---
title: 'Strategic Account Executive at Handshake'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/strategic-account-executive-handshake-united-states-1nyc1b80454d'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-28'
---

# Strategic Account Executive at Handshake

- **Company:** [Handshake](https://feeny.ai/companies/handshake)
- **Location:** United States
- **Compensation:** $275k–$300k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** remote
- **Posted:** 2026-10-22
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-28
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/handshake/472c5e06-3fb6-4d71-b346-19a284ad67d0/application

**Skills:** SaaS, Enterprise sales, Strategic account planning, Outbound sales, Deal management, Forecasting, HR tech, Recruiting software, Workforce solutions

> Join Handshake's Strategic New Business team to acquire net new Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 employers. This pure hunter role involves owning the full sales cycle, from account planning to closing complex six-figure partnerships with senior HR and business leaders.

## Job description

## About Handshake

Handshake was founded on a simple belief that everyone deserves a path to a great career, regardless of where they went to school or who they know. Today, we power 25 million job seekers, 1 million+ employers, and 1,600 educational institutions. In 2025, we started Handshake AI and built the fastest-growing AI data business in history. We work directly with frontier AI lab researchers to create evaluations, publish benchmarks, and push the boundary of data. We’ve grown from $0 to ~$1B run rate and pay ~$60M to over 30K individuals every month. Why join Handshake now:

- Shape how every career evolves in the AI economy, at global scale, with impact your friends, family and peers can see and feel
- Partner hand-in-hand with world-class AI labs, Fortune 500 partners and the world’s top educational institutions
- Work together with engineers, scientists, operators, and more from Palantir, Meta, Scale AI, and former YC founders
- Build a massive, fast-growing business with billions in revenue

## The Role

We’re hiring a Strategic Account Executive to join our Strategic New Business team, focused on landing net new Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 employers that do not yet partner with Handshake. This is a pure hunter role, built for a seller who thrives in high-visibility deal cycles, creates pipeline through proactive outreach, and can close complex six-figure partnerships with senior HR and business leaders. You will inherit a defined book named accounts and own the full sales cycle end to end, from account planning and first meetings through executive alignment, negotiation, and close. You will operate with high autonomy and minimal support, and you will be expected to travel, host customers, and win in the room.

You Have Must-Haves:

- 4+ years of SaaS closing experience, including 2+ years selling into enterprise or strategic customers
- Proven track record of net new logo acquisition and consistent quota attainment (President’s Club strongly preferred)
- Experience closing complex six-figure deals with multiple stakeholders and longer sales cycles
- Strong outbound and account planning skills, with comfort owning a defined book and building pipeline proactively
- Ability to lead executive-level conversations, position value, and run a disciplined sales process end to end
- High ownership and scrappiness, with comfort creating your own materials and running your own demos without heavy support
- Strong forecasting hygiene and deal management discipline across monthly and quarterly rhythms
- Willingness to travel regularly and engage in in-person selling, customer events, and relationship-building

Bonus Points:

- Experience selling HR tech, recruiting software, or workforce solutions into Fortune 500 employers
- Background as an enterprise AE with 2 to 5 years tenure looking to step up into strategic new business
- Existing relationships with senior HR, TA, or early talent leaders at large employers

## We Offer

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, $500 wellness stipend 📚 Growth: $2,000 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

- [Strategic Insights Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/strategic-insights-lead-handshake-san-francisco-b22enpvc91qw) — San Francisco, CA
- [Senior Enterprise Customer Success Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-enterprise-customer-success-manager-handshake-new-york-q5m58yt5zhgh) — New York, NY
- [Senior Recruiter, India](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-recruiter-india-handshake-india-90f737k03hp3) — India
- [Senior Sales Compensation Analyst](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-sales-compensation-analyst-handshake-san-francisco-hq1nq8rdmvjj) — San Francisco, CA
- [Workplace Experience Coordinator, India (Contract)](https://feeny.ai/job/workplace-experience-coordinator-india-contract-handshake-india-ns5vj37d2txc) — India
- [Manager, Strategic Projects (Safety)](https://feeny.ai/job/manager-strategic-projects-safety-handshake-seattle-bbhcp3bp3txa) — Seattle, WA
- [Director of Communications, Careers](https://feeny.ai/job/director-of-communications-careers-handshake-san-francisco-66qa3155e7wg) — San Francisco, CA
- [Senior Software Engineer, Growth](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-software-engineer-growth-handshake-san-francisco-e9xnk0k0mt19) — San Francisco, CA
- [Senior Software Engineer, Coding](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-software-engineer-coding-handshake-india-ywjxwgbv16yw) — India
- [Data Partnerships Representative](https://feeny.ai/job/data-partnerships-representative-handshake-nashville-tacv4vd39520) — Nashville, TN