Location: Swissnex in San Francisco
Status: Full-time, 40 hours/week
Start Date: January 1, 2027, or by agreement
Reports to: Head of Programs

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 an Academic Engagement Program Manager, you are responsible for creating, managing and continuously improving Swissnex’s academic programs in San Francisco. You lead the end-to-end execution of academic programs and serve as the primary point of contact for researchers, scientists, university staff, and students across institutions in Switzerland and the Bay Area.

You work closely with other Swissnex Program Managers, particularly on intersecting programs, as well as other Swissnex colleagues and a broad network of Swiss and Bay Area researchers, scientists, and academic stakeholders. Your role combines program management, ecosystem and stakeholder engagement, operational coordination, and community building in a fast-paced, international environment.

• Execution and Development of Academic Programs (60%)
• Academic Stakeholder Management and Network & Partnerships Development (20%)
• Program Operational and Communications Support (20%)

• Bachelor’s degree; ideally in a relevant field
• Master’s degree and/or 2–5 years of relevant professional experience
• Experience working with or within Swiss and/or American universities or research institutions and an interest in actively developing a broader academic network across Switzerland and the Bay Area
• Proven interest in education, research, science, and innovation
• Experience managing projects and programs, with familiarity with project management and CRM tools
• Excellent English communication skills, both written and verbal
• Proficiency in at least one Swiss national language is strongly preferred
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced and dynamic environment
• Mandatory: Due to our legal status as an annex of the Swiss Consulate, we can only hire candidates who are Swiss or US citizens or permanent residents. There can be no exceptions

• 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)

• 20 days of vacation, 12+ annual holidays, sick leave, health, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexibility to work remotely for 1 week each year from anywhere in the U.S. or Switzerland and option of working from home 2 days a week
• Opportunities for professional development, including dedicated funding for continuing education and training
• Opportunity to work at the heart of the Bay Area, embedded in one of the world’s most dynamic startup and innovation ecosystems
• Business travel as needed to Switzerland to engage with partners and strengthen cross-border collaboration

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 bootcamps, 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 brief, original cover letter tailored to this position that details your qualifications and interest in the position. We read every cover letter and appreciate the time you spend writing one. Please see the instructions on the application page before writing your letter.

Deadline to apply: September 27, 2026
We follow up with every applicant.

Starting from: October 1, 2026 or upon agreement

Contract duration: 24 months with expectation of extension

Workload: Full-time, 40 hours/week

Location: 22F, Building A, Far East International Plaza, 319 Xianxia Road, Shanghai, China

Swissnex in China is seeking an experienced Senior Program Manager to join our academic engagement and innovation programs team. The role is suited to an experienced professional who wants to take ownership of programs, lead the teams and people delivering them, to drive measurable outcomes in the education, research and innovation landscape connecting Switzerland and China. 

The Senior Program Manager will work with Swiss universities, researchers, startups and companies to better understand China’s rapidly evolving ecosystem, identify relevant trends and opportunities, and support a wide range of exchanges and collaborations between Switzerland and China.

The position is hands-on and dynamic. It includes supporting Swissnex strategic programs, innovation scouting, startup camps, academic and innovation sabbaticals, delegation visits and other mandates. The Senior Program Manager will contribute to both program delivery and research, working closely with Swiss stakeholders and Chinese partners.

We are looking for someone with a strong background in China’s evolving academia and innovation landscape and ideally with some understanding of current trends in areas such as health, medtech, biotech, green technologies, robotics and automation.

Program Execution & Management:

• Lead assigned Swissnex programs across innovation and academic engagement, including startup camps, startup cohorts, innovation scouting, immersion programs, delegation visits, and thematic projects.
• Take end-to-end ownership of assigned projects, from concept development and planning through implementation, evaluation and reporting, ensuring delivery against agreed objectives, timelines, budgets, and impact indicators.
• Lead the preparation and delivery of activities, tailored delegation visits, and exchanges between Swiss and Chinese partners, ensuring a high level of quality and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Coordinate internal teams, external partners, and service providers, ensuring clear roles, effective communication, and timely delivery of project activities and milestones.

Research, Ecosystem Mapping & Partner Identification:

• Build and maintain relationships with partners in academia, industry, government, and startups, serving as the primary contact for all program-related communications with internal and external stakeholders.
• Proof read and review high-value research in China on emerging trends, relevant sectors and innovation developments, translating insights into concrete opportunities and useful outputs for Swiss stakeholders.
• Identify and map suitable companies, startups, universities, research institutes, and other partners in China.
• Support Swiss stakeholders in areas such as health and medtech, biotech, green technologies, robotics and automation.

Communication & Outreach:

• Organize events, workshops and delegation visits, including agenda development, speaker identification and logistics.
• Work closely with Swiss and Chinese stakeholders and represent Swissnex in meetings and external events.
• Collaborate with other internal project teams and support the communications team when needed. 

• Chinese citizenship.
• Excellent command of Mandarin and English (written and spoken); Knowledge of a Swiss official language (French, German, Italian) is an asset. The main working language at Swissnex in China will be English.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a relevant field such as international relations, innovation, science and technology, public policy, business, engineering or a related discipline.
• 7+ years of relevant experience in startups, innovation programs, academic engagement, venture building, consulting, or corporate innovation.
• Whilst an existing professional network is beneficial, a demonstrated ability to build and activate a relevant professional network quickly and independently, is more important. 
• Background in China’s academic and/or innovation landscape and in topics such as health and medtech, biotech, green technologies, robotics and automation. Experience in these areas in Hong Kong is considered an asset. 
• Demonstrated experience managing a team to deliver results by setting direction, delegating effectively, tracking individual and collective progress, and intervening early when work is off-track.
• Strategic, adaptable, and growth-oriented professional.

• Proactive, reliable, and detail-oriented.
• Comfortable working across different sectors and topics, from universities and research to startups, corporates, and government.
• Strong team player, but also able to take ownership of an independent workstream.
• Thrives in an international and fast-paced environment and is motivated to actively shape and advance collaboration between Switzerland and China.
• Enjoys taking initiative, working across different topics, and operating in a dynamic environment, rather than looking for purely academic research or narrowly defined tasks.

• A dynamic role within an international diplomatic network focused on science, technology, education, and innovation.
• Opportunities for professional development and exposure to cutting-edge topics and international collaboration.
• 20 days of paid leave per year and up to 13 days of a mix of Chinese and Swiss public holidays.
• An exciting opportunity for an initial two-year contract with the expectation of extension, allowing you to build a long-lasting and rewarding career with us.

Please submit:

• Resume / CV
• Motivation letter

Application Deadline: 20th of September 2026