Assistant Director and Unit Head, Human Resource and Finance (HRF), Office...

Nanyang Technological University; Singapore; On-site; SGD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The National Institute of Education (NIE) in Singapore is seeking an Assistant Director and Unit Head for Human Resource and Finance. This role involves leading the HR and finance operations, ensuring compliance, and supporting research activities. Candidates should possess extensive experience in HR and finance, alongside strong analytical and interpersonal skills. This contract position is critical to the operational success of the institution until March 2028.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of HR, administrative, or financial experience required.
• Proficient in analytical tasks and managing confidential information.
• Strong leadership and organizational abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead HR and finance operations within the OfR team.
• Ensure compliance with HR and financial policies.
• Oversee research staff appointments and financial operations.

Skills

Analytical skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Team leadership

Education

University Degree

Tools

Excel

MS Word

Job description

ABOUT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION (NIE)

The National Institute of Education (NIE), Singapore, is Singapore’s national teacher education institute, and we are proud to be an integral part of the nation’s education service. We play a key role in the preparation of teachers and in the provision of teacher professional and school leadership development programmes. We are committed to our vision of being An Institute of Distinction: Leading the Future of Education, and our mission to Inspire Learning, Transform Teaching and Advance Research. Read more about NIE here.

NIE invites suitable applications for the position of Assistant Director and Unit Head, Human Resource and Finance (HRF), Office for Research. As the Unit Head of HRF, you will lead a team overseeing human resource, finance, administrative and research support processes. You will play a lead role in research support operations in HR and finance and governance across the Office, working closely with institutional stakeholders to ensure compliance and effective support. This is a contract position till 31 Mar 2028.

Responsibilities

• Lead the OfR Human Resource and Finance team in all operations and processes.

• Provide supervision to team members and manage performance.

• Ensure strong internal controls and compliance with HR and financial policies and institutional guidelines.

• Oversee all HR related processes including faculty matters (appointment, reappointment, appraisal, and promotion).

• Manage research staff appointments, reappointment and temporary staffing proceses.

• Support in administrative staff related matters where required.

• Provide HR advisory and ensure accurate and timely reporting to management on HR-related research support matters.

• Liaise with NIE HRD and programme offices on faculty and research staff matters.

• Oversee all financial operations related to research funding, 5th tranche funding and OfR funding.

• Work with the team to ensure smooth day-to-day operations in procurement, budgeting, claims processing, and financial reporting.

• Ensure compliance with institutional financial and procurement policies.

• Provide financial consultations to Principal Investigators (PIs) and stakeholders.

• Provide accurate and timely reporting to management on 5th tranche funding.

• Oversee and provide input on budget estimates, cashflow projections, and funder reporting.

• Serve as Delegation of Authority for research and non-research related expenditure where required.

• Liaise with NIE Finance and MOE to maintain strong operational and funding relationships.

• Work with Research Centres (RC) on HR and Finance shared services that cut across.

• Keep SOPs, NTU ServiceNow articles, and financial guidelines updated.

• Monitor and report KPIs for the Education Research Funding Programme (ERFP) and assist in data compilation for tranche reporting and other institutional reporting.

• Lead process improvements in HR and financial workflows and systems.

• Collaborate across administrative units to streamline and enhance operations.

• Support in OfR level events and any other duties, as assigned by the reporting officer.

Requirements

• A University Degree.

• At least 8+ years of Administrative/HR/financial/procurement experience required.

• Meticulous with good analytical skills.

• Excellent interpersonal, communication, writing and organization skills.

• A strong team lead who is highly motivated and also able to collaborate within and across teams.

• Able to problem solve and work within tight deadlines.

• Integrity and discretion when handling confidential information.

• Proficient in Excel and MS Word.

Closing Date

The closing date of the advertisement is 22 July 2025. We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Other Information

NIE staff can take chartered buses at their own expense from or near their homes to the NIE campus. This is subject to availability of seats.