Assistant Director (Adjudication - Industrial Security)

Military Security Department; Singapore; On-site; SGD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Military Security Department (MSD) in Singapore seeks an Assistant Director to lead a team that assesses and adjudicates security clearances for defence-related contractors. You will ensure only organisations meeting stringent security standards are entrusted with sensitive projects.

You will drive robust processes, guide policy development, engage government partners and stakeholders, and nurture a culture of accountability and continuous improvement within the team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required or equivalent qualifications.
• Experience leading an operational team or making risk-based/compliance decisions.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking with evidence-based decision making.
• Experience in security risk management, industrial security, intelligence analysis, investigations or related fields.
• Good stakeholder management skills to engage internal and external partners.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining high standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team in assessing and adjudicating company security clearances for MINDEF/SAF related contracts.
• Develop, review and strengthen adjudication frameworks, policies and processes.
• Exercising sound judgment in recommending security clearance decisions based on evidence and risk assessments.
• Engage government agencies, industry partners and stakeholders to facilitate the clearance process.
• Drive continuous improvement to operational processes, governance and quality assurance.
• Coach and develop team members, fostering professionalism and accountability.

Skills

Leadership

Risk-based decisions

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

Decision making under pressure

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

What the role is:

As an Assistant Director, you will lead team responsible for assessing and adjudicating security clearances for companies seeking to undertake defence-related work. You will play a key role in safeguarding Singapore’s defence ecosystem by ensuring that only companies meeting the required security standards are entrusted with sensitive defence projects.

What you will be working on:

You will lead and oversee the end-to-end adjudication of company security clearances, ensuring that assessments are robust, timely and consistent with established policies and security requirements.

Your responsibilities include:

• Leading a team in assessing and determining the suitability of companies for MINDEF/SAF related contracts.
• Developing, reviewing and strengthening adjudication frameworks, policies and processes to ensure that they remain robust, risk-based and responsive to evolving security challenges.
• Exercising sound judgment in recommending security clearance decisions, based on evidence, risk assessments and established policies.
• Engaging government agencies, industry partners and other stakeholders to facilitate the security clearance process and resolve complex cases.
• Driving continuous improvement to operational processes, governance and quality assurance to enhance consistency.
• Coaching and developing team members while fostering a culture of professionalism, accountability and continuous learning.

What we are looking for:

We are looking for a strong leader who is able to operate confidently in a high-volume, sensitive and risk-based environment. It is preferred that you possess:

• A tertiary qualification, preferably with at least five years of relevant working experience.
• Experience in leading or supervising an operational team or making risk-based or compliance-related decisions.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with ability to make balanced, evidence-based and defensible decisions.
• Experience in security risk management, industrial security, intelligence analysis, investigations, compliance or other related fields.
• Good stakeholder management skills, with ability to engage and influence both internal and external partners.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining high standards.

About Military Security Department

The Military Security Department (MSD)’s core business is in Counter Intelligence and internal security for MINDEF/SAF. MSD was formed in 1975 to counter the threats of espionage, subversion and sabotage against MINDEF/SAF. It began with two main entities, namely the Counter Intelligence Branch (CIB) and Field Security Branch (FSB). Over the years, the department has continued to evolve and our roles expanded in tandem with the changing security environment. Today, our roles also include Counter Terrorism and Cyber Security.