Blackstone is the world’s largest alternative asset manager. We seek to create positive economic impact and long-term value for our investors, the companies we invest in, and the communities in which we work. We do this by using extraordinary people and flexible capital to help companies solve problems. Our $1.1 trillion in assets under management include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow @blackstone on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
 

Strategic Partners  
Blackstone Strategic Partners is a global capital solutions provider, with $82B of investor capital under management. We offer a range of liquidity opportunities to both limited and general partners, including secondaries, GP Stakes and co-investments across private markets. Founded in 2000, we are one of the world’s largest and most established secondaries platforms.

Job Location:
Nashville, TN

The Operations Associate is charged with supporting the deployment of the Blackstone Spend Management Platform to Blackstone GP Stakes PE Affiliates and their respective portfolios. Broad responsibilities include developing and managing business relationships with our GPs and their portfolios, driving utilization of the platform through significant portfolio company interactions via weekly project management calls and email communications, interacting with preferred vendor partners, internal/external reporting at the PE/portfolio company level, tracking PE Affiliate/portfolio company activity in Salesforce.  The person will interface daily with Blackstone GP Stakes PE Affiliate portfolios (150+ portfolio companies), the Blackstone GP Stakes Investment Team, the Blackstone Portfolio Operations Group and preferred vendor partners. The Operations Associate will be exposed to many different value creation initiatives across many diverse industries and regions. This requires strong analytical and quantitative skills, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, detailed project management, and general business knowledge including analyzing financial data and operating metrics. Travel will be required on an as‐needed basis.

Additional responsibilities include:

• Provide continuous support to specific portfolio companies including bi-weekly project management calls with portfolio companies, PE affiliates and preferred vendors. 
• Identify opportunities for engagement, manage vendor introductions and ensure project execution within portfolio companies to leverage the Purchasing Platform.
• Provide quantitative and qualitative analysis of the key initiatives across the Blackstone GP Stakes portfolio including bi-weekly, monthly and quarterly performance reporting, group purchasing program execution metrics, cross‐selling results and other functional initiatives.
• Extensively use Salesforce to help manage portfolio company data, track status of every procurement project, develop enhancements to the tool and maintain contacts across all PE affiliates and portfolio companies.
• Help drive platform utilization including working with the portfolio companies’ senior procurement/IT/HR/Marketing/Operations/Finance and other functions during the execution stage and resolving issues. 
• Develop deep understanding of the eSourcing solution to help drive portfolio company engagement to leverage the Blackstone Sourcing Center. 
• Support expansion of new group purchasing categories globally. Current scope includes 125+ categories across 1,000+ portfolio companies.
• Respond to on‐going daily data requests from PE Affiliates, portfolio companies and Blackstone GP Stakes Investment team.
• Support developing functional events across PE affiliates to continue to foster program expansion and best practice sharing.
• Help identify and support process improvement opportunities across tools, processes and communications.

Qualifications:

Blackstone seeks to hire individuals who are highly motivated, intelligent and have demonstrated excellence in prior endeavors. In addition to strong analytical and quantitative skills (e.g. an undergraduate degree with a focus in engineering, operations, economics, accounting/finance, or business management), they will have 5 - 7 years’ work experience at a highly competitive company within the industry, at a consulting company or an accounting firm preferably in an operating environment, ideally supporting operational improvement initiatives and working with clients.

The successful candidate should have:

• Confidence and ability to effectively influence and engage key stakeholders at all levels, fostering collaboration and driving alignment on strategic initiatives
• Interest in being “hands on” doer to support the team
• Superb interpersonal skills with excellent written and verbal communication on strategic, financial and operational areas
• Strong analytical skills and tools including Excel, PowerPoint, Salesforce.com, and other data management applications
• Significant procurement-related experience, with a proven track record in strategic sourcing, supplier management, and cost optimization within a cross-portfolio function or across multiple companies.
• Well organized and disciplined approach with work effort and project management
• Active listening skills with the ability to integrate new information and develop recommendations
• Establish fact-based recommendations and decision making
• Ability to work independently if needed and navigate a dynamic environment including partnership with various people to accomplish key initiatives.

The duties and responsibilities described here are not exhaustive and additional assignments, duties, or responsibilities may be required of this position.  Assignments, duties, and responsibilities may be changed at any time, with or without notice, by Blackstone in its sole discretion.

Expected annual base salary range:

Actual base salary within that range will be determined by several components including but not limited to the individual’s experience, skills, qualifications and job location. For roles located outside of the US, please disregard the posted salary bands as these roles will follow a separate compensation process based on local market comparables.

Additional compensation: Base salary does not include other forms of compensation or benefits offered in connection with the advertised role.

Blackstone is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, marital or partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic predisposition, veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, a sex offense or stalking, or any other class or status in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to hiring, placement, promotion, termination, transfer, leave of absence, compensation, and training.  All Blackstone employees, including but not limited to recruiting personnel and hiring managers, are required to abide by this policy.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete your application, please email Human Resources at [email protected].

Depending on the position, you may be required to obtain certain securities licenses if you are in a client facing role and/or if you are engaged in the following:

• Attending client meetings where you are discussing Blackstone products and/or and client questions;

• Marketing Blackstone funds to new or existing clients;

• Supervising or training securities licensed employees;

• Structuring or creating Blackstone funds/products; and

• Advising on marketing plans prepared by a sales team or developing and/or contributing information for marketing materials.

Note: The above list is not the exhaustive list of activities requiring securities licenses and there may be roles that require review on a case-by-case basis.  Please speak with your Blackstone Recruiting contact with any questions.

To submit your application please complete the form below. Fields marked with a red asterisk * must be completed to be considered for employment (although some can be answered "prefer not to say"). Failure to provide this information may compromise the follow-up of your application. When you have finished click Submit at the bottom of this form.