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.

Your impact

As the Head of Policy & Content Moderation you will play a pivotal role in shaping and maintaining a secure and trustworthy environment for our student, employer and education users. Leveraging your extensive experience in trust and safety, content moderation, and user generated content platforms, you will develop internal and external policies that guide user interactions on Handshake.

Your role

• Stakeholder Engagement & Advocacy:
  Collaborate with key cross-functional teams and policy stakeholders to ensure that policy analysis and recommendations reflect input from diverse perspectives. Lead discussions on policy trade-offs, guiding consensus toward decisions that align with Handshake’s long-term vision and objectives.
• Subject Matter Expertise:
  Leverage in-depth knowledge of industry trends, policy frameworks, and regulatory landscapes to shape policy recommendations and inform critical trade-off discussions. Work closely with internal teams to assess risks and policy requirements related to upcoming product launches. Continuously monitor emerging trends to keep Handshake proactive in addressing evolving challenges and threats.
• Policy Development:
  Take full ownership of the policy development process, from identifying needs and prioritizing initiatives to setting direction and drafting both internal and external policies. Oversee the creation of mechanisms for training operations teams and measuring the impact and effectiveness of policies.  Manage all Trust & Safety-related documentation, including community guidelines, enforcement notices, and internal content review SOPs. 
• Policy Enforcement:
  Define and implement Handshake’s approach to enforcing policies, ensuring fairness and consistency across customer types. Design an enforcement system that balances user safety with the opportunity for users to correct violations.
• Escalations & Incident Management:
  Lead decision-making on individual content escalations and manage high-impact incidents. When necessary, escalate issues to leadership, providing clear analysis and recommended actions for resolution.

Your experience

• Proven experience in developing and implementing both internal and external policies in a senior Trust & Safety role, preferably in a company with both marketplace and community dynamics.
• Strong expertise in industry best practices, regulations, and emerging trends related to trust, safety, and online community management.
• Track record of leading complex trade-off discussions and building consensus among diverse stakeholders on challenging Trust & Safety issues.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across cross-functional teams and departments.
• Experience working with tools and technologies related to content moderation, user safety, and online platform security.
• Ability to apply deep Trust & Safety knowledge to the unique challenges and dynamics of a growing business.
• A strong blend of strategic thinking and hands-on execution, with the ability to deliver results while aligning with broader organizational goals.

Compensation range

• $177,502-$197,224

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 career platform for Gen Z. With a community of over 17 million students, alumni, employers, and career educators, Handshake’s network is where career advice and discovery turn into first, second, and third jobs. Nearly 1 million companies use Handshake to build their future workforce—from Fortune 500 to federal agencies, school districts to startups, healthcare systems to small businesses. Handshake