[Hiring] Partnerships Lead - Integrations & Ecosystem @Handshake

Role Description

Handshake only works for employers if it fits the stack they already run — their ATS, their CRM, and the data that powers both. As Partnerships Lead - Integrations & Ecosystem, you'll be the single-threaded owner of that ecosystem:

• Setting our multi-year integration and data-partnership strategy.
• Deciding which ATS integrations we build next.
• Keeping existing partners healthy and growing.
• Bringing on the data partners that make our employer products smarter.
• Operating as the senior-most partnerships voice in the room.
• Shaping the product roadmap with engineering and product leaders.
• Aligning go-to-market strategies.
• Representing Handshake to our most important partners.
• Turning "we should integrate with X" into a signed deal, a shipped integration, and measurable adoption.

This is a hands-on senior IC role — equal parts strategy and execution.

• Set our ATS integration strategy — map the landscape (Workday, Greenhouse, iCIMS, SuccessFactors, Oracle, Lever, Ashby) against our customers and pipeline to decide where to build, buy, or partner, and in what order.
• Source, negotiate, and close integration and data partnerships end to end — marketplace listings, API access, co-marketing, rev share, and data licensing.
• Own our existing ATS and data partners — run QBRs, track integration health and adoption, and resolve issues before customers feel them.
• Grow third-party data partnerships that make our employer and candidate data richer and more reliable for product and go-to-market teams.
• Translate partner needs for product and engineering — write clear requirements, scope API and data-sharing work, and keep integration launches on schedule.
• Turn partnerships into a revenue lever — equip sales and CS to sell integrations and measure partner-influenced pipeline.

Qualifications

• A track record of owning an integrations or ecosystem-partnerships area end to end — ideally having built or scaled it — in HR tech (ATS, HCM, recruiting software) or sales tech (CRM, sales engagement, sales intelligence).
• A history of sourcing, negotiating, and closing large, complex, strategic partnerships: API integrations, marketplace listings, co-marketing, or data licensing deals.
• Working knowledge of how ATS and CRM integrations work in practice — APIs, webhooks, unified-API providers (Merge, Kombo), data mapping, and sync failures.
• A strong existing network at ATS vendors, HCM platforms, and data providers you can activate on day one.
• The judgment and executive presence to align senior product, engineering, and go-to-market leaders and influence without authority.
• Comfort operating with ambiguity — you build the strategy and do the work, without a team under you.
• Clear writing and sharp judgment on commercial terms, data privacy, and compliance.

Bonus points

• Experience structuring data licensing or data-sharing agreements, from either side of the table.
• Time at an ATS vendor, a unified-API company, or a marketplace team.
• Familiarity with early-career or university recruiting.

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, $500 wellness stipend.
• $2,000 learning stipend, ongoing development.
• Internet, commuting, and free lunch/gym in our SF office.
• Flexible PTO, 15 holidays + 2 flex days.
• Team outings & referral bonuses.