People Operations M&A Lead

Palo Alto Networks; California (MO); On-site; USD 118,000 - 191,000; Full time

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks is seeking a People Operations M&A lead to drive the successful integration of acquisitions into our global ecosystem. You will synthesize requirements, architect data workflows, and manage all People Ops M&A activities to ensure flawless operational readiness.

You will serve as the liaison translating corporate needs into actionable workstreams, acting as a deep functional expert to support rapid-cycle initiatives and long-term value across time zones and regions.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of HR/People Operations experience.
• 3+ years leading complex M&A integrations.
• Strong data manipulation with advanced formulas and pivot tables.
• Experience with AI tools and data analytics.
• Bachelor's Degree required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Experience in a global enterprise environment.
• Asana in-depth experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary voice and liaison for People Operations across all M&A activities.
• Architect and manage employee data frameworks used during acquisitions.
• Drive end-to-end integration roadmaps and build multi-phased plans in Asana.
• Pivot to lead general People Operations initiatives when needed.
• Evaluate HR frameworks across target companies and map to To-Be frameworks.
• Contribute to change management focused on recruiting and onboarding.
• Oversee transition plans for acquired populations to operations teams.
• Define and iterate operational standards for People Ops across acquisitions.

Skills

AI tools proficiency

Data analytics

Excel

Google Sheets

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Asana

Workday HCM

Workday Recruiting

Job description

Our Mission

At Palo Alto Networks®, we’re united by a shared mission—to protect our digital way of life. We thrive at the intersection of innovation and impact, solving real-world problems with cutting-edge technology and bold thinking. Here, everyone has a voice, and every idea counts. If you’re ready to do the most meaningful work of your career alongside people who are just as passionate as you are, you’re in the right place.

Who We Are

In order to be the cybersecurity partner of choice, we must trailblaze the path and shape the future of our industry. This is something our employees work at each day and is defined by our values: Disruption, Collaboration, Execution, Integrity, and Inclusion. We weave AI into the fabric of everything we do and use it to augment the impact every individual can have. If you are passionate about solving real-world problems and ideating beside the best and the brightest, we invite you to join us! We believe collaboration thrives in person. That’s why most of our teams work from the office full time, with flexibility when it’s needed. This model supports real-time problem-solving, stronger relationships, and the kind of precision that drives great outcomes.

Job Summary

As the People Operations M&A lead, you are the strategic engine driving the successful integration of new acquisitions into our global ecosystem, while also serving as a versatile project leader within Global People Operations. Working closely with key M&A stakeholders such as Corporate Development, Finance, IT, and the broader People M&A project and workstream leads (including HRBPs and Centers of Excellence), you will serve as the primary People Operations representative for the lifecycle of each M&A. You will synthesize complex M&A requirements, architect data workflows, and manage all People Operations M&A activities to ensure flawless operational readiness. By acting as the definitive liaison, you translate corporate requirements into actionable workstreams within People Operations. This role is a deep functional expert in People Operations and able to drive critical backend execution as transition activities for M&A are high stakes, zero-error. When M&A deal volume naturally fluctuates, your scope dynamically shifts to spearhead rapid-cycle People Ops initiatives—ensuring you deliver continuous, high-value impact year-round.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the primary voice and liaison for People Operations across all M&A activities. You will manage People Operations support to meet complex requirements, align on deal milestones, and deliver executive briefs and actionable plans.
• Architect and manage the specialized employee data frameworks utilized by People Operations throughout the acquisition lifecycle. You will securely transform and route data from master due diligence files into system-ready formats for our downstream teams. Maintaining absolute data integrity and compliance (GDPR, CCPA) via advanced spreadsheet manipulation is critical to this step.
• Drive the end-to-end People Operations integration roadmap. Utilizing Asana, you will build complex, multi-phased project plans for People Operations (and contribute to deal-wide action plans) to ensure the People Operations team delivers on strict deal deadlines.
• Navigate the natural ebbs and flows of M&A activity by seamlessly pivoting to lead general People Operations initiatives. You will step in during M&A lulls to drive rapid-cycle, high-impact operations initiatives, ensuring a full and adaptable workload year-round.
• Evaluate target company HR frameworks related to People Operations such as policies, hiring, immigration, contingent workforce management, frontline support and HR systems. You will collaborate with process owners to design the strategy that maps legacy processes to our internal "To-Be" frameworks.
• Contribute to persona-based change management and communications strictly as they relate to operational domains—specifically focusing on recruiting, onboarding, HR systems adoption, and employee inquiry routing.
• You will orchestrate the operational transition plan to ensure a premier experience for acquired populations, smoothly handing off day-to-day execution to our specialized operations teams.
• Define, enforce, and iterate upon operational standards for People Ops across all new acquisitions, continuously refining our M&A playbook to scale with our global growth.
• Navigate complex, globally matrixed integrations, demonstrating the flexibility to collaborate effectively with acquired populations and internal stakeholders across diverse time zones.

Qualifications Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive experience in Human Resources or People Operations.
• 3+ years of dedicated experience managing complex M&A operations, with a strict focus on People operations, organizational transitions, and cross-functional project execution.
• A proactive, flexible mindset with the proven ability to seamlessly context-switch between confidential, large-scale M&A integrations and fast-paced, internal People Operations projects.
• Exceptional, hands‑on proficiency in AI (Gemini, Glean, agents, etc) and data analytics tools (e.g., Excel and Google Sheets).
• You must be highly comfortable utilizing complex formulas, pivot tables, and data validation to manage, audit, and securely manipulate large, sensitive datasets.
• A proven track record of orchestrating large-scale initiatives and enforcing accountability across matrixed teams.
• Hands‑on, advanced experience managing complex workstreams in Asana is highly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in a global enterprise environment, comfortably navigating different time zones, cultural nuances, and regional compliance requirements.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
• You possess the ability to distill dense deal requirements into clear action items, manage stakeholder expectations, and confidently present integration strategies to senior executives.
• Bachelor's Degree required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Workday HCM or Workday Recruiting Certifications.
• Demonstrated experience with process optimization methodologies (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma).

Compensation Disclosure

The compensation offered for this position will depend on qualifications, experience, and work location. For candidates who receive an offer at the posted level, the starting base salary (for non-sales roles) or base salary + commission target (for sales/com‑missioned roles) is expected to be the annual range listed below. The offered compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus. A description of our employee benefits may be found here. $118,400.00 - $191,400.00/yr

• A description of our employee benefits may be found here.

Our Commitment

We’re trailblazers that dream big, take risks, and challenge cybersecurity’s status quo. It’s simple: we can’t accomplish our mission without diverse teams innovating, together.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with a disability. If you require assistance or accommodation due to a disability or special need, please contact us at [e-mail].

Palo Alto Networks is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity in our workplace, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or other legally protected characteristics.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Is role eligible for Immigration Sponsorship? No. Please note that we will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.