Everyone is welcome at Handshake. We know diverse teams build better products and we are committed to creating an inclusive culture built on a foundation of respect for all individuals. We strongly encourage candidates from non-traditional backgrounds, historically marginalized or underrepresented groups to apply.

Your Impact:

We are looking for a leader to develop and drive our talent management, culture, and employee experience strategies. This role will be responsible for designing and implementing programs that embed cultural principles into our ways of working, align performance management with our overall goals, enhance employee engagement and retention, and maximize the value of a hybrid working model. You will be a significant member of the People Leadership team, reporting directly to the VP of People to set strategy and goals to support our Handshakers and the business.

Your Role:

Develop a company-wide talent management, culture and employee experience strategy in partnership with executive leadership.
Build and refine performance management frameworks that drive accountability and link performance to compensation and career development.
Drive consistency in talent evaluation across the entire employee lifecycle (i.e. hiring, performance, progression, etc.).
Drive the evolution of our company principles, making them digestible and a true differentiator of our culture, while embedding them into the fabric of how we operate.
Lead employee engagement and retention strategies by leveraging data-driven insights to shape programs that enhance culture and employee experience.
Own the design and execution of strategies to maximize the value of a hybrid working model, balancing business needs with employee engagement and productivity.
Partner with HR Business Partners (HRBPs) to align talent initiatives with business priorities.
Partner with People Analytics to establish metrics to assess the effectiveness of talent programs and drive continuous improvement.
Provide thought leadership and best practices on talent management, manager enablement, and workforce planning.

Your Experience:

12+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 5+ years in a strategic leadership capacity.
Proven ability to set strategy, build tactical execution plans, and deliver measurable results.
Systems thinker who can take a structured approach to planning and recognize patterns across HR disciplines and business needs.
You thrive on innovation and tailoring solutions to the unique needs of a company.
Experience and passion for building and managing small, high-performing teams.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
Expertise in change management, with the ability to drive transformation with transparency.
Entrepreneurial mindset with a bias for action and adaptability to navigate ambiguity.

*Must be willing to work a hybrid schedule from our SF office - Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday*

Compensation Range

$228,000-$285,000 + RSUs

For cash compensation, we set standard ranges for all U.S.-based roles based on function, level, and geographic location, benchmarked against similar stage growth companies. In order to be compliant with local legislation, as well as to provide greater transparency to candidates, we share salary ranges on all job postings regardless of desired hiring location. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors, including geographic location as well as candidate experience and expertise, and may vary from the amounts listed above.

About us

Handshake is the career platform for Gen Z. With a community of over 17 million students, alumni, employers, and career educators, Handshake’s network is where career advice and discovery turn into first, second, and third jobs. Nearly 1 million companies use Handshake to build their future workforce—from Fortune 500 to federal agencies, school districts to startups, healthcare systems to small businesses. Handshake is built for where you’re going, not where you’ve been.

When it comes to our workforce strategy, we’ve thought deeply about how work-life should look at Handshake. With our hybrid-work model, employees benefit from collaboration and shared team experiences three days per week in our vibrant offices, and enjoy the flexibility of remote work two days per week. Handshake is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in New York, London, and Berlin.

What we offer

At Handshake, we'll give you the tools to feel healthy, happy and secure.

Benefits below apply to employees in full-time positions.

💰 Equity and ownership in a fast-growing company.
🍼 16 Weeks of paid parental leave for birth giving parents & 10 weeks of paid parental leave for non-birth giving parents.
💝 Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision policies including LGTBQ+ Coverage. We also provide resources for Mental Health Assistance, Employee Assistance Programs and counseling support.
💻 Handshake offers $500/£360 home office stipend for you to spend during your first 3 months to create a productive and comfortable workspace at home.
📚 Generous learning & development opportunities and an annual $2,000/£1,500/€1,850 stipend for you to grow your skills and career.
💰 Financial coaching through Origin to help you through your financial journey.
🛜 Monthly internet stipend and a brand new MacBook to allow you to do your best work.
🚃 Monthly commuter stipend for you to expense your travel to the office (for office-based employees).
🥗 Free lunch provided twice a week across all offices.
🤝 Referral bonus to reward you when you bring great talent to Handshake.

(US-specific benefits, in addition to the first section)

🏦 401k Match: Handshake offers a dollar-for-dollar match on 1% of deferred salary, up to a maximum of $1,200 per year.
🏝 All full-time US-based Handshakers are eligible for our flexible time off policy to get out and see the world. In addition, we offer 8 standardized holidays, and 2 additional days of flexible holiday time off. Lastly, we have a Winter #ShakeBreak, a one-week period of Collective Time Off.
🍼 Family support: We partner with Milk Stork to provide comprehensive 100% employer-sponsored lactation support to traveling parents and guardians. Parental leave coaching and support provided by Parentaly.

(UK-specific benefits, in addition to the first section)

🏦 Pension Scheme: Handshake will provide you with a workplace pension, where you will make contributions based on 5% of your salary. Handshake will pay the equivalent of 3% towards your pension plan, subject to qualifying earnings limits.
🏝 Up to 25 days of vacation to encourage people to reset, recharge, and refresh, in addition to 8 bank holidays throughout the year.
🤝 Regular offsites each year to bring the team together + opportunity to travel to our HQ in San Francisco.
🛍️ Discounts across various high street retailers, cinemas and other social activities exclusively for Handshake UK employees.

(Germany-specific benefits, in addition to the first section)

🏝 25 days of annual leave + 5 days of a winter #ShakeBreak, a one-week period of Collective Time Off across the company.
🤝 Regular offsites each year to bring the team together + opportunity to travel to our HQ in San Francisco once a year.
🧘 Urban sports club membership offering access to a diverse network of fitness and wellness facilities.
🛍️ Discounts across various high street retailers, cinemas and other social activities exclusively for Handshake Germany employees.

Looking for more? Explore our mission, values and comprehensive US benefits at joinhandshake.com/careers.

Handshake is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or reasonable accommodation, please let your recruiter know during initial communications.

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