Manager, R&D Strategy & Operations

The Strategy & Operations Manager for R&D will extend Handshake's S&O function into the frontier of AI development. Primarily deployed in Handshake AI (HAI), this person works at the intersection of the most consequential and fast-moving work in the company: scalable reinforcement learning environments, systematic quality frameworks for training frontier models, and large-scale coding projects pushing the boundaries of what AI can do on a massive, real-world problem set. This is not a program management role and it's not a permanent execution owner. It's a force multiplier: someone who deploys to wherever the business problem is most urgent, builds the operating system to make it self-sustaining, and moves on. They work alongside the R&D S&O leader to extend strategic reach across two business units with different operational needs and up level how teams across R&D operate with AI in their toolkit.

Responsibilities

Deploy to the highest-priority initiatives across R&D, build the operating structure for each sprint, and hand off when it's self-sustaining; Build trusted relationships with engineering and product leads; be informed enough to push back and credible enough to be heard; Identify process and tooling friction across R&D and own the playbooks to fix it, including agentification of manual workflows; Run org-wide operating rhythms, including quarterly planning, execution rhythms, org comms, and cross-team reporting; Escalate to the S&O lead with context and a point of view, and a plan

Requirements

6–8+ years in strategy & operations, chief of staff, or a hybrid role in a fast-moving R&D driven environment; Proven track record deploying across complex, multi-team organizations and building operating systems that outlast their involvement; Strategic range to move fluidly between a technical AI research environment and a consumer marketplace without losing effectiveness; High judgment under ambiguity: goes to where the problem is, not where the job description points; Executive presence to operate alongside senior leaders and push back when something is at risk; AI-fluent operator who uses the latest tools and is excited to build the agentification playbook for others; Relationship-builder who earns trust quickly across engineering, product, and design stakeholders

Benefits

Equity in a fast-growing company; 401(k) match; competitive compensation; financial coaching; Paid parental leave; fertility benefits; parental coaching; Medical, dental, and vision; mental health support; wellness stipend; Learning stipend; ongoing development; Internet; commuting; free lunch/gym in our SF office; Flexible PTO; 15 holidays + 2 flex days; Team outings & referral bonuses