Senior Investment Manager (Belgium based - Benelux team)
Job Opening
Senior Investment Manager
(Belgium based - Benelux team)
Smile Invest (Smart Money for Innovation Leaders) is a European evergreen fund with €500m+ AUM, backed by 40 entrepreneurial families. We fuel innovative companies with the ambition to me market leader in their niches in advanced tech, healthcare, sustainability, and tech B2B services from our offices in Leuven and The Hague. Holding 4-8 years, we partner as minority/majority investors with proven, profitable scalers. Our 150+ years of collective PE expertise across 100+ deals drives sustainable success with founders and teams. Smile Invest executed over 20 platform investments, +20 add-ons and realized its first seven exits and has shown an excellent track record in value creation and returns.
We are seeking a high-energy and business-savvy Senior Investment Manager eager to build a standout career in private equity at Smile Invest. The ideal candidate brings a proven track record of 7-12 years in relevant roles, ideally including 3+ years as a private equity investment manager in the SME market (EV €20-200m) or M&A manager. You demonstrate natural maturity, a robust Benelux network for deal sourcing and portfolio support, technology fluency, relentless drive, and an impeccable reputation as a key player in the Benelux M&A ecosystem. Based in Leuven, Belgium, this role spans the Benelux region.
What We Offer
Join an ambitious, tight-knit team with strong academic backgrounds and experience from top-tier firms. Enjoy outstanding team spirit, a high-learning work environment, a varied role with high exposure to deals and senior leadership, attractive remuneration, and a clear career path. Be part of a highly reputable team and proven PE player with demonstrated market success.
Responsibilities
Deal Sourcing
- Generate deal opportunities with creative angles; pioneer innovative sourcing strategies in Belgium and the Netherlands.
- Cultivate and expand networks of intermediaries (bankers, PE sponsors, M&A advisors, accountants, lawyers, consultants) across Benelux.
- Build and engage industry expert networks.
- Master Smile Invest's core sectors: advanced technology, healthcare, sustainability, tech-enabled B2B services.
- Scout prospects, lay initial contacts, attend trade shows and conferences.
Deal Making & Execution
- Lead deal processes and manage advisors from due diligence to close with proactive energy.
- Assess opportunities, structure deals, and craft compelling equity stories (including 180-day plans).
- Forge winning relationships with entrepreneurs, intermediaries, and teams.
- Play a pivotal role in internal deal teams alongside (Managing) Partners.
Portfolio Management
- Serve as Smile Invest's trusted partner in portfolio companies.
- Champion value-creation initiatives.
- Own performance monitoring and fund reporting with the deal team.
Other
- Contribute to office operations, recruiting, and training.
- Mentor and develop junior team members.
Qualifications
Candidate Profile
- Academic engineering background + business/finance (MBA or equivalent) preferred. Alternatively, an academic business engineer with some entrepreneurial managerial experience in one of our core pillars (advanced tech/manufacturing, healthcare, sustainability, tech enabled B2B services).
- Preferably top-tier IB experience, alternatively strategy consulting (esp. commercial/strategic DD) a strong plus + M&A experience preferably in a PE context.
- Burning ambition to co-build a high performance PE fund.
- Sharp acumen in deal making from minimal 3years in M&A. Total experience of 7-12 years. Tech sector / Industrials / Healthcare M&A experience advantageous.
- Entrepreneurial or management experience considered as an additional plus.
- Ideally some international experience.
- Established Benelux PE network and reputation aligned with our values.
Core Skills
- Passion for tech/innovation driven SME growth companies.
- Holistic deal evaluation (market, competition, growth, mgmt, risks, returns) with equity storytelling.
- Financial mastery: modelling, valuation, structuring (LBOs, growth, minority).
- Commercial edge: Relationship-building and creative structuring to close deals.
- Project leadership: Full-cycle PE execution for external/internal stakeholders.
- Team leadership: Coach juniors; thrive in international teams.
- Collaborative team player with (Managing) Partners.
Personality
- Natural relationship-builder. Strong people skills, experience and commercial skills to persuade entrepreneurs to partner with Smile Invest
- Intellectually sharp: agile analysis, financially strong and synthesis.
- Commanding communicator with leadership gravitas for C-suite interactions.
- Relentlessly results-oriented and action-driven.
- Unwavering integrity.
- Globally minded: travel-ready, cross-cultural collaborator.
- Entrepreneurial: Initiative-taking in flat, dynamic settings.
- Organized, detail-focused, resilient under pressure/deadlines.
- Fluent Dutch + English; French/German a strong plus.