Founding Principal / Deployment Strategist (Private Equity AI)
HireNow Staffing
Full-time
On-site
San Francisco, California, United States
$200,000,250,000 - $200,000,250,000 USD yearly
Founding Principal / Deployment Strategist (Private Equity AI)
Location: Onsite – San Francisco, CA
Compensation: $200,000 – $250,000 base salary
Additional Compensation: Meaningful equity
Visa Sponsorship: Available
Onsite Expectation: Open to 6 days/week in-person commitment
The Opportunity
HireNow Staffing is acting as a direct placement partner for a finance-focused AI startup seeking a Founding Principal (Deployment Strategist) to join its founding team in San Francisco.
This is a rare opportunity to work directly alongside the founders to build AI-powered solutions for the private equity market. The company is developing next-generation agent workflows that fundamentally improve how PE firms conduct commercial diligence, identify opportunities, and drive investment decisions.
This role is not traditional consulting, and not a pure product role—it is a hybrid of customer delivery, strategic execution, and product shaping, with end-to-end ownership from initial client engagement through measurable deployment outcomes.
The firm is seeking candidates with elite execution ability, deep commercial diligence experience, and a genuine desire to build in an early-stage environment.
What You'll Do
Candidates will be considered for interview based on demonstrated success performing the following responsibilities:
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Partner closely with founders to design, test, and refine AI agent workflows tailored to private equity and diligence use cases
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Lead client engagements end-to-end, serving as the primary driver of delivery, value realization, and long-term client adoption
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Own senior client relationships over time, including executive-level communication and strategic advisory
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Apply first principles thinking to ambiguous, high-stakes business problems without established playbooks
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Translate customer insights directly into product strategy and development priorities
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Collaborate with engineering and product teams to ensure solutions are scalable, repeatable, and deeply aligned with PE workflows
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Support new client acquisition and recurring engagements through pre-sales involvement and delivery credibility
Only candidates with strong track records of real execution—not just pedigree—will be considered.
Required Qualifications (Non-Negotiable)
These qualifications are mandatory. Candidates who do not meet all requirements will not be considered for interview.
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2+ years at Bain, McKinsey, or BCG with a strong focus on commercial due diligence
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Based in San Francisco or willing to relocate (visa sponsorship available)
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Willingness to commit to a 6 days/week onsite schedule
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Strong familiarity with diligence project structure, outputs, and PE decision-making context
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High ownership mindset with the ability to operate autonomously in a fast-moving startup environment
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Demonstrated interest in technology, product development, and early-stage company building
Preferred Qualifications (Strong Differentiators)
Candidates with the following background will be viewed as standout applicants:
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Combination of MBB commercial diligence experience + private equity investing experience
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Experience at a top private equity firm in an associate investing role
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Track record of building or improving deployment playbooks, delivery processes, or internal systems from scratch
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Strong product intuition and ability to influence roadmap through customer work
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Undergraduate degree from a top-tier institution
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Startup-oriented execution: high velocity, high accountability, and strong follow-through
Who This Role Is Best Suited For
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MBB consultants who want to move from advisory to ownership and building
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PE-oriented operators excited by applied AI in high-stakes finance workflows
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Individuals who thrive with ambiguity, intensity, and founding-level responsibility
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Candidates with both strategic rigor and hands-on execution ability