Program Operations Associate

Handshake • San Francisco, CA

2d

About The Position

The Program Operations Associate, Fellow Experience is an early-career role focused on keeping Fellow programs running smoothly and reliably across multiple customers.
This role supports Senior Program Leads and Delivery pods by handling day-to-day operational execution, Fellow communication, issue triage, and program coordination to drive fellow experience and retention. You will work across multiple programs at once, helping ensure Fellows have a clear, consistent experience and that operational issues are identified and resolved quickly.
This role is well-suited for someone who is highly organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment with multiple stakeholders and priorities.

Requirements

• 2–3 years of experience in operations, program coordination, customer support, or a related role.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple workstreams and priorities at the same time.
• Good judgment around when to escalate issues versus resolve independently.
• A bias toward reliability, follow-through, and operational clarity.
• Willingness to work in a fast-moving startup environment where processes are still evolving.
• Experience with operational tools such as Zendesk, Notion, Airtable, or similar systems.
• Ability to work with data to support operational decisions, including:
• Writing basic SQL queries to pull, join, and filter data
• Using dashboards or spreadsheets to track program health, engagement, and retention signals
• Comfort interpreting metrics and trends to surface risks or issues to senior leads

Responsibilities

• Support the day-to-day operation of multiple Fellow programs across different customers.
• Assist with onboarding logistics, launches, transitions, and ongoing program workflows.
• Maintain trackers and internal documentation to ensure operational clarity and follow-through.
• Help ensure a consistent, dependable Fellow experience across programs.
• Monitor engagement signals and flag retention or performance risks to senior leads.
• Draft and send clear, timely Fellow communications aligned with program standards and policies.
• Triage incoming Fellow questions and issues, routing them to the correct owners.
• Support escalation handling by gathering context and documenting issues clearly.
• Follow established playbooks and workflows to ensure consistency.
• Identify recurring issues or gaps and surface improvement opportunities to the team.
• Help keep program operations organized, predictable, and reliable.

Benefits

• 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

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed