HR M&A Lead

The HR M&A Lead leads the people strategy across the full lifecycle of mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and joint ventures — from pre-deal due diligence through post-close integration. Acting as the bridge between Corporate Development, executive leadership, and the HR function, this role ensures that every transaction realizes its intended talent value proposition while delivering a smooth, human-centered experience for employees on both sides of the deal.

This is a high-visibility, cross-functional role suited to an HR professional who thrives in ambiguity, moves quickly, and can balance strategic influence with hands-on execution.

• Lead HR due diligence on acquisition targets, including review of compensation structures, benefit plans, equity programs, employment agreements, labor relations, and HR compliance risks
• Assess cultural compatibility between organizations and surface people-related risks and liabilities that could affect deal valuation or structure
• Provide analysis and recommendations to Corporate Development and executive leadership on the HR implications of potential transactions

• Develop comprehensive HR integration plans covering organizational design, workforce planning, retention strategies, and Day 1 readiness
• Harmonize compensation, benefits, and equity programs across combined entities
• Identify key talent and design retention programs (stay bonuses, role mapping, development opportunities) to minimize regrettable attrition
• Manage organizational design work to identify deal synergies and address redundancies with fairness and legal rigor
• Oversee integration of HR systems (HRIS, payroll, benefits administration), policies, and practices post-close

• Design and execute employee communication strategies that build trust and reduce uncertainty throughout the transaction
• Establish two-way communication channels (Q&A forums, pulse surveys, feedback sessions) to keep employees informed and heard
• Lead cultural integration efforts, aligning values, ways of working, and leadership behaviors across organizations

• Drive execution against deal milestones; track progress, escalate roadblocks, and hold cross-functional teams accountable for deliverables
• Define post-close integration milestones and talent KPIs/metrics to measure integration success
• Partner closely with HRBPs, Total Rewards, Legal, Finance, Tax, IT, and the Integration Management Office throughout each transaction
• Build and maintain HR M&A playbooks, tools, and templates to create scalable, repeatable institutional capability
• Provide periodic updates to senior leadership on progress, risks, and recommendations

• On-time, compliant Day 1 execution for all assigned transactions
• Retention of identified key talent above target thresholds
• Employee engagement/sentiment scores maintained or improved through integration periods
• Documented, reusable HR M&A playbook adopted across the function

• 8–10+ years of progressive HR experience, including HR Generalist or HR Business Partner roles with broad responsibilities
• 2–5+ years leading the HR/people workstream for mergers, acquisitions, or divestitures, including complex or international transactions (in-house or consulting)
• Deep knowledge of employment law, benefits, compensation, and compliance considerations in transactions
• Strong program/project management skills with the ability to run multiple workstreams simultaneously
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills; able to influence without authority across executive, functional, and acquired-company audiences
• Comfort operating in ambiguous, fast-paced, confidential environments
• Expertise across acquisitions, divestitures, and joint ventures, including due diligence and carve-outs
• Experience with cross-border/international deals and global employment considerations
• Background in organizational design, total rewards, or change management
• Familiarity with HRIS migrations and systems integration (e.g., Workday)

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Psychology, Legal, or a related field
• Master's degree, MBA, or HR certification (SHRM-SCP, SPHR) Preferred