Simon Institute for Longterm Governance is looking for a Convenings Lead

Location: Geneva, Switzerland (remote possible)

Workload: Full-time

Start date: As soon as possible

Deadline: August 21st, review on rolling basis

About SI

The Simon Institute for Longterm Governance (SI) is a Geneva-based think tank working at the intersection of frontier AI governance and international diplomacy. Our namesake, Herbert Simon, is a Nobel laureate and Turing Award winner who pioneered work on bounded rationality, AI, and decision-making, and led exchanges between Western and Chinese researchers. Similarly, we analyze trends and ecosystems, convene experts, advise decision-makers, and build bridges between governments, companies, the multilateral system, and frontier tech experts.

In our 5 years of existence, we have put AI governance on the agenda at the UN, played a key role in launching the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance, shaped multilateral AI governance from the OECD to UNDRR, and become a trusted adviser to key policy and industry stakeholders across China, Europe, and the US. As an impartial facilitator with technical expertise, we are now expanding our focus on frontier AI diplomacy to reduce the risk that advanced AI will further destabilize great-power relations. In doing so, we hope to contribute to technological progress that lastingly improves all people’s livelihoods.

The role

Running excellent convenings is a core capability for SI, as our impact depends on getting the right people into the right room — for private dialogues, expert roundtables, high-level trips, and multi-year programs — and on those convenings being designed and run to the highest standard.

We are creating a Convenings Lead to own that capability. In collaboration with the team, you will lead the design and delivery of SI’s portfolio of convenings end-to-end — shaping formats and programming, curating and securing participants, facilitating sessions, and driving evaluation and follow-through. The portfolio spans recurring dialogues, roundtables, and side events, as well as a planned flagship initiative: a fellowship, launching in 2027, convening a carefully curated group of frontier experts for candid conversations about cosmopolitan visions for a world with advanced AI.

This is a hands-on, ownership-oriented role for an outstanding program manager and facilitator. Deep AI-governance expertise is welcome but not required: our in-house specialists supply the substance and set strategic direction. You will work hand-in-hand with our Event & Travel Coordinator, who owns logistics, venues, and travel, freeing you to focus on design, participants, and facilitation.

Concretely, you will:

• Design and deliver SI’s convenings. Create and maintain project plans across concurrent convenings, setting clear milestones and shared clarity on dependencies and delivery risks. Design formats and programming that strengthen relationships, support knowledge exchange, and create space for productive debate and collaboration. Guide sessions across cultural divides, responding to group dynamics and ensuring full presence and candour among senior participants.
• Curate and steward participants. Pitch convenings to prospective participants and use their feedback to shape design; secure participants to present or lead sessions; be their primary point of contact before and during convenings; and build a vibrant alumni and network layer for continued engagement between events.
• Own delivery quality. Partner with the Event & Travel Coordinator on logistics, venues, and travel — setting clear delivery requirements and quality bars, and drawing in external surge capacity when needed.
• Evaluate and improve. Gather feedback from participants and colleagues, run structured post-event evaluation, drive decisions on whether and how to continue or scale each format, and build SI’s convening playbook so we get measurably better over time.

There is room to shape the exact mix of these responsibilities according to your skills and experience. During the application process we want to learn about the kind of work that would suit you best.

What we look for

Essential:

• Delivery track record. You have delivered high-quality, high-stakes projects or programs reliably, managing complexity without letting things fall through the cracks. You have experience in a room of senior, cross-cultural participants and know how to get the best out of them.
• Judgment and discretion. Much of our work is confidential. You can navigate complex stakeholder relationships, anticipate reputational and operational risks, and have good instincts about what can and can’t be shared.
• Self-direction. You identify what needs doing and do it, taking full ownership without waiting to be told.
• Clear communication. You write and speak clearly, and adapt to audiences ranging from diplomats to ML researchers.
• Adaptability. You are comfortable coordinating across time zones and cultures, willing to travel for about 2 weeks per quarter, and are able to handle intense periods with peak workload two to three times a year.
• Team play. You coordinate proactively, document and plan effectively, state your uncertainties and assumptions transparently, and give honest feedback because you care for others’ growth.
• Mission alignment. You care about transformative AI going well for humanity, across borders.
• Impact-driven. You are motivated by making a difference, and willing to update your plans if new evidence suggests something else would move the needle more.

Bonus:

• Interest in or familiarity with AI governance, international affairs, or US–China geopolitics.
• Experience managing cross-cultural projects or programs.
• Experience in a rapidly growing work environment.
• People-management experience.
• Mediation, dialogue facilitation, or convening experience: designing agendas, framings, and formats that make hard conversations productive.
• French and/or Mandarin proficiency.

Why SI

• Work that matters. You’d help make some of the most consequential conversations of our time possible — the exchanges, across borders, that shape how transformative AI is governed.
• Systemic thinking. Our team engages seriously with hard problems. You’ll be surrounded by people who care about getting things right.
• Room to lead and grow. You’ll own a core institutional capability and shape how SI convenes for years to come.
• We care. Competitive salary of CHF 104,000–144,000 (commensurate with experience; an equivalent remote package is available), 7 weeks of annual leave, generous parental leave, professional development budget, and flexible home-office arrangements.

Location

SI maintains its HQ in Geneva and prioritizes local team clusters, but the position is open to remote candidates. SI employs international staff and has experience navigating permit processes but cannot guarantee visas for any jurisdiction.

How to apply

Our hiring process is designed to be transparent and respectful of your time:

1. Application: Submit your application via the application form. We are hiring for several related roles — feel free to indicate any other SI openings that could fit you.
2. Screening call: Selected candidates will be invited to a 15–25 minute call with our hiring partner, Impact Ops.
3. Work test: An assignment of approximately 3 hours with presentation.
4. Interview: Interview with your prospective manager.
5. Work trial: A 1-day in-person trial in Geneva.
6. References: We will ask for 2–3 references from people you have worked with.

SI will cover reasonable costs for the work test and the work trial.

There’s no such thing as a “perfect” candidate. If you’re on the fence about applying because you’re unsure whether you’re qualified, we’d encourage you to apply.

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