Payward - the parent company behind Kraken, NinjaTrader, Breakout, xStocks, Payward Services and CF Benchmarks - has spent the last 15 years building one of the most modern and globally accessible financial infrastructure platforms in the industry, built to advance an open, global financial system.
Before you apply, we encourage you to explore our culture page to understand what drives us and how we work.
Founded in 2011, Kraken is one of the world's longest-standing crypto platforms, trusted by over 10 million individuals and institutions across the globe. It offers spot trading, margin, futures, staking, and OTC services, with products built for both individual investors and institutional clients.
Payward is hiring a HR (People) M&A Lead to own the people side of our M&A activity end to end — from first-pass diligence through close and integration. Reporting directly to our CPO, this is a high-pace, high-volume seat that needs someone who thrives on fast turnarounds and incomplete information. We're looking for an in-house operator with an analyst's mindset who can use AI to move fast through messy data rooms, but whose real edge is judgment — knowing what risks matter and when to deviate.
Own the people's workstream of Payward's M&A activity end to end — from first-pass diligence through close and integration.
Build and own People due diligence questionnaire (DDQ) including data requests and questions to the target, follow-ups and deeper-dive workshops.
Crunch high-volume, low-structure data rooms — employment contracts, org data, comp and equity files, policies, claims history — using AI and automation to compress review cycles.
Filter signal from noise: translate hundreds of findings into a short list of flags scored against Payward's risk tolerance, with a clear recommendation attached to each.
Lead the drafting of the people-side deal mechanics: comp modelling, equity treatment, retention and earn-out structures, and deal-specific considerations that hold up in negotiation with founders.
Sit in the room with corp dev, legal, finance and People leadership — leverage SMEs and push recommendations upward, defending them with data.
Act as People M&A program manager during integration after signing: support org design, levelling and comp harmonization, retention execution, and Day 1 people readiness.
Turn each deal into reusable infrastructure and learnings — playbooks, DDQ templates, risk scoring, and automation that make the next deal faster.
8+ years across M&A people/HR diligence, integration, total rewards, or corp dev — with hands-on ownership of the people workstream on completed deals.
A track record of running multi-diligence processes in tandem, to a hard timeline: knowing what to prioritize or defer.
Strong analytical depth — comfortable modelling comp, equity, dilution, retention cost and integration spend directly, not briefing someone else to do it.
Global/cross-border deal experience with multi-jurisdiction and/or regulatory change of control employment considerations.
Demonstrated use of AI and automation to review large document volumes, with judgement about where the model's output can and cannot be trusted.
Ability to make and communicate risk calls on incomplete information, and to state a position clearly to executive stakeholders.
Credibility in founder-facing negotiation conversations on comp, equity and retention structures.
Rigorous confidentiality instincts and comfort operating on live, undisclosed transactions.
High agency in ambiguity — deals move, scope shifts, and no one hands over a finished process.
Crypto, fintech or regulated financial services acquisition experience.
Experience integrating founder-led or early-stage teams into a larger platform.
Prior work building a diligence or integration playbook from scratch.
Unless a specific application deadline is stated in the job posting, applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Please note, applicants are permitted to redact or remove information on their resume that identifies age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.
We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment on our team, assessing candidates in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.
Our commitmentPayward is powered by people from around the world and we celebrate the diverse talents, backgrounds, contributions, and unique perspectives that everyone brings to the table. We hire based on merit, seeking out people with the right abilities, knowledge, and skills for the job. We encourage you to apply for roles where you don't fully meet the listed requirements, especially if you're passionate or knowledgeable about crypto.
We may ask candidates to complete job-related skills or work-style assessments as part of our hiring process. These assessments evaluate competencies relevant to the role and are applied consistently across candidates for similar positions. Results are considered alongside experience and interviews, and are not the sole basis for any employment decision.
As an equal opportunity employer, we don't tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind, whether based on race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, citizenship, religion, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.
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Skills Required
- 8+ years of experience across M&A people or HR diligence, integration, total rewards, or corporate development, including hands-on ownership of the people workstream on completed deals.
- Experience running multiple diligence processes concurrently under hard deadlines.
- Strong analytical ability, including direct modeling of compensation, equity, dilution, retention costs, and integration spend.
- Global or cross-border deal experience involving multiple jurisdictions and/or regulatory change-of-control employment considerations.
- Demonstrated use of AI and automation to review large volumes of documents, with sound judgment regarding model output.
- Ability to make, defend, and clearly communicate risk recommendations to executive stakeholders using incomplete information.
- Experience negotiating compensation, equity, and retention structures with founders.
- Strong confidentiality judgment and comfort working on live, undisclosed transactions.
- High agency and adaptability in ambiguous, fast-changing deal environments.
- Experience in crypto, fintech, or regulated financial services acquisitions.
- Experience integrating founder-led or early-stage teams into a larger platform.
- Experience building a diligence or integration playbook from scratch.
Kraken Digital Asset Exchange Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Kraken Digital Asset Exchange and has not been reviewed or approved by Kraken Digital Asset Exchange.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is considered competitive for many roles, with strong total compensation reported for in‑demand technical and senior positions. Market‑aligned packages are highlighted across key functions, indicating the ability to reach top‑of‑market for certain hires.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Equity grants are available for most roles, complemented by bonus programs and the option to receive a portion of pay in crypto. This ownership‑oriented design is positioned as part of the standard total compensation approach.
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Flexible Benefits — A remote‑first operating model, flexible time off, and a remote‑workstation setup bonus emphasize autonomy and location flexibility. Core benefits are framed to support distributed work across multiple regions.
Kraken Digital Asset Exchange Insights
What We Do
Kraken is one of the world’s longest-standing and most secure crypto platforms. Our mission is to accelerate the global adoption of crypto, so that everyone can achieve financial freedom and inclusion. Globally, Kraken clients trade more than 200 digital assets and 6 different national currencies, including GBP, EUR, USD, CAD, CHF, and AUD. Kraken was founded in 2011 and was one of the first platforms to offer spot trading with margin,, staking, regulated derivatives and index services. Trusted by over 10 million individuals, traders and institutions around the world, Kraken offers professional 24/7/365 client support along with one of the fastest, most performant trading platforms available. Kraken has set the industry standard for transparency and client trust, and was the first crypto platform to conduct Proof of Reserves. In 2024, Kraken ranked 12th in Newsweek's Global Top 100 list of Most Loved Workplaces. This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to providing a flexible workplace that prioritizes wellbeing and career development. Kraken prioritizes client-centricity, security, and superior products, valuing merit and encouraging bold ideas within a transparent communication framework. Kraken offers a flexible, asynchronous, and globally remote work culture, allowing its employees (aka Krakenites) to balance team and personal needs. Kraken provides diverse learning and development programs, enabling Krakenites to chart their own professional paths in the crypto industry. Benefits include globally competitive compensation (with crypto payment options), flexible time off, wellness perks, and annual team retreats. Kraken's collaborative culture promotes authenticity, humility, and respect, encouraging candid interactions and valuing diverse perspectives from its global team. Crypto conviction is central to Kraken's ethos, driving product and service development. The company views challenges as opportunities for creative problem-solving, remaining adaptable in the fast-paced crypto industry. Kraken seeks individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit and a curious, self-starting approach to complex problems. The company fosters a culture of accountability and clear communication, valuing critical feedback for continuous improvement. Overall, Kraken's EVP reflects its commitment to building a bridge from traditional finance to crypto, both in its broader mission and in supporting employees transitioning to crypto careers.
Why Work With Us
Work at Kraken to be part of a mission-driven crypto revolution. Enjoy a flexible, remote-first culture that values bold ideas. Grow your career with competitive benefits and diverse learning opportunities. Join a collaborative team that embraces innovation, accountability, and globally inclusive perspectives.
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