Coller Capital Interview Process: Rounds, Timeline & Compensation
Michael King, PE Investment Manager ·
Coller Capital runs candidate reports describe a multi-stage process: an online numerical reasoning and personality test, then an HR/behavioural screen, followed by a take-home paper LBO model (roughly a 1-hour build) and technical plus behavioural interviews with associates and partners — with direct questions on why secondaries investing specifically, rather than direct or primary investing. Wall Street Oasis reports the process taking around three weeks on average from first contact to offer, though candidates describe it stretching to several months where multiple technical rounds and take-home case work are involved; as a London-headquartered firm, Coller recruits off-cycle on a rolling basis rather than following the compressed US PE on-cycle calendar. Coller does not publish London pay bands, but Glassdoor-reported UK figures show senior associates earning roughly £83k base plus c.£73k in additional pay (c.£150-160k total), with more junior financial-analyst-track roles averaging c.£44k base (up to c.£85k at the upper end); as a secondaries specialist rather than a direct-investing megafund, junior comp tracks broadly with upper-mid-market buyout pay, and meaningful carry participation typically starts at VP level rather than at associate.
Interview rounds
Candidate reports describe a multi-stage process: an online numerical reasoning and personality test, then an HR/behavioural screen, followed by a take-home paper LBO model (roughly a 1-hour build) and technical plus behavioural interviews with associates and partners — with direct questions on why secondaries investing specifically, rather than direct or primary investing
Typical timeline
Wall Street Oasis reports the process taking around three weeks on average from first contact to offer, though candidates describe it stretching to several months where multiple technical rounds and take-home case work are involved; as a London-headquartered firm, Coller recruits off-cycle on a rolling basis rather than following the compressed US PE on-cycle calendar
Compensation range
Coller does not publish London pay bands, but Glassdoor-reported UK figures show senior associates earning roughly £83k base plus c.£73k in additional pay (c.£150-160k total), with more junior financial-analyst-track roles averaging c.£44k base (up to c.£85k at the upper end); as a secondaries specialist rather than a direct-investing megafund, junior comp tracks broadly with upper-mid-market buyout pay, and meaningful carry participation typically starts at VP level rather than at associate
Notes
Founded in 1990 by Jeremy Coller, the London-headquartered firm pioneered the secondaries market and now manages roughly $50bn across stakes in more than 850 funds and c.8,000 underlying companies; its ninth flagship fund, Coller International Partners IX, closed at $17bn in January 2026. In January 2026, Swedish buyout group EQT agreed to acquire Coller Capital for up to $3.7bn, folding it into a new ‘Coller EQT’ secondaries platform with Jeremy Coller continuing to lead it — worth knowing before an interview given how recent it is
Frequently asked questions
How many interview rounds does Coller Capital run?
Candidate reports describe a multi-stage process: an online numerical reasoning and personality test, then an HR/behavioural screen, followed by a take-home paper LBO model (roughly a 1-hour build) and technical plus behavioural interviews with associates and partners — with direct questions on why secondaries investing specifically, rather than direct or primary investing
How long does the Coller Capital interview process take?
Wall Street Oasis reports the process taking around three weeks on average from first contact to offer, though candidates describe it stretching to several months where multiple technical rounds and take-home case work are involved; as a London-headquartered firm, Coller recruits off-cycle on a rolling basis rather than following the compressed US PE on-cycle calendar
What does Coller Capital pay first-year hires?
Coller does not publish London pay bands, but Glassdoor-reported UK figures show senior associates earning roughly £83k base plus c.£73k in additional pay (c.£150-160k total), with more junior financial-analyst-track roles averaging c.£44k base (up to c.£85k at the upper end); as a secondaries specialist rather than a direct-investing megafund, junior comp tracks broadly with upper-mid-market buyout pay, and meaningful carry participation typically starts at VP level rather than at associate