RIVR

Senior Program Manager, Business Operations & Integration at RIVR (Zurich, Switzerland)

RIVR· Zurich, Switzerland·

Job description

RIVR, part of Amazon is a robotics company pioneering Physical AI through real-world doorstep delivery. Founded in 2024 as an ETH Zurich spin-off, RIVR developed wheeled-legged robots designed to operate in complex, unstructured environments such as stairs, gates, doors, and uneven urban terrain. We believe that achieving general physical intelligence requires solving real customer problems in the real world, where robots can learn from rich operational data at scale. Following our acquisition by Amazon in March 2026, we are continuing this mission with greater reach and speed. By combining custom robot hardware, onboard autonomy, and cloud-based coordination, RIVR, part of Amazon is building the next generation of safe, reliable autonomous robots for last-mile delivery

What you’ll be doing

  • Own the integrated portfolio: Maintain the end-to-end roadmap for Amazon RIVR’s cross-functional corporate programs spanning Finance, Legal, People, Workplace and Real Estate, and international operations.
  • Define and launch programs: Turn undefined business objectives into clear outcomes, scope, workstreams, owners, decision rights, milestones, and measures of success.
  • Connect Amazon RIVR and Amazon: Bring together Amazon RIVR leaders, functional owners, and Amazon specialist teams, translating business needs and enterprise requirements into coordinated implementation plans.
  • Establish the operating mechanisms: Build the governance, working rhythms, decision records, and implementation playbooks needed to create visibility, accountability, and momentum across workstreams.
  • Drive decisions and alignment: Surface trade-offs, resolve conflicting priorities, and secure decisions and resource commitments from senior stakeholders across the organization.
  • Anticipate risk and protect continuity: Identify dependencies, compliance requirements, resource constraints, and operational risks before they affect engineering, production, or operational delivery.
  • Support our evolving international footprint: Lead cross-functional programs connected to how Amazon RIVR operates across locations, coordinating changes to processes, systems, services, and ways of working.
  • Communicate clearly at every level: Produce concise decision documents, program reviews, and executive updates that make progress, risks, and trade-offs easy to understand.

What you must have

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
  • 6+ years of experience leading complex, cross-functional programs in business operations, corporate integration, transformation, international expansion, or a comparable environment.
  • Experience establishing a new program, operating model, or way of working where no complete playbook previously existed.
  • A track record of taking ambiguous business objectives from initial definition through implementation and measurable delivery.
  • Demonstrated ability to coordinate multiple specialist teams and drive outcomes through influence rather than direct authority.
  • Strong judgment and sufficient business fluency across corporate functions to engage credibly with subject-matter experts without needing to be one yourself.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience turning complex information into clear decisions and recommendations for senior leaders.
  • Comfort moving between strategic questions and hands-on execution.

Get some bonus points

  • Experience with post-acquisition integration or helping a growing company operate effectively within a larger organization.
  • Experience leading programs involving corporate systems or service transitions, entity or operating-model changes, or workplace expansion.
  • Experience working across international teams, locations, or regulatory environments.
  • Experience supporting an engineering-led, hardware, manufacturing, or similarly complex technical organization.
  • Strong change-management skills and experience helping teams adopt new processes or ways of working.
  • Familiarity with Amazon’s operating mechanisms, planning processes, or corporate infrastructure.

Why work at RIVR

  • Cutting‑edge technology: Work on Physical AI, reinforcement learning, and advanced robotics at the intersection of software and hardware.
  • Zurich location: Office and development lab in the heart of Zürich; relocation bonus offered.
  • Compensation & perks: Competitive, transparent salary; Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP); annual performance‑based bonus; five weeks of vacation.
  • Team & culture: Work alongside top engineers from ETH Zurich, Amazon, Meta, and leading robotics labs. Flat hierarchy with a strong technical focus.
  • Remote/hybrid policy: On‑site presence expected (all current job postings are “On‑site – Full”); the robotics lab requires physical presence.
  • Growth opportunity: Being part of an Amazon‑owned company provides stability and resources while still operating with a startup‑like engineering intensity.

Application questions