--- title: 'Manager, Strategic Programs at Handshake' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/manager-strategic-programs-handshake-san-francisco-2g17cwj042bn' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-09' --- # Manager, Strategic Programs at Handshake - **Company:** [Handshake](https://feeny.ai/companies/handshake) - **Location:** San Francisco, CA - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** onsite - **Posted:** 2026-07-10 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-09 - **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/handshake/5c921f24-fb19-4343-997d-318b3d7c0942 ## Job description ## ABOUT HANDSHAKE AI Handshake is building the career network for the AI economy. Our three-sided marketplace connects 18 million students and alumni, 1,500+ academic institutions across the U.S. and Europe, and 1 million employers to power how the next generation explores careers, builds skills, and gets hired. Handshake AI is a human data labeling business that leverages the scale of the largest early career network. We work directly with the world’s leading AI research labs to build a new generation of human data products. From PhDs in physics to undergrads fluent in LLMs, Handshake AI is the trusted partner for domain-specific data and evaluation at scale. This is a unique opportunity to join a fast-growing team shaping the future of AI through better data, better tools, and better systems—for experts, by experts. Now’s a great time to join Handshake. Here’s why: - Leading the AI Career Revolution: Be part of the team redefining work in the AI economy for millions worldwide. - Proven Market Demand: Deep employer partnerships across Fortune 500s and the world’s leading AI research labs. - World-Class Team: Leadership from Scale AI, Meta, xAI, Notion, Coinbase, and Palantir, just to name a few. - Capitalized & Scaling: $3.5B valuation from top investors including Kleiner Perkins, True Ventures, Notable Capital, and more. ## ABOUT THE ROLE The Operator Enablement team ensures our Strategic Project Leads (SPLs) can run their projects successfully, meet customer demand, and deliver high quality data. As a Manager of Strategic Programs on this team, you will build and own the systems, tooling, and processes that SPLs depend on, from their first week at Handshake through running projects at scale. Your primary focus will be scaling our central quality control program — the processes and systems that give us a reliable, calibrated quality read on every dataset before it reaches a customer. You will start as an individual contributor with clear room to grow your scope and build a team underneath you as the work expands. Core to the role: - Grow from 10s to 100s of quality auditors and from 100s to 1000s of auditing hours per week, without sacrificing calibration or reliability - Augment auditing workflows with state-of-the-art LLM tools and prompt engineering best practices, increasing the efficiency of these workflows by 10x - Embed quality processes into the broader Delivery organization, working cross-functionally with project leads to ensure consistent adherence Beyond quality, you could also work on: - Build the onboarding experience that ramps dozens of new SPLs to full productivity every month - Develop agentic operator tooling that makes SPLs roughly 10x more efficient at running their projects - Launch an Emerging Talent program that identifies, trains, and recruits top students to join our Strategic Projects team as new grad SPLs straight out of college ## DESIRED CAPABILITIES - 4+ years of experience in roles such as forward-deployed or solutions engineering, strategy and operations, or technical program management - A technical degree in a STEM field such as engineering, computer science, the physical sciences, statistics or analytics, or economics - Highly technical, with the ability to deploy cutting edge AI tools across complex operational workflows - Process oriented, with a track record of building and scaling efficient operational processes - Entrepreneurial, comfortable taking ambiguous problems and driving them to a clear result - A strong communicator who can bring in stakeholders, align them, and inspire people to deliver results - Willing and able to build and lead a team as the scope of the role grows ## EXTRA CREDIT - Founded or helped start a company - Worked in engineering, product, or operations at an early-stage, fast-growing startup - A track record of solving messy operational or highly cross-functional problems - Experience with quality management or operational excellence practices from other industries (e.g., manufacturing, logistics, healthcare) - Exposure to structured process-improvement thinking (like Lean, Six Sigma, or similar frameworks) ## PERKS Handshake delivers benefits that help you feel supported—and thrive at work and in life. The below benefits are for full-time US employees. 🎯 Ownership: Equity in a fast-growing company 💰 Financial Wellness: 401(k) match, competitive compensation, financial coaching 🍼 Family Support: Paid parental leave, fertility benefits, parental coaching 💝 Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision, mental health support, wellness stipend 📚 Growth: Learning stipend, ongoing development 💻 Remote & Office: Internet, commuting, and free lunch/gym in our SF office 🏝 Time Off: Flexible PTO, 15 holidays + 2 flex days 🤝 Connection: Team outings & referral bonuses Explore our mission, values, and comprehensive US benefits at joinhandshake.com/careers http://joinhandshake.com/careers. ## About Handshake ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Handshake is the career network for the AI economy, connecting job seekers with internships, full-time roles, freelance gigs, and AI training work through a three-sided marketplace. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series F; total funding $434M across 6 rounds) - **Headquarters**: San Francisco, California, USA - **Founded**: 2014 - **Founders**: Garrett Lord (CEO), Ben Christensen, Scott Ringwelski ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Career platform / Job marketplace / AI workforce infrastructure - **Target customers**: B2C (job seekers, from students to experienced professionals) and B2B (employers including 100% of Fortune 500 and all foundational AI labs; also educational institutions) - **Mission**: Expand access and improve outcomes for job seekers, helping the workforce stay ahead in the AI economy. ## Products & Services - **Handshake Core Platform**: A three-sided marketplace connecting 25 million knowledge workers, 1,600+ schools, and 1 million employers. Features dynamic profiles, intelligent job matching, and interactive skill-building. - **Handshake AI Enterprise**: AI-powered tools for employers and job seekers, including AI-driven matching, safety features, and pay management. - **AI Trainer Gigs**: Paid, flexible, remote work for individuals to train and evaluate AI models (e.g., AI Evaluation Specialist, up to $40/hr) – no prior AI experience required. - **Handshake Network**: Community events, career advice, and networking for students, experts, and professionals in AI and other fields. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed - **Key Metric**: Total funding $434M (6 rounds); annual revenue $56.5M (LinkedIn estimate) - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Board includes representatives from General Catalyst, Kleiner Perkins, EQT Ventures, True Ventures, and Niantic. Strategic partners include 100% of the Fortune 500 and foundational AI labs. - **Growth Signals**: Headcount at 5,272 employees (+708.8% YoY per LinkedIn); 1M+ companies on platform; 25M users; expansion into AI trainer gig economy; new roles in HAI (Handshake AI Enterprise) such as Applied AI Engineer, AI Platform Engineer, and Forward Deployed Engineer. ## Competitive Advantages - **Network effects**: The only three-sided marketplace linking students, employers, and educational institutions at scale. - **AI-first positioning**: Deep integration of AI into job matching, skill-building, and new freelance training roles – creating a unique ecosystem for the AI economy. - **Trusted by elite institutions**: 1,600+ partner schools and every Fortune 500 company provides unparalleled reach into early-career talent. ## Strategic Focus - **AI economy expansion**: Building the “career network for the AI economy” – expanding beyond college students to all knowledge workers, and adding AI training gigs as a new revenue and engagement stream. - **Product innovation**: Heavy investment in Handshake AI Enterprise (HAI), including AI matching, safety, and pay infrastructure. - **Global scaling**: Offices in San Francisco, New York, UK, and Bangalore; operating in 32 countries. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: Values include “Students first,” “Leave nothing to chance,” “Own the outcome,” “Invent and reinvent,” and “Olympic pace.” Emphasis on ownership, urgency, and constant evolution. - **Remote/Hybrid policy**: Many roles are based in San Francisco or New York, but some positions (e.g., Trust & Safety Specialist, Support Specialist) are remote in the US. Recent openings show both office and remote options. - **Benefits**: Health & wellness support, financial support, time off, modern offices with meals, snacks, and social activities. Strong focus on career growth and learning. - **Career growth**: Rapid headcount growth suggests ample internal mobility; roles range from engineering (ML, AI, data) to customer success, partnerships, and product management. ## Sources 1. [joinhandshake.com/about](https://joinhandshake.com/about/) 2. [joinhandshake.com/careers](https://joinhandshake.com/careers/) 3. [linkedin.com/company/team-handshake](https://www.linkedin.com/company/team-handshake) 4. [joinhandshake.com](https://joinhandshake.com/) ## Other roles at Handshake - [Senior Software Engineer, Consumer Experience](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-software-engineer-consumer-experience-handshake-san-francisco-py2m3bwqpbg8) — San Francisco, CA - [Growth Operations Lead (India)](https://feeny.ai/job/growth-operations-lead-india-handshake-india-vpt6xf0029rw) — India - [Data Analyst, Finance and Payments](https://feeny.ai/job/data-analyst-finance-and-payments-handshake-india-x9p5f568dwtq) — India - [AI Red Teamer, Cybersecurity (Remote)](https://feeny.ai/job/ai-red-teamer-cybersecurity-remote-handshake-united-states-5wsaqqbbgaj9) — United States - [AI Red Teamer, CBRNE (Remote)](https://feeny.ai/job/ai-red-teamer-cbrne-remote-handshake-united-states-t5d4zk5yrj82) — United States - [Senior Manager, Mid Market Sales](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-manager-mid-market-sales-handshake-san-francisco-9rgk1f2scgpa) — San Francisco, CA - [Staff Product Designer](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-product-designer-handshake-san-francisco-wvywgvhxr8kq) — San Francisco, CA - [Senior Product Designer II](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-product-designer-ii-handshake-san-francisco-g0vv03746897) — San Francisco, CA - [Manager, Scaled Customer Success](https://feeny.ai/job/manager-scaled-customer-success-handshake-new-york-1kye6147fedt) — New York, NY - [Forward Deployed Engineer, Handshake AI Enterprise](https://feeny.ai/job/forward-deployed-engineer-handshake-ai-enterprise-handshake-san-francisco-c769agpvmmp7) — San Francisco, CA