People Programs M&A Lead (AI)

TL;DR

People Programs M&A Lead (AI): Owning the end-to-end People-side M&A program for a frontier AI company with an accent on strategic deal integration, organizational architecture, and scaling infrastructure. Focus on leading complex multi-entity acquisitions, setting program standards, and ensuring cultural alignment during hyper-growth.

Location: Must be based in or able to commute to San Francisco, CA (Hybrid: 25%+ in-office)

Salary: $310,000 - $370,000 USD

Company

Anthropic is an AI safety and research company dedicated to building reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems.

What you will do

• Own the People-side M&A program strategy, operating model, and outcomes from diligence through integration.
• Act as a strategic partner to Corporate Development on deal structure, retention, and people-cost implications.
• Lead People-side integration for complex, multi-entity, or international acquisitions.
• Build durable program infrastructure, including playbooks, intake processes, and retention frameworks.
• Set standards and decision frameworks for the broader People team to execute M&A confidently.
• Identify recurring risks and implement upstream fixes to improve deal outcomes over time.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience across program management, HR/People operations, and M&A integration.
• Proven track record of direct ownership of People workstreams across multiple transactions.
• Experience influencing deal structure, timing, and retention strategy as a partner to Corp Dev.
• Ability to manage concurrent transactions and sequence complex interdependencies under pressure.
• Strong communication skills and ability to set standards for cross-functional teams.
• Must be able to work from the San Francisco office at least 25% of the time.

Nice to have

• Experience standing up an M&A People integration function from scratch at a fast-growing tech company.
• Experience leading international or multi-entity acquisitions including immigration and entity setup.
• Experience mentoring other program managers or leading teams without formal management authority.

Culture & Benefits

• Competitive compensation and benefits package.
• Generous vacation and parental leave policies.
• Flexible working hours and collaborative office environment.
• Optional equity donation matching.
• Opportunity to work on high-impact, large-scale AI research in a cohesive, collaborative team.