Risely AI (YC S25) · 4 months ago
Deployment Strategist
San Francisco Bay Area
Full-time
Onsite
Mid Level
3+ years expRisely AI is a VC-funded startup focused on transforming higher education through innovative technology. The Deployment Strategist will lead university data activations, design solutions, and guide stakeholders in leveraging AI to drive measurable results.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)EducationInformation Technology
Responsibilities
Lead end-to-end activations. Own new university launches from discovery and scoping through data integration, configuration, pilot, and rollout—keeping everyone aligned on outcomes, timelines, and risks
Design fit-for-purpose solutions. Map messy, real-world workflows and data (SIS/LMS/CRM, data lakes) to Risely’s capabilities. Translate goals into clear architectures, agent behaviors, governance rules, and success metrics
Be the trusted AI guide. Advise senior stakeholders on where AI adds leverage, how to sequence change, and what to measure. Facilitate decisions that balance ambition with practical, incremental wins
Configure and validate the platform. Use our low-code tooling to stand up agents, routes, and policies; partner with data/engineering to connect APIs or ETL/CSV; write and interpret basic SQL to verify joins, dedupe records, and test edge cases
Drive cross-functional execution. Run a tight cadence with engineering, data, and design. Turn customer needs into crisp specs, manage tradeoffs, and keep the critical path unblocked
Champion adoption and change. Build enablement plans, train power users, and establish feedback loops. Track activation and outcome metrics; course-correct based on what you learn in the field
Close the loop to product. Synthesize frontline insights into structured product requirements and UX suggestions. Pressure-test roadmap items with real workloads and propose reusable patterns
Support complex opportunities. Join late-stage sales calls and proofs-of-value to scope feasible pathways, articulate technical fit, and build executive confidence
Qualification
Required
3+ years in roles blending technical and business skill (implementation, product management, TPM, or consulting at enterprise SaaS)
Ability to think from first principles and break messy problems into clear, actionable plans
Experience executing end-to-end processes with urgency and keeping cross-functional teams on the critical path
Ability to bridge business and tech, building trust with executives and frontline users
Experience teaching and persuading organizations through change and building consensus
Preference for configuration over custom solutions, valuing repeatability and scale
Ability to thrive in a lean, high-velocity environment with small pods and high autonomy
Experience with higher-ed systems is a strong plus
Benefits
Real commitment, and intense pace: This isn’t a 9–5 gig. Expect long days, high intensity, and periods where we're in the office 5–6 days a week. We’re building from zero to one, and this requires commitment.
Speed and impact: The pace here is relentless. We measure progress by the day, not by the quarter. Your work ships fast, your decisions matter immediately, and the impact you create today affects real students tomorrow.
Mission clarity: Every line of code, every customer call, every late night ties back to one clear mission: helping students stay enrolled and helping colleges survive. If mission matters to you, it doesn't get clearer than this.
Ownership from day one. You won't just have responsibility, you'll have ownership. Whether you're an engineer, operator, product manager, or GTM, you'll make critical decisions, drive real outcomes, and build Risely alongside the founders.
Deep, meaningful work: You’re solving real problems every day. Data complexity, privacy laws, messy legacy integrations, this is tough, nuanced, important work.
Company
Risely AI (YC S25)
Risely’s AI agents automate administrative and manual tasks across college campuses.
2-10 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageTotal Funding
$0.5MKey Investors
Y Combinator
2025-06-11Pre Seed· $0.5M
Recent News
2025-10-13
Company data provided by crunchbase