Federal Account Executive

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:

• Shape how every career evolves in the AI economy, at global scale, with impact your friends, family and peers can see and feel

• Partner hand-in-hand with world-class AI labs, Fortune 500 partners and the world’s top educational institutions

• Work together with engineers, scientists, operators, and more from Palantir, Meta, Scale AI, and former YC founders

• Build a massive, fast-growing business with billions in revenue

About The Role

As a Federal Account Executive, you will own both new business acquisition and the growth of an existing portfolio of federal agency customers. You will develop and nurture relationships with key stakeholders, identify opportunities, and drive the sales process from prospecting to close across your named book of accounts. This role requires familiarity with the hiring needs and challenges of federal agencies and an understanding of how they function. It will also require strategic thinking, relationship building, and a strong focus on achieving revenue targets across both new and existing business.

• Manage and grow an existing portfolio of federal agency customers while continuously pipelining new, relevant opportunities

• Meet or exceed annual quota across both a customer retention number and a new business target

• Understand a department or agency's business drivers, challenges and pain points

• Navigate federal acquisition processes and contracting, including sole source justification

• Schedule, manage and run meetings with senior economic buyers within the federal government

• Create proposals, executive briefings, and seasonal business reviews for HR and business leaders at federal agencies

• Generate scalable pipeline and revenue to achieve 100% of annual quota attainment

• Partner closely with Customer Success and Program Management teammates to ensure strong customer outcomes post-sale

• Utilize Salesforce.com on a daily basis to manage activity, leads, follow-up and pipeline

You Have

• 3–4+ years of Account Executive experience selling SaaS-based solutions, ideally into the federal government or public sector

• Experience with both new business acquisition and customer retention in a hybrid AE motion

• Familiarity with federal acquisition processes and contracting; SLED background considered for the right candidate

• Success pitching and closing deals in the six-figure range

• Experience navigating and building relationships within federal departments and agencies

• A strong history of quota attainment and consistent performance

• Excellent customer-facing skills and comfort managing senior government stakeholders

• Experience preparing account plans and business value narratives

• Proven ability to collaborate successfully with a go-to-market team

NOTE: This role is fully remote, but the candidate must be based on the east coast

We Offer

Handshake delivers benefits that help you feel supported and thrive at work and in life.

🎯 Ownership: Equity in a fast-growing company

💰 Financial Wellness: 401(k) match, competitive compensation, financial coaching

🍼 Family Support: Paid parental leave, fertility benefits, parental coaching

💝 Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision, mental health support, $500 wellness stipend

📚 Growth: $2,000 learning stipend, ongoing development

💻 Remote & Office: Internet, commuting, and free lunch/gym in our SF office

🏝 Time Off: Flexible PTO, 15 holidays + 2 flex days

🤝 Connection: Team outings & referral bonuses