Head of Strategic Projects, India

Handshake is the career network for the AI economy. 20 million knowledge workers, 1,600 educational institutions, 1 million employers (including 100% of the Fortune 50), and every foundational AI lab trust Handshake to power career discovery, hiring, and upskilling, from freelance AI training gigs to first internships to full-time careers and beyond. This unique value is leading to unparalleled growth; in 2025, we tripled our ARR at scale.

Why join Handshake now:

• Shape how every career evolves in the AI economy, at global scale, with impact your friends, family and peers can see and feel

• Work hand-in-hand with world-class AI labs, Fortune 500 partners and the world’s top educational institutions

• Join a team with leadership from Scale AI, Meta, xAI, Notion, Coinbase, and Palantir, among others

• Build a massive, fast-growing business with billions in revenue

You will be the founding leader responsible for standing up and scaling Handshake AI’s Strategic Projects organization in India. This role operates as a GM for a critical delivery function, owning execution, systems, and culture as we expand our global AI operations. Your leadership will directly determine our ability to scale high-quality AI data and evaluation work with the speed, reliability, and accuracy the frontier labs demand.

• Build and lead a multi-layered Strategic Projects team in India to deliver high-stakes human data and evaluation programs with consistent quality and on-time execution

• Operate end-to-end delivery systems (staffing, workflows, metrics, reviews) to increase throughput, utilization, and cost efficiency across strategic initiatives

• Establish scalable processes and operating norms that enable seamless collaboration across India and US teams with minimal dependency and handoffs

• Develop managers and SPLs into strong operators and people leaders to support rapid headcount growth and long-term organizational durability

Must-Haves:

• 8+ years in execution-heavy operational environments (e.g., AI/data operations, marketplaces, large-scale services, strategy & operations)

• 4+ years managing managers and frontline teams with clear accountability for delivery and outcomes

• Proven ability to build systems, workflows, and operating cadence in ambiguous, fast-changing environments

• Hands-on leadership style with willingness to step into execution when projects or teams are at risk

• Strong people management skills, including coaching, performance management, and career development

• Experience working across time zones with globally distributed teams

• Track record of building strong team culture and operating discipline from the ground up

Bonus Points:

• Experience standing up or scaling an offshore or international operations hub

• Background in AI, data labeling, evaluation, or technical services organizations

• Exposure to high-growth startups or zero-to-one team builds

• Generous Equity Grant vested over 4 years

• Housing Bonus: 1.3 Lakhs spread throughout the first year

• Well Defined Performance Bonus ranging between 10 - 100% of base

• Medical Insurance Coverage

• Food credit for every in person day