ChinaSF Background: Established in 2008, ChinaSF is an economic initiative of San Francisco, Office of Economic and Workforce Development, in close partnership with the San Francisco Center for Economic Development. ChinaSF’s mission is job creation in San Francisco, accomplished through the recruitment and retention of companies in San Francisco and also inbound investment, at the same time helping San Francisco companies expand into the China market. Currently with offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and San Francisco, ChinaSF is able to provide services to companies and investors. ChinaSF has recruited more than 60 companies to San Francisco and has created more than 300 job opportunities.

 

This Position’s Mission: The mission for the Shenzhen Program Manager is to continue the development of the office and cover the Southern China region. The Shenzhen Program Manager will be responsible for identifying and assisting Chinese companies and investors interested in expanding to San Francisco, as well as working to support San Francisco organizations interested in expanding to China.

 

Job Outcomes:

Business Development

• Participate in team goal to identify viable Chinese companies to invest and expand into San Francisco:
  • Establish and maintain partnerships with key public and private sector organizations.
  • Represent San Francisco through public speaking engagements at a variety of industry events.
  • Organize and participate in events to support business development goals.
• Join in ChinaSF’s objective to recruit companies to San Francisco:
  • Help Chinese investors locate private and public-private investment opportunities.
  • Support Chinese companies to navigate legal, commercial, and political environment in San Francisco and the United States.
  • Assist in the preparation of quarterly industry-specific presentations, showcasing San Francisco as an opportunity and future partner for overseas expansion.
• Assist San Francisco companies looking to grow their business in China
  • Stay informed on latest economic, political and cultural trends between China and US while keeping ChinaSF stakeholders regularly briefed
  • Host 1-2 ChinaSF trade missions to China a year
• Assist in the development and execution of programming promoting cross-border partnership
  • Manage large-scale projects such as conferences, roadshows and delegations
  • Find local partners and sponsors for events

Government Relations

• Cultivate relationships with National, Provincial, City, and County-level government officials in Southern China region. This includes but is not limited to local-level DRCs, MOFCOMs, Governor offices, Mayor/Vice Mayor offices, and foreign affairs offices
• Host ChinaSF and SF Mayor’s Office delegations to China 1-3 times per year.

Office Management

• Hire and manage at least one intern per quarter
• Maintain database CRM (we utilize Salesforce)

Preferred Candidate Competencies:

Personality Traits

• Honesty and integrity
• Accountability
• Ability to discern and prioritize opportunities that will yield results
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills

Work Habits

• Comfortable in American and Chinese business and cultural settings
• Comfortable working global hours, US and Asia time zones
• Comfortable traveling for work both between US and China, and within China
• Energetic self-starter
• Able to multi-task in a fast-paced environment
• Detail oriented
• Comfortable working independently without day-to-day supervision
• Able to work well in a global virtual team

Skills and other competencies

• Background in tech (IT, biotech, clean tech), real estate or finance is preferred
• Knowledgeable about innovation industries core to San Francisco’s economy
• Quality research and analytical skills

Required Qualifications:

• US Citizen
• Minimum Bachelor’s Degree, with at least two years’ experience working in an office environment
• Native English speaker with conversational proficiency in Mandarin (conversational proficiency in Cantonese a plus)
• Strong writing skills
• Substantive experience working or interning in China
• Strong familiarity with the San Francisco Bay Area

Qualified candidates interested in the position should send their resume and cover letter to: chinasf@sfced.org.