Location: Swissnex in San Francisco
Status: 100%, 40 hours/week
Start Date: August 1st or by agreement
Reports to: CEO

Do you want to join the global Swissnex network and build meaningful connections across startups, science, education, the arts, and innovation in both Silicon Valley and Switzerland? This is your chance!

As Head of Programs, you oversee the program team (consisting of 6 FTE) across the organization’s core verticals—Academia, AI, Creative Industries, and Entrepreneurship—ensuring successful fundraising, implementation, further development of the programs, alignment, and impact. In addition, you lead the Corporate Innovation vertical, focusing primarily on generating new leads, securing long-term partnerships with corporate partners, and advancing both existing and new corporate offerings.

You also work closely with the CEO, develop partnerships, contribute to the organization’s fundraising efforts and advise on strategic decisions, and contribute to leadership discussions. Your role includes representing the organization, building relationships in Switzerland and the Bay Area, and managing stakeholder relationships to create new opportunities.

Your primary areas of responsibility

• Program Development and Team Management (60%)
• Leading the Corporate Innovation Vertical (20%)
• Leadership & Strategy (10%)
• Representing Swissnex and Networking (10%)

• Master’s degree.
• 5+ years of relevant work experience.
• Connection to Switzerland and an excellent network in the Swiss – and ideally US – Education, Research, and Innovation (ERI) landscapes.
• Track record in fundraising and in developing and implementing complex partnerships across sectors such as corporate, government, academia, foundations, or non-profits.
• Collaborative team player with a positive, hands-on, and solution-oriented approach.

Mandatory: Due to our legal status as an annex of the Swiss Consulate, we can only hire candidates who are already legally authorized to work in either the U. S. or Switzerland. There can be no exceptions.

Salary range: $110K-$120K*

• *For U.S. applicants, subject to U.S. taxes.
  For Swiss applicants, who are not subject to U.S. taxes, the salary range will be adjusted to reflect an equivalent purchasing power (i.e., a lower range).

Additional benefits

• 20 days of vacation, 12+ annual holidays, sick leave, health insurance.
• Flexibility to work remotely for 1 week each year from anywhere in the U.S. or Switzerland
• Option of working from home 2 days a week.
• Opportunities for professional development, including dedicated funding for continuing education and training.
• Regular business travel to Switzerland to engage with partners and strengthen cross-border collaboration.

Located at Pier 17, Swissnex in San Francisco connects the dots between Switzerland and the West Coast of the USA in education, research, innovation, and the arts. We foster international collaboration and empower next generation innovators to create futures in which the planet and society thrives. In service of this goal, our dynamic and international team produces academic, corporate and creative industry programs, startup camps, events and much more.

As an employer, we established a collaborative and purpose-driven team culture and care about an environment that encourages innovation, experimentation, and creative problem-solving. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce is essential for fostering creativity and achieving our organizational goals.

We look forward to receiving your application. Please apply through this link and include both your resume (CV) and a cover letter tailored to this position that details your qualifications and interest in the position. Please see the instructions regarding your cover letter on the application page.

Start your application HERE.

• Deadline to apply: Sunday, June 1
• We follow up with every applicant.