Job Details

Handshake AI Fellow Experience Manager

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.

Handshake AI is scaling rapidly to support hundreds of thousands of Fellows working across high-volume, fast-evolving AI projects and frontier lab customers. The Fellow Experience (FEXP) team is the frontline engine that ensures Fellows receive timely, accurate, and high-quality support.

We are seeking a Fellow Experience Manager to lead a US-based team of Fellow Experience Specialists (support agents) responsible for reactive ticket support. This role owns team performance, quality, and health within a high-volume, SLA-driven environment.

FEXP operates across three geographies the United States, India, and Guatemala and requires tight coordination across time zones to ensure continuous coverage and consistent standards. This manager will play a critical role in maintaining operational stability, driving accountability, and leading through ambiguity as product changes and volume spikes occur.

This is a hands-on people leadership role in a fast-paced AI environment. You will ensure your team consistently meets SLAs, quality standards, and CSAT targets while maintaining morale and resilience during rapid change.

What You'll Own

Team Performance & SLA Accountability

• Own your team's delivery against SLAs, quality standards, and CSAT targets
• Ensure tickets are handled accurately, efficiently, and with strong Fellow communication
• Monitor productivity, quality scores, backlog, and coverage daily
• Proactively adjust staffing and coverage during volume spikes
• Maintain operational stability during incidents or product changes

Coaching, Development & Team Health

• Coach Fellow Experience Specialists on performance fundamentals, documentation hygiene, and escalation judgment
• Run consistent 1:1s, performance reviews, and structured feedback cycles
• Identifies team health issues early and intervenes proactively
• Manage underperformance, including structured improvement plans
• Maintain morale and psychological safety within a high-intensity environment

Escalations & Incident Stabilization

• Handle complex or high-risk Fellow escalations independently
• Provide structured updates during operational disruptions
• Stabilize team performance during periods of chaos or unclear product direction
• Ensure escalation paths are clear and followed

Documentation & Change Readiness

• Ensure SOPs, macros, and internal documentation are updated rapidly as product changes occur
• Identify documentation gaps and close them quickly
• Drive team adoption of new workflows within hours or days not weeks
• Reinforce documentation discipline as a core operating principle

Cross-Geo & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Coordinate closely with other FEXP managers in the US, India, and Guatemala to ensure global coverage continuity
• Partner with other teams on training updates and workflow adjustments
• Surface recurring Fellow pain points and product inconsistencies
• Provide structured, actionable insights (not just updates) to stakeholders

What We're Looking For

Experience

• 5+ years in high-volume customer support startup environments
• 3+ years managing frontline support agents (FTE and/or contractors)
• Experience in fast-scaling, rapidly changing product environments (AI or technical experience preferred)
• Calm and decisive in high-volume, high-pressure environments
• Demonstrated ownership of SLAs, CSAT, and QA performance
• Deep working knowledge of support tooling (Zendesk or similar)
• Exceptional EQ with a strong sense of empathy with both team members and Fellows
• Strong judgment under ambiguity
• Bias toward action and operational clarity

We Offer

Handshake delivers benefits that help you feel supportedand 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: Internet, commuting, and free lunch/gym in our SF office

Time Off: Flexible PTO, 15 holidays + 2 flex days

Connection: Team outings & referral bonuses