Special Program Coordinator, China Engagement
Overview
Organization: AI Safety Connect (AISC)
Reports To: Leah Fayal, Operations Director (Ops & Tech)
Location: Beijing or Shanghai, China (in-person preferred for partner coordination); remote considered for exceptional candidates
Contract Type: 3-month fixed-term contract, extension possible
Time Commitment: 0.5 FTE (20 hours/week)
Compensation: USD $2,500–$3,500 per month
Travel: Required — Shanghai for WAIC (July 27–29, 2026); possible Beijing partner meetings
Start Date: As soon as possible (target: May/June 2026)
End Date: August 2026 (covering WAIC delivery and post-event wrap)
Path to Permanent Role: Strong performance during this contract is the path to conversion into a full-time China Engagement Project Manager role
About AI Safety Connect
AI Safety Connect (AISC) is a high-level event series that assists frontier AI policymakers, entrepreneurs, labs and companies, and investors in exploring practical pathways toward safe and beneficial advanced AI that enables human flourishing. We operate as a companion series, strategically following major international events such as the UN General Assembly, AI Summits, and key academic conferences to enable high-quality dialogue and collaboration on effective AI safety and governance coordination.
Since our launch at the February 2025 Paris AI Action Summit, AISC has attracted a global audience of top AI safety technical experts and government officials, including Stuart Russell, Yoshua Bengio, Xue Lan, and Amandeep Gill. In September 2025, AISC convened over 400 high-level participants during the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly, and in February 2026, AISC hosted the third edition of its flagship event during the India AI Impact Summit. AISC continues to expand as a Track 1.5 and 2.0 diplomacy platform, building bridges between governments, frontier labs, and civil society in the pursuit of responsible global AI safety coordination.
The Opportunity
AISC is curating a dedicated half-day AI safety and governance programme within the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2026 in Shanghai on July 27–29, 2026. The programme will feature a high-level fireside chat, four expert panels, and a closing networking reception, co-hosted with leading Chinese and international institutions including I-AIIG at Tsinghua University, the Center for Global AI Governance at Fudan University, Shanghai AI Laboratory / SAIRI, the Beijing Institute of AI Safety and Governance (Beijing-AISI), Concordia AI, and IDAIS. WAIC also marks a pivotal moment for AISC’s broader China engagement strategy, which extends across Beijing and Shanghai institutions and contributes to multilateral momentum toward UNGA 81, AI Safety House at Davos, and the AI Summit Geneva 2027.
As Special Program Coordinator, China Engagement, you will support the production and execution of AISC’s WAIC programming. You will coordinate speakers, attendees, partner institutions, and on-the-ground logistics in close collaboration with AISC’s Co-Founders (Cyrus Hodes and Nicolas Miailhe), the Director of Program & Operations (Leah Fayal), and AISC’s Chinese partner organizations.
This contract is structured with the intention of converting into a permanent, full-time China Engagement Project Manager role following WAIC. In that capacity, you would own AISC’s sustained engagement across the Chinese AI safety ecosystem, ongoing partner coordination, and delivery of future China-anchored convenings.
This is an ideal opportunity for a junior policy coordinator or project manager based in Beijing or Shanghai with a keen interest in AI safety and governance, multilateral policy and diplomacy, and East–West coordination on frontier AI.
What you will own
All workstreams report to Leah Fayal, Director of Program & Operations.
※ Speaker & Attendee Management (40%)
Develop, maintain, and monitor speaker and attendee lists in HubSpot CRM and supporting tools, including bilingual (English/Mandarin) communications where appropriate.
Support invitation, confirmation, and follow-up processes with speakers, VIP guests, and attendees, including senior government officials, frontier lab representatives, and academic researchers.
Coordinate with Chinese partner organizations on speaker nominations and panel composition.
Maintain speaker briefing packs, panel running orders, and bilingual programme materials.
※ Partner & Stakeholder Coordination (25%)
Serve as a day-to-day liaison with Chinese partner institutions, surfacing risks and dependencies early.
Support outreach to senior Chinese government, academic, and industry stakeholders, exercising discretion appropriate to Track 1.5/2.0 diplomacy.
Coordinate with the WAIC organizing committee and Shanghai Municipal Government on venue, AV, simultaneous interpretation, and integration into the broader WAIC programme.
※ On-Site Production & Logistics (20%)
Coordinate signage, event materials, printables, and production assets, including bilingual graphics and meeting gifts customary in the Chinese context.
Coordinate travel and ground transportation arrangements for AISC staff, speakers, and VIP guests in Shanghai.
Support delivery of bilateral meetings, hospitality dinners, and a closing networking reception.
Provide hands-on assistance during event days, acting as a point of contact for speakers, attendees, and partner organizations on the ground.
※ Systems, Documentation & Post-Event Wrap (15%)
Maintain organized databases (HubSpot, Google Drive) with appropriate permissions and sharing for specific stakeholders.
Support post-event correspondence, survey distribution, and synthesis of outputs (areas of convergence, follow-up commitments) into AISC’s broader China engagement pipeline.
Contribute to a post-event retrospective to inform future AISC convenings and the China engagement workstream.
As a small, fast-moving organization, team members are regularly asked to step outside their defined scope. You may be called on to support work across functions as the programme demands.
Qualifications
Essential
Based in Beijing or Shanghai, with strong familiarity with the local institutional landscape and broader Chinese AI policy ecosystem.
Proven experience in technology or science policy research, programme management, or event production, ideally acquired at a think tank, research institution, or international convening organization.
Native or near-native Mandarin and professional working proficiency in English.
Knowledge of Chinese government bodies, frontier labs, and think tanks involved in AI safety and governance, including Tsinghua I-AIIG, Beijing-AISI, Concordia AI, Shanghai AI Lab, Fudan CGAIG, and CnAISDA.
Excellent written communication in both English and Mandarin.
Prior experience coordinating logistical and functional elements of event design and production.
Discretion and professionalism with regard to working with diverse high-level and senior officials and sensitive information.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Availability from early–mid May 2026 through mid-August 2026.
Genuine interest in continuing into AISC’s longer-term China engagement work, contingent on mutual fit and continued programme funding.
Strongly Preferred
Familiarity with major AI companies, technology risks, policy debates, and safety issues at the frontier.
Experience working with Chinese government stakeholders, academic institutions, or frontier labs.
Experience working in or adjacent to multilateral forums (UN, OECD, ITU).
Familiarity with HubSpot CRM, Google Drive, Slack, and event management tooling.
Background in political science, international relations, security studies, or public policy.
Working knowledge of additional languages (e.g., French).
What we value
Thoughtful and Intentional Action: We care deeply about amplifying frontier and advanced AI safety and risk mitigation through deliberate and strategic diplomacy and engagement. We strive for consistent, disciplined, and well-constructed actions to drive this mission.
Systems-Level Thinking: We seek to build systems that make good work repeatable and scalable. We value going beyond surface-level fixes and addressing systemic issues for more impactful improvements.
Growth Mindset, Low Ego: We create an environment for honest and open communication. Our team speaks up, takes risks, and asks for help. We support each other to improve as individuals and as a team through consistent reflection and feedback.
Reliability, Autonomy and Action: We trust each other and encourage taking individual growth opportunities and pairing them with project work.
Pace and Adaptability: We operate in a fast-moving, high-stakes environment with shifting timelines, international complexity, and leadership who travel constantly. You thrive under pressure, pivot without losing quality, and do not wait to be told what to do next.
Judgment and Discretion: We work with heads of state, ministers, and frontier lab executives in sensitive diplomatic settings. You exercise sound judgment with confidential information, stakeholder relationships, and organizational decisions.
Mutual Respect and Team-First Mindset: We work across cultures, time zones, and high-pressure situations — and we do it by looking out for each other. You are approachable, emotionally perceptive, and the kind of colleague who makes the people around you better. You communicate with clarity and kindness, and you step in before being asked.
Mutual Respect and Team-First Mindset: We work across cultures, time zones, and high-pressure
What success looks like
At 1 Month
You are ramped up on AISC’s team, operations, tools, and China engagement strategy. HubSpot workflows for speaker and attendee tracking, partner coordination, and production schedules are organized and live. Bilingual invitations, RSVPs, and speaker confirmations are in motion, and you have established working relationships with key Chinese partner organizations.
At 3 Months
You have supported on-the-ground delivery of AISC’s WAIC programming in Shanghai (July 27–29), acting as a day-of point of contact for speakers, partner organizations, and AISC leadership. Post-event correspondence, survey distribution, partner follow-up, and synthesis of outputs are complete, and you have contributed to the lessons-learned document and an initial scope for the permanent China Engagement Project Manager role.
Compensation & Benefits
Compensation: USD $2,500–$3,500 per month for the 3-month engagement, per AISC’s Global Compensation Policy. The higher end of the range applies to candidates with significant local expertise and event production experience. The compensation band for the permanent role is benchmarked separately.
Hybrid working arrangement, with autonomy over schedule outside event windows.
International travel and on-the-ground delivery in Shanghai for WAIC.
