Puma Growth Partners – Graduate Programme 2027

You will join as part of the Investment20/20 programme.

At Puma Growth Partners, you'll gain exposure to real deals, real decisions and have the opportunity to make a real impact from day one.

We are an award-winning growth equity investor with an existing portfolio of over 25 companies and specialism in focussed technology solutions, scalable business services, and disruptive consumer brands. We are a team of 16 operating from offices in London, Manchester and Edinburgh, meaning that every individual matters, every voice is heard and everyone can make a difference.

We work very closely with the founders and senior management teams of the business we back, offering them genuine partnership and support. With us, you'll gain meaningful exposure, take on genuine responsibility early in your career, and work directly alongside experienced investors and visionary entrepreneurs. We are proud of our people-first approach, our culture and our way of doing business. Together, we believe it sets us apart in the UK venture and growth-equity market.

Puma Growth Partners is part of Puma Capital Group, an award-winning investment manager with more than £1 billion of assets under management, and total staff of over 140.

A Career Where You'll Be Seen and Heard

We believe the best way to learn is through experience.

Our culture is collaborative, entrepreneurial and non-hierarchical. Graduates are encouraged to contribute ideas, ask questions and take ownership of their work. You'll work closely with colleagues across the division, gaining exposure to a variety of projects and developing a broad understanding of the investment industry.

We're looking for people who are bright, curious, analytical but empathetic, ambitious and eager to learn. In return, we'll provide the training, support, and development opportunities needed for you build a successful career.

You will join as part of the Investment20/20 programme and benefit from a wide range of technical and soft skills training, insight and networking events along with over 300 trainees across the industry.

The Puma Way

Our values shape everything we do:

• Collaboration – working together to achieve shared goals.
• Aspiration – striving for excellence and continuous improvement.
• Respect – treating colleagues, clients and partners with integrity.
• Value Creation – delivering meaningful outcomes for investors, businesses and communities.

These aren't just words on a wall. They influence how we work, how we develop our people and how we support one another every day.

A Great Place to Grow

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels they belong and can be themselves.

Alongside competitive pay and benefits, we offer a range of initiatives to support your wellbeing and personal development, including:

• A strong focus on wellbeing, inclusion and professional growth
• Private healthcare, enhanced pension and life assurance
• Personal development grants to pursue interests outside of work
• Additional time off for important life events

We're proud to be a certified B Corp and have been consistently recognised as one of the UK's best workplaces by Great Place to Work, reflecting our commitment to both our people and the wider community.

Join Us

We are a business in growth mode. With a tight-knit and growing team in Puma Growth Partners, and as part of the wider team at Puma Capital Group, we're large enough to offer exciting opportunities and small enough for every individual to thrive on their own terms.

If you're looking for a graduate career where you'll learn quickly, take responsibility early and be part of a supportive, high-performing team, we'd love to hear from you.

Our Business

Puma Growth Partners is a scale-up and growth investor providing £5 million to £15 million per round. We frequently follow-on, building our stakes within business to approximately £30m of invested capital at the upper end.

We invest with considerable flexibility across a range of sectors and business types, driven by the investment theses that we as a team are motivated by from time to time. We have backed fast-growing fintechs like Pockit and Aveni, scalable services businesses like Influencer and Azoma, and leading consumer brands like Love Corn and Lucky Saint.

We take deep personal pride in our business, and continually strive to improve our processes and our approach, so that the business we back have the greatest possible probability of success. That pride has helped to drive an enviable track record in our industry, with strong portfolio performance and some notable exits.

Our two-year programme has been designed as a launchpad into the world of private equity and venture capital. Based in our London HQ on St James's Street, you will gain exposure to all facets of our business on a structured rotation basis that will see you spend one year in our Origination and Investment Team, and one year in our Portfolio and Value Creation Team. During the programme, you will also have the opportunity to gain exposure to the wider Puma business.

What to Expect

The programme has been designed to build confidence, capability and long term careers. Throughout your time on the programme, you will gain hands-on experience within the team, learning from experienced professionals. At Puma, you will have the chance to have a tangible impact.

During the course of the programme, you will undertake comprehensive training in the core skills required of an investment professional such as financial analysis, financial modelling, presentation skills and negotiation skills. You will spend time working within our origination team, portfolio team and core investment team, as well as brief rotations within finance and compliance in order to fully understand the regulatory underpinnings of an asset management business.

Responsibilities might include:

Origination

• Shortlisting companies based on current team investment theses, and contacting them regarding potential investment
• Attending events and meetings to represent Puma and discuss our investment approach
• Undertaking data work to map investment opportunities within specific sectors, or map transactions, advisors, potential buyers etc.

Investment

• Participating in meetings with founders and advisors
• Understanding their businesses and assessing them as investment opportunities against the team's established multi-stage investment framework
• Supporting due diligence and execution processes, helping the team to gain a robust understanding of business models, risks and value-creation opportunities
• Supporting in the preparation of Investment Oversight Committee papers, presenting careful analysis and assessment of the potential opportunity
• Undertaking deep analysis of current portfolio companies to help propel growth and mitigate risk
• Supporting on strategic considerations to support portfolio company decision making
• Preparing papers or analysis for our quarterly Investment Oversight Committee portfolio review

About You

We are looking for someone who is:

• Kind
• Values-driven
• Passionate about working in the world of early-stage businesses and scale-up capital
• A team player who enjoys the company of colleagues and working collaboratively
• An excellent communicator with demonstrable interpersonal skills
• Driven by the opportunity to excel in a high performing environment
• Intellectually curious and commercially aware
• Verbally and numerically strong (a good working knowledge of Excel would be advantageous)

Eligibility Criteria

• An undergraduate degree in any subject area
• The permanent right to work in the UK
• The starting salary for the programme is £45,000
• Learning and development opportunities, including professional qualifications
• Enhanced pension scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Private medical insurance
• Cycle to work scheme

Equal Opportunity Statement

At Puma, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. As an equal opportunity employer, we consider all applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender reassignment, family or parental status, national origin, veteran status, neurodiversity, or disability status.

We strive to provide a work environment free from discrimination and harassment, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Our commitment to equal opportunity extends to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, benefits, training, and development.

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