If you’re an Operating Partner exploring your next step, here’s the reality: Private Equity firms don’t hire Operating Partners based on titles; they hire based on proof of value creation.

Most resumes in the market read like job descriptions. That won’t cut it. A PE firm is buying into your track record. They want to see measurable impact.

What PE Firms Expect to See

• Revenue Growth – Show the before and after. If you can’t share numbers, use percentages.
• EBITDA Expansion – Highlight margin improvements, cost reductions, or efficiency gains.
• Executive Hiring & Development – Which CEOs, CFOs, or functional leaders did you put in place? How did they shift performance?
• Interim Appointments – Did you step into a leadership seat during a crisis or transition? Document the results.
• High-ROI Projects – Systems, M&A integration, supply chain optimization, pricing initiatives—whatever moved the needle.

The Difference Between Winning and Losing Candidates

Weak resumes are filled with blurbs: vague lines about “helping management teams” or “supporting value creation.”
Winning resumes are filled with evidence: numbers, outcomes, and the role you personally played.

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Examples of How to Write It

Example 1: Single Portfolio Company

Operating Partner | PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM | 2020 – 2025
Partnered with senior management to execute a successful turnaround of a $500M building products distributor. Mentored a first-time CEO, driving strategy development, operational improvements, and value creation initiatives while averaging 20 hours per week on the business.

• Increased revenue from $102M to $387M and EBITDA from $12M to $47.5M
• Opened 4 new offices and relocated manufacturing into a single facility
• Reduced inventory from $90M to $32M, transitioning to a just-in-time model
• Enhanced marketing and strengthened leadership team to scale operations
• Delivered a 3.9x MOIC exit | 7x EBITDA in September 2025

Example 2: Multiple Portfolio Companies

Operating Partner / Board Member | PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM | 2019 – 2024
Platform Acquisitions: 2 | Add-on Acquisitions: 8
Served as Board Member across five portfolio companies, driving strategy, integration, and professionalisation initiatives. Focused on scaling founder-led businesses into institutional-grade platforms with strong exit pathways. All companies currently tracking toward 3.5x–4x MOIC, preparing to exit at $80M–$100M+ valuations.

Platform 1 – Medical Device Manufacturer

• Revenue: $25M → $85M | EBITDA: $6M → $24M
• Integrated two founder-led companies into a unified platform
• Rebuilt sales organisation and developed go-to-market strategy
• Implemented ERP to unify reporting and improve visibility
• Completed one bolt-on acquisition
• Served as Interim CEO during leadership transition

Platform 2 – Food Manufacturer

• Revenue: $30M → $95M | EBITDA: $8M → $27M
• Professionalised operations from founder-led to PE-backed
• Reshaped board cadence and KPI tracking
• Implemented Lean Manufacturing and CAPEX optimisation
• Oversaw integration of multiple add-ons into one brand architecture

Platform 3 – Industrial Cleaning Products Manufacturer

• Revenue: $40M → $100M | EBITDA: $10M → $30M
• Built comprehensive go-to-market strategy, repositioning into higher-margin verticals
• Consolidated supply chain footprint to reduce COGS by 12%
• Introduced centralised sales and ops dashboards
• Supported leadership succession, including CEO hire

Platform 4 – Aerospace Product Manufacturer

• Revenue: $28M → $82M | EBITDA: $7M → $22M
• Led product innovation strategy, commercialising new sterilisation lines
• Forged partnerships with robotic surgery manufacturers
• Achieved FDA and CE compliance through regulatory upgrades
• Oversaw ERP integration across R&D, manufacturing, and sales

Platform 5 – Pet Food Manufacturer

• Revenue: $50M → $120M | EBITDA: $9M → $32M
• Completed strategic add-on to expand product range and channels
• Drove cross-selling across retail and e-commerce
• Professionalised finance, HR, and supply chain functions
• Launched national branding campaign positioning for exit

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Final Word

Your resume is not a career obituary; it’s a deal sheet of value creation.
If you can’t demonstrate how you’ve built equity value, you’ll be passed over. If you can, you’ll stand out immediately.

 

If you’re considering your next move in Private Equity or building out your senior team, we connect top Operating Partners and executives with the right PE firms and portfolio companies, we treat every search with full confidentiality.

Reach out in confidence to Haleema Hussain: haleema.hussain@raw-selection.com