Strategic Projects Lead, Handshake

• 2+ years of experience in a generalist or operational role, such as strategy & operations, product, management consulting, finance, or startups
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience tackling operational and scaling challenges
• Ability to manage multiple high-priority projects simultaneously, balancing execution speed with quality
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, with experience interfacing with technical teams and customers
• Entrepreneurial mindset - comfortable with ambiguity, self-directed, and excited to build and iterate quickly
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong sense of ownership and pride in their work
• Ability to learn complex concepts rather quickly, bonus points for learning technical concepts
• High degree of agency - ideal candidate can thrive in ambiguity
• Passionate about / interested in AI (super user of LLMs, up-to-date on latest AI trends)
• Critical thinker / first principles approach to solving problems
• Data driven decision maker
• Thoughtful about making decisions - doesn’t jump to conclusions without considering all potential variables/curve balls

Desirable

• Handshake is expanding into AI research and development, building a world-class network of expert Fellows - PhDs, researchers, and subject matter specialists - who contribute to cutting-edge AI through specialized research, model evaluation, and domain-specific applications
• We’re looking for a Strategic Projects Lead to drive high-impact initiatives, working across product, operations, and customer engagement to scale and optimize our expert workforce
• This is a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in a fast-growing space, working directly with leading AI labs and tech companies to deliver high-quality data solutions
• You will work cross-functionally to execute large-scale projects, improve internal processes, and drive revenue growth by ensuring a seamless experience for both customers and Fellows
• Develop and implement operational strategies to recruit, manage, and deploy high-skill talent (PhDs, domain experts) across AI data projects
• Own and drive large-scale projects for AI labs and tech companies, ensuring exceptional execution and customer satisfaction
• Partner with product and engineering teams to optimize and enhance our workforce platform for scalability and efficiency
• Manage customer relationships, understanding their evolving needs and expanding project scope where possible
• Provide regular progress updates and strategic insights to Handshake’s leadership team to refine our long-term data strategy
• Identify opportunities for process automation and workflow improvements to increase efficiency in expert recruitment and deployment
• Lead cross-functional projects, collaborating with Engineering, Operations, and Go-to-Market teams to execute high-priority initiatives

• 💰Equity and ownership in a fast-growing company
• 🍼16 Weeks of paid parental leave for birth giving parents & 10 weeks of paid parental leave for non-birth giving parents
• 💝Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision policies including LGTBQ+ Coverage. We also provide resources for Mental Health Assistance, Employee Assistance Programs and counseling support
• 💻Handshake offers $500/£360 home office stipend for you to spend during your first 3 months to create a productive and comfortable workspace at home
• 📚Generous learning & development opportunities and an annual $2,000/£1,500 stipend for you to grow your skills and career
• 🏦401k Match: Handshake offers a dollar-for-dollar match on 1% of deferred salary, up to a maximum of $1,200 per year
• 🏝 All full-time US-based Handshakers are eligible for our flexible time off policy to get out and see the world. In addition, we offer 8 standardized holidays, and 2 additional days of flexible holiday time off. Lastly, we have a Summer and Winter #ShakeBreak, two one-week periods of Collective Time Off

Total funding: $434m

The three founders of Handshake established their company in an attempt to eliminate inequality and make the student hiring landscape fairer. The Handshake platform acts as a LinkedIn for college students, pairing students from every walk of life with more than 650K employers, including the entire Fortune 500, which includes Google and Nike.