Business Development Representative, Government

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.

At Handshake, we bridge the gap between top talent and opportunity by connecting students and recent grads with employers who value fresh perspectives. Our unique platform empowers organizations to elevate their recruitment strategies and thereby improve their hiring outcomes. As we continue to grow our government partnerships business, we’re seeking a Government BDR who can understand, navigate, and strategize in this sometimes complex, but always rewarding, space. You will be a key member of the Government team, helping inform our GTM strategy & finetune our tactical plan, while working closely with your account executive partners to develop early-stage pipeline for our business.

As a Government Business Development Representative, you will play a crucial role in expanding our footprint within both federal and state & local government organizations, engaging potential clients and stakeholders, and building awareness of how we help these organizations improve their workforces. You’ll navigate complex organizational structures, map out internal influence dynamics, and learn the contracting processes within government organizations. Your goal is to identify opportunities, communicate Handshake value effectively, and drive engagement with influencers & decision-makers while respecting the government’s language, priorities, and procedural requirements.

• Relationship Building: Build and influence relationships with key decision-makers across both federal and state & local departments and agencies. Also, develop strong internal relationships with key cross-functional partners.

• Complex Account Navigation: Engage and raise awareness within the organizational structure of prospects, targeting both leadership roles such as Chief Human Capital Officers and operational roles such as HR managers.

• Budget Strategy & Funding Cycles: Navigate government budgets and funding cycles, aligning solution positioning with these constraints.

• Tailored Communication: Be able to communicate in “government language,” incorporating market familiarity and relevant language to build rapport with stakeholders.

• Organization-Specific Outreach: Tailor messaging to align with each entity’s unique mission and structure.

• Solution Advocacy: Promote our platform’s support for early-carer talent recruitment in line with federal and state & local hiring needs.

• Stakeholder Alignment for Early Talent Initiatives: Communicate familiarity with challenges in early talent recruitment, advocating solutions aligned with federal priorities and regulations.

You will have an opportunity to learn and grow at Handshake. We support our BDRs and seek to promote BDRs internally based on demonstrating success in the role, alignment with our values, and a passion for helping students and recent grads.

Your experience

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in business, government relations, or a related field.

• 1+ years of experience in business development or account management, preferably within the federal or state & local government sector.

• Experience navigating large, complex organizational structures.

• Proficiency in managing long sales cycles and influencing multiple stakeholders over a long period of time.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to adjust messaging for a range of audiences within the federal and state & local landscapes.

• Strong attention to detail and the ability to work collaboratively across internal teams.

• Familiarity with government terminology and government recruitment processes.

• Experience with recruitment technologies, talent platforms, or related services.

• Demonstrated proficiency with AI tools to increase your productivity and impact.

• Familiarity with current trends in federal or state & local government workforce.

• Previous work with or knowledge of government budgets and contracting processes.