Join the EY-Parthenon Software Strategy Group
We advise private equity investors, their portfolio companies and corporate clients from diligence through strategy and execution.
Join the EY-Parthenon team
Become a leader in the software economy
Join the EY-Parthenon Software Strategy Group (SSG) and build a career at the nexus of two of the hottest segments of the economy: technology and private equity investing. The SSG is the leading advisor to companies and investors in this space, working on high-profile M&A transactions and with transformative companies. As part of our team, you’ll work alongside colleagues with experience as chief technology officers, software engineers, product managers and strategy professionals — as well as recent college and MBA graduates — who are passionate about strategy and the role that software plays in building a company’s value.
We’re actively growing our team, with opportunities for experienced professionals, as well as recent college and MBA graduates, through our associate and consultant programs.
About EY-Parthenon Software Strategy Group
Who our clients are
- Investors across the private equity landscape, including mega-cap funds, growth funds and value funds
- Software companies and software-enabled businesses, such as EdTech and FinTech, and other services companies, from ridesharing to digital health providers
- Companies that need to invest in building innovative software to grow their businesses
What we do
M&A diligence
We advise companies and investors as they consider investments in software companies and software-enabled services companies. Our M&A diligence engagements provide guidance on:
- Competitive and market trends, including market size and growth
- Product capabilities
- Go-forward product roadmap and underlying technical architecture
- Software R&D organization
- Software-related financials and economics
We help our clients evaluate a software company’s:
- Product capabilities and underlying technology
- Competitiveness in the marketplace
- Ability to execute against its corporate strategy
- Risks and opportunities
- Compatibility with its investment goals
Value creation
We work with senior leaders to help solve their biggest challenges related to software and technology, identify how to make their organizations more effective, and uncover opportunities for future expansion and growth. Our teams enjoy superior access to leading C-suite executives and senior PE professionals.
Our value creation engagements often focus on growth strategy, product/technology roadmap strategy, software R&D organization optimization, and building a go-forward product portfolio and organizational approach after a client has completed an acquisition or merger.
Roles on our team
Associate and senior associate
Associates are the backbone of our case teams. On any given day, you may conduct market research, interview industry participants, meet with technology company executives, conduct qualitative and quantitative analysis, or participate in client discussions.
You’ll rapidly build a mix of hard and soft skills during our three-year associate program. You’ll gain experience creating data-backed analysis and insights, learn what makes software companies tick, hone your ability to craft a compelling narrative and present findings to senior executives, and manage and mentor others on your team. You’ll have a seat at the table with CEOs and investors, helping these clients make more informed decisions and gaining first-hand insights into how investors and management teams operate and make decisions.
Consultant
Consultants gain responsibilities quickly, managing junior team members and often serving as primary contacts for clients. You’ll lead workstreams, translate client needs into project tasks and deliverables, and manage day-to-day problem solving and team-based analytical activities. As both a formal and informal mentor to our associates, you’ll be helping support their ongoing professional development and growth within the Software Strategy Group.
Director and senior director
Directors and senior directors are responsible for leading engagements and for serving as key liaisons between consulting team members, firm leadership and our clients. As our next generation of partners, our senior directors build and grow long-term relationships with clients as their trusted strategic advisors. You’ll work with teams to translate client needs into project tasks and deliverables, and help manage problem-solving and analytical activities. Through our team-focused structure, you’ll also help foster growth in our associates and consultants, supporting their development as professionals and Software Strategy Group team members.
Partner, principal and managing director
Partners and principals oversee all client engagements and have established deep relationships with our clients by serving as trusted strategic advisors. Our partners and principals are responsible for leading our practice, shaping how the Software Strategy Group grows and identifying ways to better serve our clients.
Managing directors provide deep domain, sector and technical knowledge on every SSG engagement. With backgrounds as long-standing senior executives in the software economy, our managing directors serve as mentors to our junior team members and as trusted advisors to our clients.
Frequently asked questions
Students and entry-level professionals
How do I apply for the Associate Program or Consultant Program?
The EY-Parthenon Software Strategy Group has formal recruiting programs established at several institutions. Please visit the Associate Program and Consultant Program pages for the full lists. Applications for the Associate and Consultant Programs are closed at this time, but please check back at the beginning of the next campus recruiting season.
What can I expect when I start working in the EY-Parthenon Software Strategy Group?
From your first day, you’ll be a valued contributor on client engagement teams. Your clients will include diverse and interesting companies and investors across industries, both emerging and established market leaders within the software economy.
You’ll be part of a culture where you're embraced for who you are. We help solve clients’ strategic challenges together by valuing differences and teaming inclusively. We want you to feel like you belong here because your uniqueness helps us stand apart. Your point of view matters.
Through formal skills programs and on-the-job apprenticeship training and mentoring, you’ll be continuously learning as you acquire valuable analytical, interpersonal and leadership capabilities. As the world undergoes unprecedented change, clients depend on us to help them set and execute strategies that help create value. We invest in your professional development to help you become the transformational leader you want to be, accelerating your career while making a meaningful impact.
What type of experience is the EY-Parthenon Software Strategy Group looking for in applicants?
Associates
- Outstanding academic performance, including coursework relevant to the position, preferably with quantitative courses in computer science or engineering
- Demonstrated interest in the technology industry through startup experience, internships, coursework, extracurricular activities, or research and writing on the subject
Consultants
- Demonstrated interest in the technology industry through previous work experience, internships, coursework, extracurricular activities, or research and writing on the subject
Where do Software Strategy Group team members work?
The Software Strategy Group is located in Boston, New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco. We value in-person collaboration. Given our apprenticeship model and the team-based nature of our work, all SSG team members are based in one of these cities.
Can a person who starts with the EY-Parthenon Software Strategy Group later switch to a generalist role within EY-Parthenon?
Individuals who join the Software Strategy Group should expect to continue working within the practice. However, we also recognize that things change, and transfer requests could be considered after a few years with the team.
What is the campus hiring interview process at EY-Parthenon?
- Applicants who are selected during the initial screening are invited to interview with EY-Parthenon.
- Candidates can expect a mix of behavioural and case-based interviews with multiple EY-Parthenon professionals.
- Offer decisions are typically communicated within a week from your interviews.
Experienced professionals
I don’t have consulting experience. Can I be successful in the Software Strategy Group?
Absolutely. Successful team members have joined with backgrounds in product management, M&A, engineering and strategic planning within technology organizations, just to name a few. Having demonstrated experience in a client-facing role of some kind is particularly valuable for those who are seeking to apply at the director or senior director level.
What opportunities exist for business development and supporting internal initiatives?
Everyone in the Software Strategy Group participates in firm-building initiatives, such as IP/thought leadership development, training, business development and recruiting. Senior-level team members take ownership of firm-building programs and lead teams that are focused on internal initiatives.
Consultants, directors and senior directors are regularly brought into business development activities. As individuals grow in the organization, they have the opportunity to begin leading business development initiatives and supporting long-term client relationship development.
What does the professional development program look like?
The Software Strategy Group has a robust, ongoing professional development program that connects into the broader EY-Parthenon program. In addition to a structured onboarding and training process for new joiners, formal and informal mentorship programs are an essential part of our culture. We conduct annual cohort training to help team members build new skills and grow as professionals and leaders. For those looking to gain different types of experiences throughout their SSG career, we support a secondment program for international rotations to other SSG offices and an externship program for temporary rotations into leading software companies.
With EY Badges, you can learn future-focused skills, such as data visualization, data science and AI, and develop qualities like transformational leadership and inclusive intelligence. With the fully accredited EY Tech MBA by Hult International Business School, free to all EY employees, you can develop the mindset and skill set to navigate the challenges ahead.
What opportunities will I have to mentor individuals and help develop teams?
Formal and informal mentorship is critical to our success as individuals and as an organization. We encourage our team members to begin taking on people management roles — and, eventually, team management roles — as soon as they demonstrate readiness. We support them along the way in developing their personal management style.
Our senior team members serve as professional development coaches for junior colleagues, helping them become the next generation of leaders in the software economy.
For examples or possibilities, visit the Global EY.com careers site.
