Investment Manager/Director - Acquisition Finance

About ZEAL

ZEAL is a European acquisition finance partner providing structured, cash-flow-based financing to private equity firms, investment companies, search funds and entrepreneur-led acquirers across Europe. We sit in the underserved space between the major banks – which find sub-EUR 15m LBOs structurally uneconomical – and the larger private debt funds, which rarely look below EUR 20m. In that gap, we deliver institutional-grade acquisition capital with the flexibility, speed and certainty of a deal partner.

Typical ticket sizes are EUR 1–10 million, with the possibility to be deployed as senior or junior debt for serial acquirers and buy-and-build platforms. We underwrite based on the target's pro-forma cash flow and the strategic logic of the transaction – not just hard collateral. ZEAL is part of a licensed Nordic financial group, and joining us means being part of an ambitious team building a distinctive position in European acquisition finance from day one.

About the role

As Investment Manager/Director at ZEAL, being one of the first hires, you will have a huge impact in building the company. You will own transactions end-to-end – from origination through structuring, negotiation and closing, into portfolio management. You will be the one of the faces of ZEAL toward sponsors, search funds and the broader Sweden deal community. Your responsibilities will include:

• Originating transactions and building relationships with PE firms, family offices, corporate acquirers, search funds, M&A advisors and banks

• Leading credit assessment and underwriting on cash-flow-based acquisition financings – LBOs, buy-and-build platforms and bolt-on acquisitions

• Building detailed LBO models to assess sustainable leverage, debt service and downside scenarios

• Structuring and negotiating term sheets, security packages, covenants, and pricing

• Driving documentation and closing alongside external counsel

• Presenting and defending investment recommendations to the Investment Committee

• Owning portfolio relationships post-close and identifying follow-on opportunities with serial acquirers

About you

We are looking for an experienced, commercially driven investment professional ready to take real ownership of deals and client relationships. You likely have:

• 4–10 years of relevant experience from leveraged finance, acquisition finance, M&A advisory, private credit, direct lending, private equity or a related area

• A track record of executing M&A-related financings end-to-end – sourcing, modelling, underwriting, structuring and closing

• Strong LBO modelling skills and a deep understanding of cash-flow-based lending, and credit structuring

• Established relationships across the Swedish M&A ecosystem; existing dialogue with PE sponsors or search funds is a strong plus

• A degree from a leading university in finance, economics, engineering or a related quantitative field

• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with the credibility to engage senior PE professionals and business owners as a peer

• Fluent in English and Swedish

• Entrepreneurial, hands-on, and comfortable in a fast-paced environment

What we offer

• Be part of a fast-growing company backed by a licensed financial group

• Entrepreneurial, high-trust culture with significant responsibility, exposure and incentive

• Direct deal ownership and high visibility from day one

• Beautiful office in central Stockholm