Value Creation Intern - Summer 2027

Job Description

Grant Thornton | Stax Transactions helps private equity investors, growth-focused companies, and corporates identify and execute opportunities to improve business performance and across the full deal lifecycle from diligence and sign-to-close, through integration or carve-out, hold-period value creation, and exit. As a Value Creation Intern, you will support high-impact engagements focused on revenue growth, EBITDA expansion, commercial excellence, pricing, go-to-market strategy, performance improvement, operational improvement and integration and separations.

Recognized as a top workplace, Grant Thornton | Stax Transactions has been named to the 2025 Vault Consulting 50 Best Firms, Management Consulted's Top Ranked Consulting Firms 2025, and Consulting Magazine's 2025 Best Firms to Work For.

As a member of the Value Creation team, you will gain exposure to strategy consulting, private equity portfolio companies, financial and operational analysis, market research, and client deliverable development. You will work alongside experienced Stax commercial strategy professionals and Grant Thornton specialists across operations and human capital to analyze business performance, size growth and cost opportunities, and support recommendations that create measurable value for clients.

Through hands-on experience, mentorship, and team-based client work, you will develop foundational consulting skills, including structured problem solving, financial analysis, research, communication, and presentation development. Interested candidates should demonstrate intellectual curiosity, analytical thinking, attention to detail, and an interest in strategy consulting, private equity, business operations, and value creation.

Your day-to-day may include:

• Supporting client engagement teams with research, analysis, and deliverable preparation.
• Working on a variety of client engagements that may vary by industry, business model, growth opportunity, and strategic priority.
• Supporting operational due diligence, cost optimization, synergy assessment, and integration and carve-out engagements.
• Assisting integration, separation, and carve-out workstreams.
• Conducting market, industry, competitor, customer, and company research to inform strategic recommendations.
• Supporting primary and secondary research efforts, which may include web research, survey analysis, and interview note synthesis.
• Assisting with data collection, organization, and analysis related to revenue growth, pricing, sales effectiveness, operational improvement, and go-to-market strategy.
• Supporting cost baseline, spend, and headcount analyses used in operational due diligence, cost improvement, and standalone cost assessments.
• Using data visualization and AI-enabled research tools to accelerate research, analysis, and synthesis.
• Assisting the development of financial models, spreadsheets, charts, and client-ready analyses.
• Assisting with the development of PowerPoint presentations and other client deliverables.
• Participating in team meetings, internal discussions, and client workstreams as appropriate.
• Shadowing client working sessions and management interviews and capturing notes and follow-ups for the team.
• Learning consulting methodologies, value creation frameworks, and tools used by Grant Thornton | Stax Transactions professionals.
• Receiving hands-on mentoring, coaching, and professional development opportunities.
• Building foundational consulting, communication, project management, and analytical skills.

You have the following technical skills or qualifications:

• Pursuing a bachelor's degree in Business, Economics, Finance, Accounting, Data Analytics, Strategy, Marketing, Management, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum overall GPA of 3.0/4.0.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future. No visa sponsorship is available for this position.
• Interest in strategy consulting, private equity, value creation, commercial excellence, pricing, growth strategy, financial analysis, M&A and transaction support, and operational improvement.
• Strong structured problem-solving and analytical capabilities.
• Ability to conduct research, synthesize findings, and translate analysis into clear insights.
• Foundational financial modeling and Excel skills, with interest in developing the ability to quantify revenue, EBITDA, and operational impact.
• Strong PowerPoint skills and ability to support the development of client-ready presentations.
• Familiarity with data visualization tools and comfort using AI-enabled tools to accelerate research and analysis.
• Excellent analytical, written and verbal communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Detail-oriented and organized, with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively in a fast-paced, team-based environment.
• High initiative, intellectual curiosity, and a collaborative mindset that welcomes different perspectives and continuous learning. The pay rate for this position in the firm's Chicago, Illinois office is $37.00 per hour.