Job details

Product Design Lead

Everyone is welcome at Handshake. We know diverse teams build better products and we are committed to creating an inclusive culture built on a foundation of respect for all individuals. We strongly encourage candidates from non-traditional backgrounds, historically marginalized or underrepresented groups to apply.

Design at Handshake

At Handshake we create opportunities for all college students and recent graduates to have equal access to meaningful jobs and internships, and we believe design plays a crucial role in the pursuit of this mission.

We take a student-first approach to how we design and build products, and we strive to deeply understand our users and their true goals. We believe that great products and experiences are made great by the combination of how they work and how they look. One without the other is not enough, and while we're not perfect, we strive to excel in both and are committed to going the extra mile.

Great products are built by teams — and teams are built by people who communicate and collaborate well. A culture of openness, honesty, and the ability to provide and receive constructive feedback is important to us. We also believe that great teams are inclusive. Being surrounded by a diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives brings out the best in everyone, and leads to higher quality products and experiences.

Your Impact

We are seeking a Design Manager to join our Europe Expansion team as a player/coach. This team is responsible for Handshake’s events marketplace, European market expansion, and analytics. We’re looking for a seasoned designer, looking to transition into people management, who is excited to raise the bar on quality and execution while staying hands-on with the work. This role offers the opportunity to drive significant impact in expanding our market, develop as a manager, and collaborate with an exceptionally talented team.

Your role

Leading product design initiatives and managing a team of one to help grow Handshake’s marketplace in Europe
Collaborate cross functionally to drive and shape product vision and strategy for growth in the EU and UK
Partner with product, research, content, data science, and engineering to ensure projects are well-defined, high impact, and successfully executed
Develop and improve a shared product design language across all surfaces reflective of our brand
Establish design processes to increase design impact and scale the team
Stay current with industry trends, tools, and techniques, and proactively apply new knowledge to improve the quality and efficiency of the design process

Your Experience

+6 years of product or user experience design experience, blended between B2B/B2C preferable
Experience leading the end-to-end design process for key product features, from ideation and user research to prototyping, testing, and final implementation
Experience managing a small team or acted as a mentor or coach to designers by providing guidance on design best practices, feedback on work, and support in their professional development
Experience closely with cross-functional teams, including product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders, to align design efforts with business goals and user needs
You’ve navigated, defined, and drove complex design challenges, balancing user needs with business goals, and excel in senior stakeholder communication
Contributed to and help maintain the company’s design system, ensuring consistency and scalability across products

For cash compensation, we set standard ranges for all U.S.-based roles based on function, level, and geographic location, benchmarked against similar stage growth companies. In order to be compliant with local legislation, as well as to provide greater transparency to candidates, we share salary ranges on all job postings regardless of desired hiring location. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors, including geographic location as well as candidate experience and expertise, and may vary from the amounts listed above.

About us

Handshake is the #1 place to launch a career with no connections, experience, or luck required. The platform connects up-and-coming talent with 750,000+ employers - from Fortune 500 companies like Google, Nike, and Target to thousands of public school districts, healthcare systems, and nonprofits. In 2022 we announced our $200M Series F funding round. This Series F fundraise and valuation of $3.5B will fuel Handshake’s next phase of growth and propel our mission to help more people start, restart, and jumpstart their careers.

When it comes to our workforce strategy, we’ve thought deeply about how work-life should look at Handshake. With our hybrid-work model, employees benefit from collaboration and shared team experiences three days per week in our vibrant offices, and enjoy the flexibility of remote work two days per week. Handshake is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in New York, London, and Berlin.

What we offer

At Handshake, we'll give you the tools to feel healthy, happy and secure.

Benefits below apply to employees in full-time positions.

💰 Equity and ownership in a fast-growing company.
🍼 16 Weeks of paid parental leave for birth giving parents & 10 weeks of paid parental leave for non-birth giving parents.
💝 Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision policies including LGTBQ+ Coverage. We also provide resources for Mental Health Assistance, Employee Assistance Programs and counseling support.
💻 Handshake offers $500/£360 home office stipend for you to spend during your first 3 months to create a productive and comfortable workspace at home.
📚 Generous learning & development opportunities and an annual $2,000/£1,500/€1,850 stipend for you to grow your skills and career.
💰 Financial coaching through Origin to help you through your financial journey.
🛜 Monthly internet stipend and a brand new MacBook to allow you to do your best work.
🚃 Monthly commuter stipend for you to expense your travel to the office (for office-based employees).
🥗 Free lunch provided twice a week across all offices.
🤝 Referral bonus to reward you when you bring great talent to Handshake.

(US-specific benefits, in addition to the first section)

🏦 401k Match: Handshake offers a dollar-for-dollar match on 1% of deferred salary, up to a maximum of $1,200 per year.
🏝 All full-time US-based Handshakers are eligible for our flexible time off policy to get out and see the world. In addition, we offer 8 standardized holidays, and 2 additional days of flexible holiday time off. Lastly, we have a Winter #ShakeBreak, a one-week period of Collective Time Off.
🍼 Family support: We partner with Milk Stork to provide comprehensive 100% employer-sponsored lactation support to traveling parents and guardians. Parental leave coaching and support provided by Parentaly.

(UK-specific benefits, in addition to the first section)

🏦 Pension Scheme: Handshake will provide you with a workplace pension, where you will make contributions based on 5% of your salary. Handshake will pay the equivalent of 3% towards your pension plan, subject to qualifying earnings limits.
🏝 Up to 25 days of vacation to encourage people to reset, recharge, and refresh, in addition to 8 bank holidays throughout the year.
🤝 Regular offsites each year to bring the team together + opportunity to travel to our HQ in San Francisco.
🛍️ Discounts across various high street retailers, cinemas and other social activities exclusively for Handshake UK employees.

(Germany-specific benefits, in addition to the first section)

🏝 25 days of annual leave + 5 days of a winter #ShakeBreak, a one-week period of Collective Time Off across the company.
🤝 Regular offsites each year to bring the team together + opportunity to travel to our HQ in San Francisco once a year.
🧘 Urban sports club membership offering access to a diverse network of fitness and wellness facilities.
🛍️ Discounts across various high street retailers, cinemas and other social activities exclusively for Handshake Germany employees.

Looking for more? Explore our mission, values and comprehensive US benefits at joinhandshake.com/careers.

Handshake is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or reasonable accommodation, please reach out to us at people-hr@joinhandshake.com.

Handshake Glassdoor Company Review

4.1