Industry Partnership Program Manager

EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, is one of the most dynamic university campuses in Europe and ranks among the top 20 universities worldwide. The EPFL employs more than 6,500 people supporting the three main missions of the institution: education, research and innovation. The EPFL campus offers an exceptional working environment at the heart of a community of more than 17,000 people, including over 12,500 students and 4,000 researchers from more than 120 different countries.
- The EPFL Media Center is seeking an Industry Partnership Program Manager to join its team as part of the Initiative for Media Innovation (IMI), an alliance of universities and media companies founded and supported by EPFL, SRG SSR and Triangle Azur—a cooperation network between the Universities of Geneva, Lausanne, and Neuchâtel—and also supported by the HES-SO Valais-Wallis as an affiliate member. With the commitment of its members, IMI aims to develop pioneering, human-centered partnerships in the fields of media, journalism, social sciences, AI and data science.

**Industry Partnership Program Manager (60-80%)**:
**Your mission**:

- As an Industry Partnership Program Manager, you will lead the creation and facilitation of research-oriented projects within a network of academic institutions and in collaboration with external partners in the media and IT sectors. Firstly, you will actively participate in the development of new collaborative interdisciplinary projects in Switzerland and abroad, managing the entire process from the search for public or private funding to facilitating the transfer of results to non-academic partners. You will also contribute to IMI's foresight activities, which guide the thematic focus of our projects, with an emphasis on the needs of the media sector. Finally, you will organize events and workshops related to these projects and contribute to IMI's communication and outreach activities.

**Main duties and responsibilities include**:

- Build and manage a portfolio of projects throughout their lifecycle, including ideation, partner identification, conceptualization, and collaboration with media/industry partners
- Manage project proposals submitted to IMI in close collaboration with the IMI Director and the IMI Scientific Committee, and organize responses to calls for proposals from partner institutions
- Facilitate and support the search for funding from institutions such as Innosuisse and the SNSF, as well as from Swiss foundations and private donors, in close collaboration with IMI members and partners
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with and between project stakeholders from academia, media and industry
- Co-organize, with the support of team members, project-related workshops and events to match media needs with scientific expertise
- Ensure accurate monitoring of project finances, reporting and dissemination, working closely with the IMI Administrative Assistant
- Participate in foresight activities within the IMI ecosystem to identify future topics for projects
- Work with the IMI Director and the IMI Scientific Committee to support continuous improvement of processes and methodologies to increase project impact
- Support the IMI Director in communication, outreach and stakeholder management activities
- Participate with the IMI Director in the preparation of strategic documents, reports and presentations, and interact with the IMI Board and the IMI Scientific Committee
- Contribute to general tasks related to the mission of IMI

**Your profile**:

- Advanced degree, preferably in science, engineering, or business administration
- Proven experience in managing large projects and stakeholders. Experience with academic funding programs in Switzerland and/or Europe is a strong asset
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills to work with stakeholders at all levels and from different types of organizations (academic institutions, public and private media companies, government agencies, etc.)
- Strong interest in digital technologies, especially as they relate to media and journalism. Good knowledge and connections in the Swiss and/or European media landscape are a plus
- Fluent in spoken and written English and French. Knowledge of German is a plus
- Proactive, curious, and tenacious with a strong commitment to results
- Strong organizational skills
- Ability to learn quickly and take ownership of the role

**We offer**:

- A small, dynamic, and friendly team
- A stimulating work environment in one of the world's most prestigious and sought-after institutions
- Strong interaction with leading researchers from multiple disciplines at EPFL and other universities in Switzerland and abroad
- Close collaboration with key external partners on issues of societal importance related to the media sector
- A role that is expected to evolve and grow with the Initiative for Media Innovation (IMI)

**Start date**:
To be agreed upon, as soon as poss