Program Manager

100%, Permanent - f/m/d

Who are we?

Talent Kick is a Swiss-wide entrepreneurial program that supports the best talents in forming interdisciplinary teams across Swiss universities, and in getting hands-on experience as entrepreneurs during their studies. With over 100 entrepreneurs and 50+ teams active in our program, we are looking for a highly motivated Program Manager 100%, permanent - (f/m/d) to lead our program activities.

Your mission

In this public-private initiative, you will work closely with our talents and teams as well as experienced entrepreneurs and partners to boost entrepreneurial excellence in Switzerland. As a Program Manager, you will have a crucial role by coordinating and executing the program, making a significant contribution to the success of each batch, the founders and their startups. In this position, you'll be responsible for managing all our program components, including workshops, bootcamps, celebrations, coaching sessions in collaboration with our coaching team, and other founder support activities. You will continuously be in contact with our participants and teams, and your role is pivotal in optimizing and enhancing the program in collaboration with the rest of the team.

Who are we looking for?

You are a proactive self-starter who thrives with autonomy and loves working in a fast-paced, start-up-like environment. You bring strong event-management, coordination, and organizational skills, and you enjoy tackling new challenges.

You have demonstrated experience supporting startups on their journey, ideally through working in an accelerator or incubator, other forms of venture support, or through founding a startup yourself. You take ownership, are excellent at communication and organization, and manage multiple work streams simultaneously. You are skilled at collaborating with external partners and stakeholders and you enjoy proactively creating opportunities to enhance both the program and the experience of our participants.

You are motivated to facilitate, grow and continuously improve an established program that empowers young entrepreneurs to build impactful ventures. You love working with people and are excited by seeing the direct results of your work in the success of others.

Key activities and responsibilities

✔️ Lead the planning, organization, and execution of the program, ensuring alignment with the organization's objectives and supporting participants' success:

• Planning, organising, and facilitating workshops, bootcamps, and events (incl. moderation and speaker coordination), and management of the overall program timeline.
• Communication and coordination with program participants and contributors, incl. deliverables and team-specific sessions on a regular basis (incl. monthly mini-board sessions, bi-annual goal setting sessions etc.)
• Coordinate the collaboration with the coaching team and the leadership coaches, program participants, and coaching tool providers.
• Maintaining the participant CRM with relevant progress and program deliverables, as well as our online community platform and relevant website content.
• Facilitate and enhance our collaborations with program-adjacent ecosystem partners together with the Talent Kick team, ensuring positive outcomes for Talent Kick, our batches, and our collaborators.

✔️ Monitor program effectiveness and impact, suggest and implement necessary adjustments to enhance the program outcome and participant satisfaction, ensuring the delivery of critical program KPIs (NPS, participant satisfaction…).

✔️ Identify and implement program growth and improvement opportunities together with your colleagues.

✔️ Foster a collaborative and inspiring environment that encourages innovation, creativity, and personal/professional growth among participants.

What we offer

• A high degree of self-organization and flexibility in a remote/in-person combination workstyle at top innovation hotspots in Switzerland;
• You are always warmly invited to proactively shape the organization as a whole, participate in strategic and operational discussions, and take active ownership of new projects you would like to initiate and shape;
• Driven, supportive, and empowering team environment, supporting personal and professional growth in a fun and impactful environment;
• A chance to make an impact in young professionals’ lives by creating a strong support community for their journey to entrepreneurial success.
• Quarterly team retreats and off-site trips to reconnect, reflect, and co-create in inspiring locations

Ideal profile

• Multiple years of experience in program management, preferably in an accelerator, incubator, in entrepreneurship education, and/or founder experience;
• Strong leadership and event-management skills in a startup-like environment, strong entrepreneurial drive, and strong motivation to make an impact by supporting and closely working with young talents, teams, and entrepreneurs;
• Proactive and hands-on leadership style, willingness to learn and grow, and excited to evolve with the team and responsibilities;
• Strong team player with excellent analytical skills and excellent communication in English (French or German is a plus and willingness to travel within Switzerland frequently for events;
• Ideally a Master's degree in business, technology, education, or related fields, familiarity with the Swiss academic ecosystem (through education or otherwise) and with CRM/project management/community platforms like Monday.com and Circle is a plus.

How to apply

If you would like to work in our stimulating environment and feel like you are a good fit for the role, please submit your complete application file (CV and cover letter in English, as well as copies of your work certificates and diplomas) in the form. We’re looking forward to receiving your application!