Just got my first PE Ops offer, and was wondering if you fish could help me evaluate it:

Me: M7 MBA, 8 YOE, including in industry operations and T2 strategy consulting

Them: MM PE buyout fund, no specific industry focus. Most recent fund $2.5B+, AUM $5B+

Role: VP of Operations, joining an Ops team that will be ~10 people total top to bottom

Offer: $200 base, $150 bonus, and ‘carry’ that is actually just a deal performance-based cash payment that is awarded to non-carry individuals (cont)

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Updating, so others have a data point for their use:

Signed a final offer of $225base/$175bonus, with a shared pool of 50bps of carry.

Basically, my team will share this 50bps, but it will be available immediately upon each exit (no vesting period). After three years, I will get my own individualized carry of 75bps-1%, but my vesting period will be retroactive to when I start this role. A weird arrangement for sure, but I like it because it doesn’t give me golden handcuffs during a period when I can evaluate whether or not I like the firm.

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Not a bad outcome. Congrats.

I know this last part is weird, and will update when I get more in writing about it – sounds like just a large spot bonus at each exit in the portfolio, and does not appear to be subject to vesting, but also seems to be taxed as ordinary income.

My questions: is the $200 base too low? I would be taking a paycut from where I am now on base, was thinking $220 is more appropriate. Also, is this ‘carry’ situation as weird/abnormal as I think it is? Should I push for actual carry, and if so, how much?

Base and Bonus look average based on the 2019 H&S report. Probably a tad below average these days considering salary inflation driven by salary increases in feeder roles (banking and consulting). As others have said, carry is where the money is made and your arrangement sounds very unclear to what the amounts may be over time.

This is a low offer, at least compared to what I have seen - which is like 50-80 percent more. That said, comp at PE firms are all over the board so quite difficult to benchmark

The “carry” that you have means you are not part of the GP and they will pay you a transactional bonus for each portfolio you touch. Note that this is usually treated as ordinary income instead of capital gains.

Thanks, appreciate it

I was a VP ops at a $300m firm with a $210k base and 1% carry. I agree that the base is low (nice bonus though) but I wound want a fund carry % or RSUs in the portfolio companies

Sounds like Platinum equity

Arcline?

Total cash comp feels on the low end, I’d try and push that north of $400k minimum. On the carry point, I’d dig in deep here because that’s where the real income will be generated. Agreed with Partner 1’s point fully. If it’s normal income vs carried interest taxed at cap gains rate, then you’re giving up nearly 2x what you earn and it may not be that large. I’d expect at least ~$600-750k worth of carry allocated each year on a 4-5 year vest (so figure out whatever the right mix of RSUs, options, and carry that is)

Total seems right. Vesting may be longer depend on waterfall

How did you land this opportunity

Can I DM you OP?

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