Senior Manager/ Manager – Global Engagement and Mobility

Sunway International; Petaling Jaya; On-site; MYR 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

An international higher education institution is seeking a strategic partnership officer to advance its China engagement agenda. The role involves managing key partnerships, supporting senior leadership, and implementing high-impact initiatives aligned with institutional goals. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in relevant fields, along with fluency in Mandarin and English. Strong communication, negotiation skills, and experience in international partnerships are essential. Travel to China and cross-time zone collaboration is expected.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in international partnerships or global engagement.
• Experience working with Chinese universities and institutions.
• Strong writing skills for strategy documents and proposals.

Responsibilities

• Support the design and implementation of global engagement missions.
• Manage strategic partnerships with Chinese universities and research institutes.
• Act as liaison between Sunway University and China-based partners.
• Support high-quality collaborations such as joint academic programmes, research partnership, and talent development initiatives.
• Provide policy and ecosystem intelligence to inform institutional strategy and decision-making.
• Prepare strategic briefs, proposals, and leadership-level briefing materials.
• Track progress and impact of China-related initiatives and report with university goals.
• Ensure cross-unit alignment and governance for initiatives and partnerships.
• Draft and manage communications, MoUs, presentations, and reports.
• Represent Sunway University in engagement events and coordinate strategic visits to China.

Skills

International partnerships

Fluency in Mandarin

Excellent communication skills

Project management

Mandarin

English

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

As part of its internationalisation and global engagement strategy, Sunway University is prioritising the development and strengthening of strategic, high-quality partnerships with China to advance its institutional reputation, academic excellence, innovation agenda, and talent pipelines. The partnerships will encompass a broad ecosystem of partners, including universities, government agencies, regulators, schools, research institutes, industry-linked platforms, and other strategic stakeholders that can support Sunway University’s short- and long-term growth mission. The postholder plays a strategic and catalytic role in advancing Sunway University’s China internationalisation agenda by supporting leadership-level engagement, building and stewarding meaningful institutional partnerships, and translating institutional strategy into well-coordinated, high-impact initiatives aligned with Sunway University’s priorities.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic China Partnership

• Support the design and implementation of the Global Engagement Mission aligned with the University’s internationalisation strategy.
• Serve as the Secretariat to the China Global Engagement Taskforce (China-GET), providing central coordination, governance, strategic briefings, cross-unit alignment, action tracking and reporting to ensure coherence, accountability and impact.
• Identify, develop and manage strategic partnerships with leading Chinese universities, research institutes, innovation hubs, industry-linked platforms, government-linked agencies and education bodies in China.
• Support the development of high-quality, reputation-building collaborations, e.g. joint academic programmes (dual awards, etc.), research collaboration, talent development and innovation initiatives, and flagship projects that enhance global visibility and impact.

Strategic Planning & Leadership Support

• Provide policy, sectoral, and ecosystem intelligence on China’s higher education, research, and innovation landscape to inform institutional strategy and decision-making.
• Prepare strategic briefs, concept notes, proposals, partnership frameworks, and leadership-level briefing materials.
• Support the senior leaders in high-level meetings, strategic dialogues, institutional visits, delegations, and engagements with China-based partners.
• Track progress, outcomes, and impact of China-related initiatives and provide regular reporting aligned with University goals.

Project Management & Cross-Unit Coordination

• Ensure alignment across units involving faculties, research centres, support services and other external partners with institutional priorities.
• Ensure the initiatives are supported by clear governance structure, documentation, follow-through and well-coordinated.

Communication, Global Engagement, Mobility & Representation

• Act as key institutional liaison between Sunway University and China-based partners.
• Draft, review and manage communications, including official correspondence, MoUs, presentations and reports.
• Represent Sunway University in engagement events and activities and ensure consistency with the University’s brand, values and strategic positioning.
• Support and coordinate strategic visits and delegations to and from China and university-led forums, summits and other joint events.
• Travel to China and the region to support partnership development, implementation and relationship building.
• Support initiatives that enhance global exposure, mobility, employability and talent development pathways for Sunway staff and students.

Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree is required; a Master’s degree is preferred (International Relations, Education, Management, Business, Public Policy, or related fields).
• Demonstrable experience in one or more of these areas: (i) International partnerships, global engagement, or institutional strategy; (ii) Higher education, research, innovation, or related ecosystems; and (iii) China-focused roles or organisations with substantive China engagement.
• Prior experience working with Chinese universities, institutions, organisations, government-linked organisations, senior academics, university leaders, and external stakeholders.
• Familiarity with joint programmes, research collaboration frameworks, or innovation partnerships.
• Fluency in Mandarin and English (spoken, written, and reading), demonstrated ability to operate confidently in bilingual, cross-cultural, and senior-level environments. Strong understanding of Chinese institutional, cultural, and professional contexts.
• Experience supporting senior leadership offices or institutional strategy functions, with the ability to translate institutional vision into executable initiatives.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills with high level of professionalism, diplomacy, and discretion.
• Excellent project management and coordination capability, with attention to outcomes and detail and strong sense of ownership, accountability, and delivery discipline.
• Strong writing skills for strategy documents, proposals, reports, and presentations.
• Proactive, adaptable, and solutions-oriented, and able to work independently and collaboratively in a dynamic, fast-moving environment.
• Willingness to travel and work across time zones as required.

We thank all applicants for expressing their interest in this vacancy. Please note that only shortlisted applicants will be notified.