$120K - 160K a year
Lead operational excellence and customer experience improvements by diagnosing systemic issues, managing frontline teams, and collaborating cross-functionally to implement solutions.
2-4 years in business operations or customer experience leadership, strong analytical skills with SQL and Looker, proven process building and change management experience, and ability to influence cross-functional teams.
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 We’re looking for a Lead who thrives at the intersection of business operations and customer experience leadership. In this role, you’ll drive operational excellence across our Customer Experience & Strategy function while leading and developing a high-performing frontline team. You’ll spend ~70% of your time diagnosing and fixing systemic operational pain points — using data, process design, and cross-functional influence — and ~30% managing and coaching our frontline managers and agents. You’ll have the mandate not just to surface issues, but to own solutions end-to-end. • Lead operational improvement projects to streamline workflows, reduce escalations, and enhance the customer experience. • Use data (SQL, Looker, spreadsheets) to uncover trends, identify root causes, and measure improvements. • Partner with Product, Engineering, and other cross-functional teams to design and implement systemic fixes. • Drive change management for new tools, processes, and policies, securing buy-in across stakeholders. • Define, track, and report on KPIs for both operational performance and team engagement. • Build a culture of empathy for frontline employees and customers (Handshake Fellows), translating their pain points into scalable solutions. Desired Capabilities • 2-4 years in BizOps, Strategy & Operations, or Customer Experience/Support Ops leadership in high-growth tech, consulting, or marketplace environments. • Proven experience building processes from scratch, and leading change management initiatives. • Strong analytical skills with fluency in SQL, Looker, and spreadsheets; able to quantify impact and measure results. • Track record of identifying operational inefficiencies and implementing solutions end-to-end. • Ability to influence without authority and collaborate effectively across Product, Engineering, and senior leadership. • Comfort toggling between high-level strategy and hands-on execution. • Bias toward action and a builder mentality — you don’t just document problems, you fix them. 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, $500 wellness stipend 📚 Growth: $2,000 learning stipend, ongoing development 💻 Remote & Office: Stipends for home office setup, internet, commuting, and free lunch/gym in our SF office 🏝 Time Off: Flexible PTO, 15 holidays + 2 flex days, winter #ShakeBreak where our whole office closes for a week! 🤝 Connection: Team outings & referral bonuses Explore our mission, values, and comprehensive US benefits at joinhandshake.com/careers.
This job posting was last updated on 9/4/2025