management in 2025.

Employees operate as a single global team, integrating the expertise of the firm’s investment professionals across five strategies: primary investments, secondary investments, growth equity, private credit, and co-investments. Adams Street is considered a private markets pioneer and was inducted into the Private Equity Hall of Fame in 2000.

The firm was founded more than 50 years ago, and clients include leading public and corporate pension plans, foundations, endowments, insurance companies, registered investment advisors, and high net worth individuals worldwide.

Adams Street has offices in Abu Dhabi, Austin, Beijing, Boston, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Munich, Menlo Park, New York, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto.

* As of March 31, 2026. Adams Street Partners’ methodology to calculate Assets Under Management (AUM) is based on fund net asset value (NAV), plus unfunded commitments, plus leverage, but excluding the effect of subscription lines of credit. The prior AUM methodology was based on investor commitments minus commitments to fully liquidated underlying partnerships. Such change in methodology was effective July 2026; however, for periods shown prior to December 31, 2025, Adams Street continues to use the previous methodology. This updated methodology more closely aligns with (i) the amount of assets managed on behalf of investors and (ii) the amount of capital available to make direct and/or partnership investments. Amounts stated by investment advisers in regulatory filings (“regulatory AUM”) have a prescribed methodology, which may, in some circumstances, differ from the methodology such adviser uses for other purposes, including marketing efforts. Additional information is available upon request.

Overview:

This position offers an excellent opportunity for an Investment Professional with proven financial, analytical and interpersonal skills and an interest in the alternative investment sector, to be part of a premier global investment firm that provides investment services to institutional clients. The individual selected for this position will be based in the firm’s Menlo Park, CA offices. They will be a part of a team managing a large portfolio of venture capital and buyout funds (limited partnerships) and will be responsible for supporting the team’s identification and management of a global portfolio of venture managers. In addition, this individual will work on due diligence for co-investments into category-leading growth-stage companies and venture capital secondaries.

Specifically, the individual will be involved with and responsible for:

Sourcing & Evaluation

• Meet with general partner groups to evaluate potential investment opportunities.
• Manage deal flow across global venture capital and buyout portfolio with a focus on venture capital funds.
• Conduct market research on investment sectors and themes.

Execution & Due Diligence

• Lead and conduct due diligence; identify key investment merits and considerations through qualitative and quantitative analysis, meetings with fund managers, strategy review, reference checks and on-site visits, etc.
• Perform due diligence on growth-stage co- investments.
• Prepare memoranda and participate in investment discussions with internal investment committee.
• Work with counsel to negotiate partnership terms and coordinate the closing process.
• Support construction and evaluation of fund portfolios.

Leadership

• Thought leadership on investment and industry trends.
• Help author internal and external research and thought pieces.
• Mentor and manage junior team members.

Monitoring

• Attend annual meetings.
• Review quarterly reports and related materials.
• Document compliance with investment guidelines.
• Monitor investment forward pipeline and allocation planning.

Business Support & Investor Relations

• Support the firm’s marketing efforts through new business presentations to potential clients and consultants.
• Market the firm’s capabilities to market participants to generate secondary and direct growth-stage deal flow.
• Support investor relationships for existing global venture mandates.
• Support firm initiatives as they relate to the firm’s business plans.
• Contribute positively to Adams Street’s culture and thought leadership.

Required Skills

The ideal candidate will be a well-rounded business professional with proven work experience investing and a record of success at a top institution focused on technology investments in primary (partnership) private investments and/or in secondaries and/or in direct investments. The candidate will be a highly motivated professional who sets and meets ambitious business and personal commitments with a demonstrated interest in building a career in venture capital investing.

In addition, the candidate will have:

• 6-8 years of investing analysis and due diligence experience. Prior fund experience is preferred, though not required, and broader investment experience will be considered.
• Experience investing in technology sector (via fund investments, co- investments , or secondaries).
• MBA or similar advanced degree is preferred but not required.
• A facility to elicit in an informed, challenging, and effective manner the critical variables that will determine an investment’s financial success or failure.
• Strong modeling, organizational and writing skills.
• Deep understanding of trends and issues in the private equity industry and venture sector, specifically technology, both U.S. and global.
• The ability to synthesize complex data in a clear manner.
• A professional presence coupled with relationship skills to interact effectively with clients, general partners and colleagues at all levels.
• The ability to work independently while operating within a highly integrated global team context.
• A willingness to establish a position and confidence of convictions as it relates to investment decisions.
• Desire to build a career in venture capital investing required.
• Intellectual curiosity, demonstrated contribution to thought leadership, and forward thinking.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally.
• Maturity, a self-starter with a desire and ability to work in a global, fast-paced, collaborative, high-performing team environment while managing a wide range of responsibilities.

We offer a competitive U.S. benefits package designed to support health, financial security, and work-life balance. Highlights include medical, dental, and vision coverage; a 401(k) with immediate vesting and employer match; profit sharing; flexible spending accounts (FSA); and paid parental leave, including adoption. Employees also receive generous paid time off, commuter benefits, employer-paid short- and long-term disability and life insurance, and access to additional voluntary benefits.

California Pay Transparency Range

$150,000—$200,000 USD