People & Culture Lead, Gemini (12 months Fixed-Term Contract)

About the Role

Are you ready to shape the culture of a world-class AI organization. This is a defining opportunity to join the GenAI People & Culture (P&C) Leadership Team as the People & Culture Lead for Gemini. In this strategic role, you will act as an advisor, architect, and "unblocker" for one of the most innovative environments in the world. You will do more than manage HR processes; you will partner directly with VPs and Unit Leads to co-deliver a comprehensive People Plan that balances ambitious business goals with grounded P&C strategies. You will spend your time driving impact in a fast-paced environment known for high collaboration and innovation. Utilizing organizational psychology and behavioral science, you will navigate complexity, drive performance, and help build something extraordinary. Artificial intelligence will be one humanity’s most transformative inventions. At Google DeepMind, we are a pioneering AI lab with world-class interdisciplinary teams focused on advancing AI development to solve complex global challenges and accelerate high-quality product innovation for billions of users. We use our technologies for widespread public benefit and scientific discovery, ensuring safety and ethics are always our highest priority. We are pushing the boundaries across multiple domains. Our global teams offer diverse learning opportunities and varied career pathways for those driven to achieve exceptional results through collective effort.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Partnering & Planning: Partner closely with VPs and Unit Leads to execute the 2026 People Plan. You will ensure that all people strategies—from career development to leadership capability—are aligned with GDM’s strategic goals.
• Organizational Design & Psychology: Apply deep expertise in organizational psychology and behavioral science to design evolving team structures that meet business needs. You will lead large-scale organizational change initiatives, integrating teams with conflicting requirements to align with our cultural goals.
• Executive Coaching & Influence: Serve as a trusted advisor and strategic influencer to senior leadership. You will shape decision-making on critical people matters, coaching leaders to accelerate their development, improve team performance, and foster a culture of continuous learning.
• Data Intelligence & Market Trends: Go beyond internal reporting by utilizing a data-driven approach to partnering. You will actively monitor people data and synthesize it with external market realities to identify workforce risks, trends, and opportunities.
• Global Team Leadership: Manage and inspire a global team. You will uphold "GDM Manager" expectations—developing, coaching, and collaborating with your team and the wider P&C community to deliver efficient, effective, and bespoke solutions.
• Continuous Improvement: Champion a Kaizen approach to the employee experience.

Requirements

• Substantial HR Leadership: You have a proven track record of success operating as a senior HR professional, preferably within a small but fast-growing business or dynamic tech environment.
• Subject Matter Expert: You possess a deep understanding of Organizational Design (OD) principles, talent management, and employment legislation/policies.
• Change Management Authority: You have the proven ability to lead change in complex, global organizations, effectively managing stakeholders with diverse viewpoints.
• People Management: You have a strong history of coaching, developing, and leading high-performing HR teams.

Qualifications

• Strategic Agility: You can effectively navigate ambiguity and enjoy changeable environments. You are a strategic thinker who can represent the vision of the leaders you partner with, acting as a confident communicator.
• Operational Excellence: You are extremely organized and capable of managing multiple complex projects simultaneously while prioritizing effectively. You see what needs to be done and take a proactive approach.
• Relationship Building: You build solid relationships quickly with a high sense of credibility. You are able to put people at ease, create understanding, and instill trust in everyone you interact with.
• Landscape Analyst: You are an expert in synthesizing internal data with external market reality to drive workforce planning.
• AI Fluency: Ability and curiosity to use AI tools practically and effectively in your work, with a recognition and awareness of AI’s responsible use, risks, and limitations. Ability to leverage and promote AI for team and organisational productivity.