Commercial Analyst

Unlock Your Potential with PieLAB Capital: Seeking a Dynamic Commercial Analyst in Brisbane!

Are you a go-getter with a knack for turning analysis into action? Do you thrive in a collaborative environment where your work directly impacts the success of small and medium businesses? If your spirit is entrepreneurial and your mind is set on making things happen, then PieLAB Capital is looking for you!

Who Are We?

We're not your typical investment firm. At PieLAB Capital, we dive deep into the world of private equity with a twist – we're in it for the long haul. With an extensive portfolio of businesses across 3 funds, our focus lies on Australian SMEs, with recurring revenue and solid earnings. But what sets us apart from traditional private equity in that we are investors who want to hold businesses for the long term. We are first and foremost a results driven entrepreneurial company made up of great people who love the challenges of building small businesses. Our goal is to build a significant portfolio of small and medium sized businesses, working with talented CEOs and executives.

We are a purpose led and values based organisation.

Our Purpose is to “To develop people and help them build great businesses.” And in this role not only will you be working directly with the CEOs and executive teams of portfolio companies to help them run better businesses, but you’ll also get the opportunity to develop and build your skills.

Our Values Are:

“Be inquisitive”: At the heart of all PieLAB activities is a thirst for learning and an inquisitive approach to life and business. Only those who maintain a learning mindset become successful business operators and investors.

“Uphold a ‘Get Up And Go’ (GUAG) mentality”: Great business operators have GUAG—they make things happen. They overcome obstacles, refuse to take no for an answer, find solutions where others see problems, and above all, remain passionate about what they do. Great investors require similar energy, relentlessly pursuing and vetting opportunities and helping their investments succeed, year after year.

“Remain generous”: In the business world and life generally, we believe opportunity comes to those who have a reputation for doing good—who are fair in their dealings and treat people well, while also having a proven track record of adding value. At PieLAB, we are generous with our time, knowledge, and expertise in growing businesses, and we are generous with our reward structure for people that genuinely add value.

“Be humble”: Success in business is all about leadership. Humble leaders are better liked, more effective, have a lower sense of entitlement and are more helpful. At PieLAB, humility is key to the collective success of our organisation.

The Role

This is a great opportunity for someone who is passionate about business to invest in and assist a growing portfolio of small and medium businesses. It is an opportunity to sit at the decision-making table as we deploy capital into Australia’s best up and coming small and medium businesses and then help them grow. Reporting directly to a member of the PieLAB executive team, you will work closely with the CEOs and executive teams of our portfolio companies helping them to find and analyse opportunities in their businesses. This role requires an entrepreneurial spirit and is about finding opportunities for improvement and solving problems. Your goal for each portfolio company is to help them be more efficient, save costs, increase revenue and generate more cash.

Potential Opportunities 

We have identified a number of areas where we can improve within our portfolio companies, but there are many more for you to discover. Some of the opportunities include:

• Researching an industry and benchmarking performance against our portfolio,
• Contracts and pricing
  • Are we charging everything we are entitled to charge?
  • Are projects well costed?
  • Are our terms standard and favourable to us?
• Costs and procurement
  • Are our procurement processes effective?
  • Can our supplier terms be more favourable to us?
• Are there any subscriptions or other costs that aren’t needed anymore?

What You'll Bring to the Table

• Highly analytical and commercial yet able to provide analysis in an easy to digest form.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills – with direct SME client engagement or interaction highly desirable.
• Strong negotiation skills.
• Advanced Excel abilities.
• Degree in commerce, economics, or relevant field.
• 3+ years’ experience in a large accounting / advisory / consulting firm highly desirable.
• CA/ CPA/ CFA qualifications or working towards desirable.

The successful applicant must be Brisbane based.

A couple of likely questions answered:

Where will I work from? PieLAB is based in Brisbane, although we have companies that operate or have head offices all over Australia. We typically only invest in Australian companies, but we suspect over time we’ll invest further afield. We work from the office at least 2 days a week, although some people prefer to do that more often.

Will I have to travel? Thanks to Covid we spend a lot less time on airplanes than we used to, however, sometimes being face-to-face with team members and portfolio companies is necessary. So expect some periodic travel, but definitely not every week and mainly domestic.

Can I invest in the fund? We’re big on people having skin in the game, and we hope you’ll see the benefit of personally investing alongside us in what we do. So yes absolutely you’ll have the opportunity if that’s something you’d like to do.

When would we like the successful candidate to start? We’re looking for a long-term team player, and finding the right person is more important than having them start immediately.

What’s the recruitment process look like? The process will include a series of interviews with our team, face-to-face catch-ups and a potential case study that we’ll work through with you. We make no apologies for the rigorous process, building a world-class team doesn’t happen overnight. We want you to be a really good fit, for your benefit and ours!

What’s the deal with remuneration? Remuneration will include a base salary, and performance bonus linked to how well you do. We’re a small company with a big future, and the financial reward will be significant for all of us, but only if we execute well and create value for our investors.

Apply Now and Shape the Future of Business with Us!