Manager, Data Partnerships

Handshake

Nashville, TN

On-siteCareer-pivot friendly

Who this role is best for

Data professionals with business acumen and team leadership experience will find this high-impact partnership role in a fast-growing AI data company.

Best fit for

Candidates with experience managing sales teams in high-velocity environments
— “2+ years of experience managing, coaching, and developing sales or partnerships professionals, ideally in a high-velocity or early-stage environment.”
Individuals with a background in data licensing or working with AI labs
— “Experience in data licensing, data sourcing, or selling data, or direct work with frontier AI labs a major plus.”
Professionals who can translate complex AI requirements into partnership strategies
— “Translate frontier AI lab data requirements into sourcing profiles and partnership approaches for the team.”

Things to consider

In-person work is required for five days a week in Nashville, Tennessee
— “This is an in-person role based in Nashville, TN.”
The role demands a strong understanding of data compliance and privacy standards
— “Ensure partnerships meet data quality, privacy, and compliance standards.”

How to stand out

Highlight your experience in building processes and playbooks from scratch
— “Experience building processes, operating cadence, and playbooks where there is not yet a fully developed model.”
Emphasize your ability to pitch to executives and structure complex deals
— “Oversee the full lifecycle of enterprise data partnerships: source targets, pitch executives, structure terms, and close agreements.”
Showcase your track record in coaching and developing high-performing teams
— “Manage, coach, and develop a team of Data Partnerships Associates, including goal setting, performance reviews, and regular 1:1s.”

Pace · SteadyCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Company

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

High-performing team management
Healthy pipeline of enterprise data partnerships
High standard for sourcing data

Typical background

4+ years of experience in business development, partnerships, enterprise sales, or a related field2+ years of experience managing, coaching, and developing sales or partnerships professionals

Skills & requirements

Required

Business DevelopmentPartnerships ManagementEnterprise SalesTeam ManagementData Quality And Compliance StandardsAI Data Requirements TranslationLegal And Financial ComplianceProcess Building And ScalingForecasting And ReportingCustomer Relationship Building

Preferred

Data Or AI Company ExperienceAI Systems UtilizationHigh-velocity Environment ManagementEarly-stage Company Experience

Stack & domain

Business DevelopmentPartnershipsEnterprise SalesManaging, Coaching, And Developing Sales Or Partnerships ProfessionalsBuilding Processes, Operating Cadence, And PlaybooksData Or AI Company ExperienceAI Systems ProficiencyWritten CommunicationAbility To Work In A High-velocity Or Early-stage EnvironmentAI Data BusinessEnterprise Data Partnerships

About the role

Original posting from Handshake via Ashby

ABOUT HANDSHAKE
Handshake was founded on a simple belief that everyone deserves a path to a great career, regardless of where they went to school or who they know. Today, we power 25 million job seekers, 1 million+ employers, and 1,600 educational institutions.
In 2025, we started Handshake AI and built the fastest-growing AI data business in history. We work directly with frontier AI lab researchers to create evaluations, publish benchmarks, and push the boundary of data. We’ve grown from $0 to ~$1B run rate and pay ~$60M to over 30K individuals every month.
WHY JOIN HANDSHAKE NOW:
Human data is the core infrastructure to AI advancement. Frontier AI labs currently improve model capabilities with various data-intensive post-training techniques. We believe that data spend for AI training will increase by 3-5x in the next few years and continue for much longer as models take on new domains. Handshake AI supports all of the frontier AI labs, working on their most complex data at the largest scale.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Handshake AI is the fastest-growing AI data business in history, supporting all of the frontier AI labs by sourcing the proprietary, real-world data that trains the next generation of AI models. Human data is the core infrastructure of AI advancement, and our data partnerships team is how we get it.
We are hiring a Data Partnerships Manager to lead the Data Partnerships Associates who identify, pitch, and onboard enterprise data partners. This is an in-person role based in Nashville, TN. You will coach the team, set priorities, and stay close to the work, keeping every partnership moving toward a signed, recurring, compliant agreement. Success means a high-performing team, a healthy pipeline, and a high standard for how Handshake AI sources data.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Manage, coach, and develop a team of Data Partnerships Associates, including goal setting, performance reviews, and regular 1:1s
Set weekly priorities and allocate sourcing, outreach, and onboarding work across the team
Oversee the full lifecycle of enterprise data partnerships: source targets, pitch executives, structure terms, and close agreements that supply proprietary real-world data to AI labs
Step in on complex, multi-stakeholder partnerships and serve as the escalation point for partners and associates
Translate frontier AI lab data requirements into sourcing profiles and partnership approaches for the team
Partner with Legal, Finance, and Operations to move agreements and data deliveries to completion
Forecast and report on pipeline and closed partnerships with rigor
Build the processes, templates, and playbooks that help the team scale
Ensure partnerships meet data quality, privacy, and compliance standards
Hire and onboard new associates as the team grows
QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
4+ years of experience in business development, partnerships, enterprise sales, or a related field
2+ years of experience managing, coaching, and developing sales or partnerships professionals, ideally in a high-velocity or early-stage environment.
Background experience at a data or AI company, or deeply knowledgeable and proficient utilizing AI systems
Experience building processes, operating cadence, and playbooks where there is not yet a fully developed model.
Sharp written communication and the polish to represent Handshake AI to CEOs, Executives, and Founders
Ability to work on-site in Nashville, Tennessee 5 days a week
EXTRA CREDIT
Existing network among enterprise data, CEO, CIO, or CDO buyers
Experience in data licensing, data sourcing, or selling data, or direct work with frontier AI labs a major plus
Familiarity with data privacy and compliance requirements
Experience with CRM and pipeline tools such as Salesforce
WE OFFER
Handshake delivers benefits that help you feel supported and thrive at work and in life. Benefits for full-time US employees include:
Equity in a fast-growing company
401(k) match, competitive compensation, and financial coaching
Medical, dental, and vision coverage
Mental health support and a $500 wellness stipend
Paid parental leave, fertility benefits, and parental coaching
$2,000 annual learning stipend
Flexible PTO, 15 holidays, and 2 flex days
Internet, commuting support, and free lunch and gym access in our San Francisco office
Team outings and referral bonuses
Explore our mission, values, and comprehensive US benefits at joinhandshake.com/careers http://joinhandshake.com/careers.

Source: Handshake careers (Ashby)