Senior Director, Corporate Development

Role Overview

Astera Labs is seeking a Senior Director of Corporate Development to lead strategic transactions — including acquisitions, investments, and partnerships — that will shape the future of AI connectivity. Reporting to the Head of Corporate Development, you will partner with engineering, product, and executive leadership to identify, evaluate, and execute opportunities that align with our long-term growth strategy.

This is a high-visibility opportunity to join a hyper-growth semiconductor company at the epicenter of rack-scale AI infrastructure. Your work will directly influence executive and board-level decisions and help scale the purpose-built connectivity backbone powering the next generation of AI data centers.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Transaction Leadership
  • Lead corporate development transactions end-to-end, from target identification through close and integration
  • Partner with executive and engineering leaders to evaluate opportunities, address strategic gaps, and drive build/buy/partner analyses
  • Own deal project management across the full lifecycle, ensuring timely execution and stakeholder alignment
• Financial & Strategic Analysis
  • Conduct detailed valuation, pro forma modeling, and investment assessments to evaluate deal alignment
  • Develop executive and board-ready presentation materials with clear recommendations
  • Research adjacent and new market opportunities, including opportunity sizing, target landscaping, and competitive analysis
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Integration
  • Drive diligence workstreams across engineering, product, finance, legal, and operations to validate key assumptions and value drivers
  • Oversee post-merger integration to ensure deals deliver long-term strategic and financial value
  • Continually refine the company's framework and playbook for acquiring new capabilities and partnerships
• Market Intelligence
  • Build deep expertise in emerging AI infrastructure technologies, companies, and business models
  • Monitor industry trends and competitive dynamics to inform corporate development strategy and executive decision-making

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
• 12+ years of overall professional experience across corporate development, investment banking, private equity, venture capital, or related roles, with 5–8 years in a leadership or management capacity
• Semiconductor corporate development experience, or investment banking experience covering the semiconductor sector
• Demonstrated track record leading strategic transactions and engaging directly with executive leadership
• Strong analytical skills with expertise in valuation, financial modeling, and strategic analysis
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex concepts clearly to diverse audiences

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or advanced degree
• Direct M&A experience in the semiconductor or data center infrastructure space
• Experience with post-merger integration planning and execution
• Familiarity with AI/ML infrastructure trends and the evolving data center connectivity landscape
• Willingness to travel as needed for deals, industry events, and conferences

Base salary range is $220,000 to $280,000 depending on experience, level, and business need. This role may be eligible for discretionary bonus, incentives and benefits.