2027 Investment Banking Full-Time MBA Associate

About the Role

William Blair is seeking a Full-Time MBA Associate for its 2027 Investment Banking program. This role involves executing in-depth analyses to support new business development, transaction execution, and the delivery of investment banking products and services.

Key Responsibilities

• Execute in-depth analyses to support new business development, transaction execution and the delivery of investment banking products and services to clients and prospects.
• Perform extensive research and financial modeling, apply valuation methods, and complete due diligence activities.
• Work closely with client staff to advance projects, gathering necessary information, conveying complex financial modeling outcomes and presenting analysis results.
• Provide training and mentorship to less experienced staff.
• Perform extensive financial/valuation analyses to value debt and equity for mergers, acquisitions and capital raising transactions.
• Utilize creative approaches to analyses that illustrate key concepts/messages.
• Carefully review and provide guidance to analysts’ work.
• Build advanced financial models to value potential and actual clients and/or industries, leveraging broad understanding of valuation and broad finance/accounting topics.
• Demonstrate thorough knowledge of multiple client sectors.
• Assimilate information to perform insightful analyses.
• Lead due diligence, research, analysis and documentation of potential and live transactions.
• Anticipate potential deal issues and pass concerns through to team members in real time.
• Actively participate in presentation development and hypothesis testing to highlight financial analysis and research results.
• Develop, produce and deliver proposals and presentations to clients and prospects, which exhibit broad knowledge of IB product solutions and underlying components.
• Engage with analysts in the development of marketing materials that highlight the competitive advantage of William Blair.
• Actively participate in client meetings and drafting sessions.
• Research and expand expertise of industries and/or sectors.
• Leverage knowledge to target certain clients or industries.
• Monitor key industry drivers.
• Offer insights into business trends in sector to facilitate processes.
• Evaluate and improve BIC content.
• Identify improvements to processes and propose solutions to complete tasks more efficiently.
• Take ownership of client relationships.
• Foster effective dialogue with finance and accounting staffs to facilitate processes.
• Anticipate needs and challenges and provide seamless solutions.
• Demonstrate an understanding of macro factors related to client industry, investment banking products, and potential implications.
• Act as “on the job” trainer for analysts, providing constructive feedback.
• Focus on improving the quality of analyst and summer intern work product.
• Ensure senior team knows the valuable contributions of all team members.
• Ensure all activities are in compliance with applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Additional responsibilities as requested.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• MBA Degree required with an anticipated graduation date between December 2026 and June 2027
• Internship or prior work experience in financial services industry preferred
• SIE Exam, prior to beginning employment, and Series 79 and Series 63 within 90 days of employment
• Detail oriented with strong analytical abilities
• Excellent mathematical, writing, verbal and computer skills
• Ability to adapt to new tasks with little notice
• Ability to manage expectations of senior bankers while working on multiple projects simultaneously
• Effective leadership and coaching skills
• Strong desire to win
• Sound judgement
• Deep, sophisticated understanding of accounting and finance
• Commitment to satisfying internal and external customers
• Travel required: approximately 10% to 30%

Qualifications

• MBA Degree with an anticipated graduation date between December 2026 and June 2027.
• Financial services industry internship or prior work experience is preferred.
• Must pass the SIE Exam prior to employment, and obtain Series 79 and Series 63 licenses within 90 days of employment.
• Possesses strong analytical abilities and is detail-oriented.
• Excellent mathematical, writing, verbal, and computer skills.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to new tasks quickly and manage multiple projects concurrently while meeting senior banker expectations.
• Proven leadership and coaching capabilities.
• Exhibits a strong desire to succeed.
• Possesses sound judgement.
• Demonstrates a deep and sophisticated understanding of accounting and finance.
• Committed to client satisfaction.