Status: Full-time, onsite
Location: Shanghai, China
Supervisor: Director of CET Shanghai

Anticipated Start: March 2, 2026

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Salary & Benefits

• Annual Salary: 320,000-375,000 RMB
• 12 public holidays (PRC), and 30 days of annual PTO leave
• Pension and local insurance benefits available to PRC nationals through CET’s local entity in Shanghai
• Professional development opportunities, including conference attendance and work-related domestic travel

Position Description

The Custom Programs Resident Director (CPRD) is an important, year-round position with the CET Shanghai program team that supports the planning and facilitation of China-based custom programs for CET’s US partner universities. The CPRD will be the point of contact for US faculty leaders and students, ensuring the success of these short-term, undergraduate study abroad programs. When custom programs are not on the ground, the CPRD will support the CET Shanghai standard program as needed. This is an in-person opportunity as part of the CET Center at the Donghua University Yan’An Road Campus, with considerable seasonal travel around China to support student programs.

The appointment period is anticipated to begin March 1, 2026.

In addition to advanced proficiency in Mandarin and English, attributes of the ideal CPRD candidate are strong leadership skills, flexibility, strong attention to detail, creativity, and enthusiasm for working with students in a cross-cultural setting. Candidates are advised that this can be a time-consuming, challenging position based on seasonal program needs. We discourage those interested in pursuing additional employment or freelance projects from applying for this role.

To view this job description in Chinese, please click here.

What You’ll Do...

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Custom Program Operations

• Work closely with the DC-based Custom Programs Team to guide itinerary development for all Shanghai custom program proposals, which includes providing creative, informed recommendations for all program travel, activities, guest lecturers, etc. consistent with each program’s theme
• Complete all health and safety and other logistical preparations for short-term and faculty-led programs in Shanghai 
• Research other locations throughout China to develop itineraries for travel-intensive custom programs, providing guidance on opportunities and barriers to US partner requests
• Attend all program-organized activities and excursions, including those that occur on evenings and weekends
• Facilitate program-led travel throughout China, often leading groups unfamiliar with the host language and culture
• Adhere closely to CET custom program policies and procedures
• Carry out vendor vetting and scouting responsibilities, consistent with CET standards
• Coordinate student and faculty arrivals/departures 
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of a program budget and expense report, staying mindful of and working within the set budget
• Complete monthly credit card reports on time and submit receipts to Office Manager per accounting processes

Student and Faculty Support

• Lead orientations and serve as a reliable resource to the students and faculty leaders visiting China
• Serve as emergency point of contact for students and faculty, responding to health & safety incidents in a timely manner and consistent with CET policies
• Help students and faculty navigate local health resources, including accompanying students to hospitals/clinics as needed and assisting them in submitting insurance claims

Liaise with Partners

• Confidently represent CET to program faculty leaders and US partner study abroad staff 
• Actively cultivate new local partnerships with vendors and local experts to diversify our local network and broaden the types of custom programming CET is able to support in China.

Communicate and Collaborate across CET

• Collaborate with the rest of the CET Shanghai team as well as the Beijing-based Custom Programs Resident Director, particularly on logistical planning and vendor vetting for multi-site custom programs.
• Maintain close working relationships with Shanghai colleagues through regular office hours (this position is in-person at the shared CET Shanghai office), team meetings, and effective written and verbal communication
• Communicate consistently with CET headquarters through regular check-ins and timely incident reports for any issues that arise while programs are in session
• Utilize CET Compass (our application platform) to review student reports and file detailed incident reports
• Write a detailed final report one month after the end of each custom program, identifying challenges and suggesting solutions 

Support CET Shanghai

• When available, the Custom Programs RD will support the CET Shanghai standard program, specifically logistical planning, leading activity, and health and wellness assistance.

We’re looking for…

• Bachelor’s degree, in any field
• Advanced proficiency in Mandarin Chinese and English
• Professional experience supporting students and/or travelers in Greater China
• Significant experience living, working, and/or studying in Greater China, preferably in Shanghai
• Attention to detail and exceptional communication skills
• Excellent time management skills and ability to manage conflicting priorities
• Ability to take initiative and use good judgement when solving problems independently
• Experience with Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) preferred
• Availability to work occasional evenings and weekends due to program-related travel (this position has busy periods and quiet periods, so the ability to travel with program cohorts for several days at a time with advance notice is essential)
• Ability to serve as a responsive 24/7 emergency point-of-contact while programs are in session 
• Cultural sensitivity and a commitment to US-China cultural exchange

To Apply

Please attach your resume and a cover letter in English to our application form. Applications missing any of these components will not be considered. The successful completion of a background check, including three professional/academic references, is required for this position. 

Application deadline: We encourage applicants to send their materials as soon as possible and before our priority deadline on January 9, 2026.

To all recruitment agencies, ATA does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs, ATA employees or any other company location. ATA is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.

An Equal Opportunity Workplace

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, Veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.  

Description of the Organization

CET Academic Programs is a study abroad organization that has been developing and operating innovative educational programs abroad since 1982. Originally “China Educational Tours,” CET began operations in Beijing, later expanding to other locations around the world.