5+ years in operationally intensive roles such as marketplace operations, data operations, strategy and operations. - 2+ years managing high performing teams in fast paced, execution focused environments. - Prior experience in investment banking, private equity or management consulting strongly preferred. - Experience leading complex, multi stakeholder projects from definition through delivery, ideally with AI, data, or technical workflows. - Background in AI data operations, ML ops, or technical services is a strong plus. This role works well for people who:
Want to own a critical piece of the Handshake AI delivery engine and be directly accountable for team performance and outcomes
Enjoy leading and coaching high performing operators, setting a clear bar, and giving direct feedback
Can move between high level systems thinking (process design, staffing, metrics) and detailed execution reviews with SPLs
Are comfortable in high intensity environments where priorities shift quickly and customer or lab needs can change week to week
It is not a good fit if you want narrow individual contributor scope, highly predictable days, or heavy top down structure. There will be sustained periods of high intensity, including early, late, and weekend work when programs or launches are at critical inflection points. You will often be the person responsible for getting projects back on track.
People in this role often come from:
Operations or strategy and operations leadership roles at early stage or high growth startups
Marketplace, data, or technical services companies where they managed teams and owned delivery metrics
Management consulting or investment banking backgrounds that moved into hands on operational leadership
Team lead or manager roles in AI data operations or other scaled, process heavy environments
Prior experience in AI is helpful but not required; strong operational leadership and systems thinking matter more. # Benefits & 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.
