Senior Engagement Manager

Handshake; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 250,000 - 360,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in a fast-growing company

Competitive compensation

Paid parental leave and benefits

Job summary

Handshake seeks a Senior Engagement Manager to own end-to-end relationships for our largest frontier AI lab customers, managing multi‑year engagements at $100M+ run rate. You will translate evolving client goals into crisp requirements, partnering with Strategic Project Leads and Operations to drive delivery and expansion while safeguarding the relationship and outcomes.

You will operate at the intersection of customer, product, and engineering, making high‑judgment decisions with incomplete

Qualifications

• 8+ years in customer-facing or high-stakes leadership roles.
• Meaningful time at a top-tier consulting firm or equivalent mix of consulting and high-intensity startup experience.
• Currently in an external, customer-facing role or held one within the last two years.

Responsibilities

• Own full end-to-end relationships across a portfolio of $100M+ frontier AI lab accounts.
• Translate client goals into sharp requirements and priorities with delivery partners.
• Make fast, high-conviction tradeoffs on speed, quality, and cost.
• Partner with Sales to identify and close expansion opportunities.
• Define and report on KPIs, SLAs, and model quality to align leadership and clients.

Skills

Engagement management

Executive stakeholder management

High-stakes leadership

AI/data fluency

Strategic problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

The Role

As a Senior Engagement Manager on Handshake AI's Engagement Management team, you own full, end‑to‑end relationships for our largest frontier AI lab customers — accounts at $100M+ run rate — from first scope through expansion and renewal. You serve as the first point of contact for high‑stakes moments, translating ambiguous, high‑stakes problems into clear direction while Strategic Project Leads and Operations execute delivery. You sit at the intersection of customer, product, and engineering, making fast, high‑judgment tradeoffs under pressure and protecting both the relationship and the quality bar.

Responsibilities

• Own full end‑to‑end relationships across a portfolio of $100M+ frontier AI lab accounts, serving as the first call in high‑stakes moments and the single throughline for value.
• Translate messy, evolving client goals into sharp requirements and priorities, partnering closely with Strategic Project Leads & Operations to turn strategy into delivery.
• Make fast, high‑conviction tradeoffs on speed, quality, and cost — knowing when to commit, push back, or escalate to protect the relationship and the outcome.
• Partner with Sales to identify and help close expansion opportunities, growing account value and deepening Handshake AI's role in customers' model development.
• Define and report on success metrics (KPIs, SLAs, model quality) that keep leadership and clients aligned on what's working and what needs to change.

You Have

• 8+ years in high‑ownership, customer‑facing or high‑stakes leadership roles — engagement management, management consulting, strategy & ops, elite military leadership, or founder/operating roles — ideally with exposure to AI, data, or complex operational products.
• Meaningful time at a top‑tier consulting firm (McKinsey, BCG, Bain, or equivalent), or an equivalent mix of consulting, elite institutional leadership, and high‑intensity startup or operating experience.
• 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 leading complex, multi‑stakeholder engagements to measurable outcomes for demanding enterprise customers.
• Experience working directly with VP‑ and C‑level stakeholders, and navigating complex, political organizations while still getting to an answer fast.
• Comfort making high‑judgment decisions with incomplete information, and shifting fluidly between executive relationship management and detailed data review.
• Strong instincts for when to push back on a client ask versus when to flex, with the communication skill to do either without damaging trust.
• Genuine energy for high‑intensity, fast‑changing environments, including periods that call for significant time investment — this isn't a fixed‑hours, narrow‑scope role.

Bonus Points

• Technical or STEM background (engineering, computer science, or related) alongside customer‑facing experience.
• Prior experience in AI, data, or frontier model development.
• Investment banking, private equity, or GM/BizOps background with strong analytical range.
• Experience negotiating with sophisticated, technical buyers across multiple vendors.

We Offer

Handshake delivers benefits that help you feel supported — and thrive at work and in life. The following 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.