Capstone Associate

TEAM OVERVIEW

KKR Capstone is the portfolio operations and value creation arm of the global PE fund, KKR. We support funds and strategies across the firm, including Private Equity, Technology Growth, Health Care Growth, Strategic Investments, and Credit. We partner with our deal teams and portfolio company management teams to drive the most important operational issues on the CEO and Board of Directors' agenda, including top-line growth, cost optimization, organizational structure and capability, capital investment, and strategic M&A initiatives. During due diligence, we join deal teams in evaluating potential acquisitions, weighing in on crucial operational issues and value creation levers, assessing the target company's market, and understanding the strength of its position in the industry. We work as owner-operators, not advisors, which means we have full accountability to drive change and deliver results at our portfolio companies.

On a day-to-day basis, KKR Capstone executives interact with a broad range of company personnel including the Board, C-suite and line-level operators. The majority of KKR Capstone team members have previous experience in management consulting. While our executives heavily leverage the skills and experience gained in consulting, they spend the bulk of their time identifying, rapidly prototyping, and implementing operational improvement initiatives (i.e. less time doing PowerPoint, more time dealing with real general management challenges and executing real initiatives). KKR Capstone is a unique "CEO University" for talented professionals. We provide opportunities for high-performing candidates to drive real operating change and value creation in a private equity environment, gaining valuable experience as general managers.

KKR Capstone executives are expected to take ownership of key priorities and initiatives at the portfolio company, are held accountable for individual results, and are typically the primary agents of change within the organization. Over time, team members can rise within KKR Capstone, transition into opportunities within the broader KKR firm, or take senior operating roles inside or outside the KKR portfolio. Due to the unique hands-on operating experience that KKR Capstone executives gain, ~70% of alums who have left the team in the past decade are now C-suite execs, and more than 1/3 are CEOs.

ROLE COMPETENCIES

Working closely with portfolio company management teams, KKR Capstone Associates partner on a wide range of value creation levers, including:

• Growth and Commercial – sales force effectiveness, pricing and packaging, consumer insights and cross-portfolio commercial opportunities
• Efficiency and Cost – zero-based budgeting, organizational design and G&A efficiency, technology cost optimization and procurement
• Strategic and Organizational Initiatives – carve-outs, merger integration and synergy capture, AI opportunities and risks assessment
• Late-stage Diligence – partner with deal teams on late-stage diligence efforts, help KKR identify, size, and scope value creation efforts, support 100-day planning

Associates also play an important role identifying talent needs and helping recruit and hire top talent into our portfolio companies.

 QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• 3-6+ years of management consulting experience at a top consulting firm is preferred
• Operating experience is a plus, but not required (e.g., start-up or corporate work experience)
• Ideal candidates have a genuine enthusiasm and curiosity for Private Equity & Alternative Assets investing, a strong understanding of fundamental business analysis, and an outstanding professional and academic performance record (e.g., top tier performance ratings, early promotions, top class rankings)
• Comfort using AI and data tools (e.g., for rapid analysis, scenario modeling, or process automation) to accelerate operational diagnosis and decision-making
• Candidates must embody KKR's core values, in particular: unquestioned integrity, a strong work ethic, and a commitment to teamwork and excellence

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