Investment Associate
About Giano Capital Giano Capital is a growth equity investment firm focused on late-stage technology companies, with a particular focus on direct secondary and primary transactions. We invest in high-quality private technology businesses where founders, employees or early shareholders need liquidity, which creates attractive entry points ahead of potential exits. We back category-leading companies with strong growth, high-quality investors, mature business models and a credible path to liquidity. Our team brings together investment, entrepreneurial, operational and capital formation experience across Europe and international private markets. The Role We are looking for an Investment Associate with around five years of experience in investment banking, growth equity, private equity or venture capital to join our Milan office. This is a senior execution role in a small investment team. You will:
• Take ownership of transactions from first screening to closing
• Run live deal workstreams with a high degree of autonomy
• Act as a thought partner to the senior team on investment decisions
• Help build the firm’s processes and develop junior talent What You Will Do Screening, due diligence and execution
• Assess direct secondary and primary opportunities sourced by the origination team, and give the senior team a clear recommendation on which ones merit further work
• Lead diligence workstreams end to end: data room review, management meetings, expert calls, and coordination of legal, financial and commercial advisers
• Build and own operating, valuation and returns models with minimal guidance, including public and private comparables, scenario analysis and downside cases
• Assess the features specific to secondary transactions, such as entry price versus the last round, share class rights, liquidation preferences, transfer restrictions and rights of first refusal
• Draft investment memos and scorecards,
present to the investment committee and take a clear position on each decision
• Support structuring, the negotiation of term sheets and transaction documents, and closing Portfolio management and exits
• Own the monitoring of assigned portfolio companies, including quarterly performance reviews, valuation updates and regular dialogue with management
• Track liquidity events, secondary pricing, IPO readiness and M&A; activity across the portfolio and the wider late-stage market
• Contribute to exit planning and the timing of partial or full realisations Fundraising and investor relations
• Prepare and review LP materials, including fundraising presentations, quarterly reports and portfolio updates
• Join investor meetings and answer questions on portfolio companies and new investments
• Ensure figures and messaging are accurate and consistent across all investor communications Team and platform
• Review the work of analysts and interns and support their development in modelling, materials and diligence
• Improve internal processes, templates, databases and the use of AI tools across the investment process What We Are Looking For We want an experienced investment professional with sound judgement, strong technical skills and a real interest in late-stage technology companies. Ideal candidates will have:
• Around five years of relevant experience in investment banking (ideally technology or M&A;), growth equity, private equity or venture capital, with direct involvement in completed transactions
• An excellent academic background from a leading university or business school
• Superior financial modelling skills and a strong command of accounting, valuation and returns analysis
• A track record of drafting investment or transaction materials and presenting them to senior decision-makers
• Familiarity with private company capital structures and preferred share terms, and ideally with secondary transactions
• Experience working directly with founders and management teams, and the maturity to represent Giano in external meetings
• The ability to run several workstreams in parallel and deliver high-quality work under tight deadlines
• High attention to detail and strong intellectual honesty
• An entrepreneurial mindset, a strong work ethic and a willingness to operate in a lean, fast-moving team Languages, Tools and Technical Skills
• Fluent English (Italian is helpful but not required; other European languages are a plus)
• Advanced Excel and PowerPoint
• Experience with private market data platforms such as PitchBook or Capital IQ
• Confident use of AI tools in research and analysis, with the judgement to test assumptions and check outputs rather than relying on them blindly
What We Offer
• Ownership of live late-stage technology transactions, both primary and secondary, from first screening to closing
• A direct voice in investment committee discussions
• Close collaboration with a senior team that has investment, operating and entrepreneurial experience
• Exposure to portfolio management, exits and fundraising alongside deal work
• A clear path to greater responsibility in a small, ambitious and international investment platform Location and Start Date Milan, Italy. This is a full-time, office-based role starting as soon as possible.
How to Apply
Please send your CV and a short note on your interest in Giano Capital and late-stage technology investing to (email hidden).
• Take ownership of transactions from first screening to closing
• Run live deal workstreams with a high degree of autonomy
• Act as a thought partner to the senior team on investment decisions
• Help build the firm’s processes and develop junior talent What You Will Do Screening, due diligence and execution
• Assess direct secondary and primary opportunities sourced by the origination team, and give the senior team a clear recommendation on which ones merit further work
• Lead diligence workstreams end to end: data room review, management meetings, expert calls, and coordination of legal, financial and commercial advisers
• Build and own operating, valuation and returns models with minimal guidance, including public and private comparables, scenario analysis and downside cases
• Assess the features specific to secondary transactions, such as entry price versus the last round, share class rights, liquidation preferences, transfer restrictions and rights of first refusal
• Draft investment memos and scorecards,
present to the investment committee and take a clear position on each decision
• Support structuring, the negotiation of term sheets and transaction documents, and closing Portfolio management and exits
• Own the monitoring of assigned portfolio companies, including quarterly performance reviews, valuation updates and regular dialogue with management
• Track liquidity events, secondary pricing, IPO readiness and M&A; activity across the portfolio and the wider late-stage market
• Contribute to exit planning and the timing of partial or full realisations Fundraising and investor relations
• Prepare and review LP materials, including fundraising presentations, quarterly reports and portfolio updates
• Join investor meetings and answer questions on portfolio companies and new investments
• Ensure figures and messaging are accurate and consistent across all investor communications Team and platform
• Review the work of analysts and interns and support their development in modelling, materials and diligence
• Improve internal processes, templates, databases and the use of AI tools across the investment process What We Are Looking For We want an experienced investment professional with sound judgement, strong technical skills and a real interest in late-stage technology companies. Ideal candidates will have:
• Around five years of relevant experience in investment banking (ideally technology or M&A;), growth equity, private equity or venture capital, with direct involvement in completed transactions
• An excellent academic background from a leading university or business school
• Superior financial modelling skills and a strong command of accounting, valuation and returns analysis
• A track record of drafting investment or transaction materials and presenting them to senior decision-makers
• Familiarity with private company capital structures and preferred share terms, and ideally with secondary transactions
• Experience working directly with founders and management teams, and the maturity to represent Giano in external meetings
• The ability to run several workstreams in parallel and deliver high-quality work under tight deadlines
• High attention to detail and strong intellectual honesty
• An entrepreneurial mindset, a strong work ethic and a willingness to operate in a lean, fast-moving team Languages, Tools and Technical Skills
• Fluent English (Italian is helpful but not required; other European languages are a plus)
• Advanced Excel and PowerPoint
• Experience with private market data platforms such as PitchBook or Capital IQ
• Confident use of AI tools in research and analysis, with the judgement to test assumptions and check outputs rather than relying on them blindly
What We Offer
• Ownership of live late-stage technology transactions, both primary and secondary, from first screening to closing
• A direct voice in investment committee discussions
• Close collaboration with a senior team that has investment, operating and entrepreneurial experience
• Exposure to portfolio management, exits and fundraising alongside deal work
• A clear path to greater responsibility in a small, ambitious and international investment platform Location and Start Date Milan, Italy. This is a full-time, office-based role starting as soon as possible.
How to Apply
Please send your CV and a short note on your interest in Giano Capital and late-stage technology investing to (email hidden).