Team Lead Infrastructure (Volunteer) - Startup Nights 2027

The role of Team Lead Infrastructure (Volunteer) at Startup Nights 2027 involves overseeing the infrastructure for one of Switzerland's largest startup and innovation events. Startup Nights is a flagship festival organized by the Swiss Startup Association, attracting around 10,000 visitors, over 1,000 founders, and 200 exhibiting startups. The event is set to take place in Zurich from 7-8 October 2027. The main day-to-day responsibilities include leading the infrastructure team across various areas such as stage and power, welcome area, decor and signage, hall layout, setup, permits and security, logistics, and waste management. The role also involves owning the end-to-end plan for setup and teardown, coordinating with Messe Zurich, suppliers, authorities, and other teams, and tracking tasks, dependencies, deadlines, risks, and budget. Additionally, the Team Lead will be on-site during setup, event days, and teardown, solving problems pragmatically and supporting the team. To qualify for this role, candidates must have experience in events, production, operations, logistics, or facility management, with a preference for on-site responsibility. Previous team leadership experience in a similar context is also required. Strong coordination skills, a calm and practical approach to problem-solving, and proactive communication are essential. Confident communication in both German and English is a must. Nice-to-have skills include experience with Swiss venues, permits, or authorities. The role also strongly prefers candidates who are willing to join the 2026 event to see the setup and handover live. The team is driven, with short decision paths and meaningful responsibility. The role offers a chance to help shape the Swiss startup ecosystem through a non-profit initiative. What the role asks for: - Experience in events, production, operations, logistics or facility management, ideally with on-site responsibility. - Previous team leadership experience in an event, club, student organization, project or similar context. - Confident communication in German and English. - Nice-to-have: Experience with Swiss venues, permits or authorities. - Nice-to-have: Willingness to join the 2026 event to see the setup and handover live.