Senior Manager​/Director, Corporate Strategy & Development – Physical AI​/Robotics

Senior Manager/Director, Corporate Strategy & Development – Physical AI/Robotics page is loaded## Senior Manager/Director, Corporate Strategy & Development – Physical AI/Robotics locations:
SAN JOSEtime type:
Full time posted on:
Posted Todayjob requisition :
R52500##
** At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology.
**** Senior Manager/Director, Corporate Strategy & Development – Physical AI/Robotics
***
* Location:

San Jose, CA
**** Role Summary
** We’re seeking a corporate strategy leader who blends strategic acuity with hands‑on technical depth to accelerate our momentum in Physical AI and robotics. You will shape corporate growth strategies and spearhead inorganic initiatives—including M&A, direct investments, and LP commitments—while orchestrating cross‑functional execution with Product, R&D, Finance, Legal, and GTM. This is a high‑visibility role for a builder–strategist who loves diving into markets, technology stacks, and deal processes—then crafting executive‑ready narratives that inspire action.
** Description*
* • Create and refine corporate growth strategies with a dedicated focus on Physical AI/robotics—market maps, product–market fit analyses, and executive storylines that turn insights into decisions.
• Develop investment thesis on the Physical AI stack (robots, middleware, simulation, training, deployment) and quantify where and how Cadence can create differentiated value.
• Build a high‑quality pipeline of direct investment targets and LP opportunities; run thesis‑driven sourcing and diligence, and prepare investment memos for leadership.
• Partner with product and engineering to assess buy/build/partner options—including co‑development, strategic partnerships, minority investments, and acquisitions.
• Lead end‑to‑end corporate development execution: source, evaluate, negotiate, and close transactions; partner with integration team to drive plans that realize strategic and financial value.
• Establish mechanisms for fast‑turn competitive intelligence, annual market sizing/forecasting, and executive dashboards that inform capital allocation and portfolio bets.
** Expected Impact in 6–12 Months*
* • Stand up an operating cadence for executive reporting on the Physical AI landscape.  
• Deliver investment thesis on Physical AI/robotics for executive review.
• Close 3-4 partnerships/investments/acquisitions.
** Minimum Qualifications*
* • BS in Engineering (minimum) and 6+ years of relevant experience spanning corporate strategy, corporate development, venture investing, or product/engineering roles in robotics.
• Familiarity with the entire physical AI/robotics policy training and validation pipeline, including hands-on experience with modern simulation environments (e.g. Isaac Sim, Gazebo, Drake), deep understanding of physics-based simulation tools and engines (e.g. PhysX, Mu Jo Co ), and proficiency in development frameworks and middleware (e.g. ROS/ROS2).
• Proven end‑to‑end M&A execution experience: sourcing, diligence, valuation/modeling, negotiation, close, and integration planning.
• Investment acumen: skilled at building theses, conducting technical/market/product diligence, drafting memos, and recommending direct investments and LP commitments.
• Executive communication: ability to distill complex technical and market insights into crisp narratives, visuals, and decision‑ready materials.
** Preferred Qualifications*
* • Advanced degree (MS, MBA) or equivalent; publications or demonstrated thought leadership in robotics/AI.
• Familiarity with reinforcement learning, imitation learning, and sim‑to‑real transfer; practical exposure to datasets, synthetic data generation, and evaluation protocols.
• Track record of cross‑functional leadership with Product, R&D, Finance, Legal, and GTM; comfort operating in ambiguous, fast‑moving environments.
** Ways of Working*
* • Builder–operator mindset: strategic rigor matched with willingness to get into the technical and financial details.
• Data‑to‑narrative craftsmanship: turn analysis into compelling executive materials and operating mechanisms.
• Bias for partnership: co‑create outcomes with…