Head of Strategic Projects, India

About HandshakeHandshake 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 feelWork hand-in-hand with world-class AI labs, Fortune 500 partners and the world’s top educational institutionsJoin a team with leadership from Scale AI, Meta, xAI, Notion, Coinbase, and Palantir, among othersBuild a massive, fast-growing business with billions in revenueThe RoleYou 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 executionOperate end-to-end delivery systems (staffing, workflows, metrics, reviews) to increase throughput, utilization, and cost efficiency across strategic initiativesEstablish scalable processes and operating norms that enable seamless collaboration across India and US teams with minimal dependency and handoffsDevelop managers and SPLs into strong operators and people leaders to support rapid headcount growth and long-term organizational durabilityYou HaveMust-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 outcomesProven ability to build systems, workflows, and operating cadence in ambiguous, fast-changing environmentsHands-on leadership style with willingness to step into execution when projects or teams are at riskStrong people management skills, including coaching, performance management, and career developmentExperience working across time zones with globally distributed teamsTrack record of building strong team culture and operating discipline from the ground upBonus Points:Experience standing up or scaling an offshore or international operations hubBackground in AI, data labeling, evaluation, or technical services organizationsExposure to high-growth startups or zero-to-one team buildsPerksGenerous Equity Grant vested over 4 yearsHousing Bonus: 1.3 Lakhs spread throughout the first yearWell Defined Performance Bonus ranging between 10 - 100% of baseMedical Insurance CoverageFood credit for every in person day