HR M&A Lead

Agilent Technologies•Santa Clara, CA

4d•$210,528 - $328,950•Remote

About The Position

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.

Requirements

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)

Nice To Haves

Master's degree, MBA, or HR certification (SHRM-SCP, SPHR)

Responsibilities

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