Staff Communications Manager

Join Handshake, a leading platform connecting students, employers, and universities. As the Staff Communications Manager, you will own and evolve our corporate communications strategy, shape narratives around the future of work and AI, and build trusted relationships with the media and executives. You will work closely with our CEO, leadership team, and various departments to tell Handshake's story with clarity and ambition.

• Own and evolve Handshake's corporate communications strategy, including corporate positioning, press strategy, and executive visibility.
• Build and manage press relationships within the workforce and AI industries, proactively pitching stories and thought leadership.
• Partner closely with the CEO and leadership team to develop executive narratives, media opportunities, speeches, op-eds, and talking points.
• The ideal candidate is a strategic storyteller and experienced operator: someone who can craft nuanced narratives, manage high-stakes moments, build strong press relationships, and execute with speed and judgment in a fast-moving environment
• Proven ability to build press relationships and secure meaningful earned media coverage across business, technology, workplace, education, or AI press
• Bonus: experience with AI, future of work, labor markets, education, marketplaces, HR tech, or enterprise technology
• Excellent writing and messaging skills, with the ability to translate complex topics into clear, compelling narratives
• 7+ years corporate communications, public relations, executive communications, or media relations, ideally in high-growth tech or a top communications agency
• Comfort working cross-functionally with leadership, marketing, product, legal, policy, people, and sales teams
• Strong executive communications experience, including partnering with founders, CEOs, or senior leaders on external narrative, media strategy, and thought leadership
• Experience managing external communications agencies or consultants
• Ability to operate both strategically and hands-on, from setting the communications strategy to drafting statements, pitches, briefs, and social content
• Strong judgment under pressure, especially in reactive, sensitive, or ambiguous communications moments