Engagement Manager

Handshake; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 202,500 - 247,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in Handshake

401(k) match

Parental leave

Medical, dental, vision

Learning stipend

Job summary

Handshake is seeking an Engagement Manager for Handshake AI to lead day-to-day relationships with frontier AI lab accounts and collaborate with Strategy, Operations, and Sales to deliver multi-stakeholder projects. You will translate client needs into actionable requirements and help steer delivery with executive-level stakeholders.

You will develop early risk flags, support expansion discussions, and cultivate the skills to own strategic accounts over time in a fast-paced, high-impact

Qualifications

• 5+ years in customer-facing, high-ownership roles in AI or data-related products.
• Experience at a top-tier consulting firm or fast-paced client environment.
• Currently in an external, customer-facing role, or recently.
• Genuine curiosity about AI and ability to learn technical concepts.
• Track record managing multiple workstreams with reliability and attention to detail.
• Comfort communicating with mid- to senior-level stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day relationships for a portfolio of frontier AI lab accounts.
• Translate client requests into clear requirements with cross-functional partners.
• Flag risks early and escalate strategic decisions when needed.
• Support Sales and leadership on expansion conversations.
• Track and report account health metrics to keep the team aligned.

Skills

Customer-facing

Account management

AI knowledge

Stakeholder communication

Job description

About Handshake

Handshake is the career network for the AI economy — powering career discovery, hiring, and upskilling for 25 million job seekers, 1,600 educational institutions, and 1 million+ employers, from first internships to full-time careers to the frontier of AI training. In 2025, we launched Handshake AI on that same network and trust, and grew it into the fastest-growing AI data business in history — from $0 to a ~$1B run rate, now paying ~$60M a month to over 30,000 experts. Frontier AI labs work directly with us on their hardest, highest-scale data problems, because our decade of relationships with the world's most qualified students and experts is a moat no one else has.

About Handshake

Handshake is the career network for the AI economy — powering career discovery, hiring, and upskilling for 25 million job seekers, 1,600 educational institutions, and 1 million+ employers, from first internships to full-time careers to the frontier of AI training. In 2025, we launched Handshake AI on that same network and trust, and grew it into the fastest-growing AI data business in history — from $0 to a ~$1B run rate, now paying ~$60M a month to over 30,000 experts. Frontier AI labs work directly with us on their hardest, highest-scale data problems, because our decade of relationships with the world's most qualified students and experts is a moat no one else has.

Why Join Now

• Shape how career and AI intersect at global scale, with impact you can see and feel
• Partner hand-in-hand with world-class AI labs, Fortune 500 companies, and top institutions
• Work alongside operators from Palantir, Meta, Scale AI, and top YC companies
• Build a massive, fast-growing business inside a company already serving millions

The Role

As an Engagement Manager on Handshake AI's Engagement Management team, you own the day-to-day relationship for a large frontier AI lab, working under the close guidance of the VP, Engagement Management and partnering with Strategic Project Leads as you build toward full account ownership. You're a reliable, responsive point of contact for your accounts, translating client needs into clear requirements and flagging risks early — developing the judgment and executive presence to grow into ownership of strategic accounts over time.

• Own the day-to-day relationship for a portfolio of frontier AI lab accounts, serving as a dependable, responsive point of contact for client needs.
• Translate client requests and feedback into clear requirements, partnering with Strategic Project Leads & Operations to keep delivery on track.
• Flag risks and tradeoffs early, escalating to the VP of Engagement Management when a client ask calls for a strategic decision.
• Support Sales and the VP, Engagement Management on expansion conversations, helping surface signals of growth or risk within your accounts.
• Track and report on account health metrics (SLAs, delivery milestones, satisfaction) to keep your team aligned on status.

You Have

• 5+ years in customer-facing, high-ownership roles — engagement management, customer success, consulting, or strategy & ops — ideally with some exposure to AI, data, or complex operational products
• Meaningful time at a top-tier consulting firm or another elite, fast-paced customer-facing environment, including experience gained post-MBA or equivalent graduate program (pre-manager/pre-partner level is fine)
• Currently in an external, customer-facing role, or have held one within the last two years
• Genuine, demonstrated curiosity about AI — excited to learn from frontier researchers and build deep technical fluency in the space, not just drawn to the opportunity
• A track record of managing multiple workstreams or accounts with reliability and strong attention to detail
• Comfort communicating with mid- to senior-level client stakeholders and internal cross-functional partners
• Strong organizational skills and follow-through — you keep things moving without needing to be chased
• Eagerness to learn client management and executive communication from more senior team members
• Genuine energy for high-intensity, fast-changing environments — this isn't a fixed-hours, narrow-scope role

Bonus Points

• Technical or STEM background (engineering, computer science, or related) alongside your consulting or strategy experience
• Prior experience in AI, data, or frontier model development
• Exposure to enterprise account management or complex, multi-stakeholder delivery
• Interest in growing into a Senior Engagement Manager role over time

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.

Compensation Range: $225K