Assistant Director, Education

Yayasan MENDAKI; Singapore; On-site; SGD 20,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational organization in Singapore is looking for an Assistant Director to lead the Perform In School sub-team. The role involves strategic and operational support, overseeing school-based academic programmes, and managing partnerships with stakeholders. Strong leadership and interpersonal skills are essential, along with the ability to drive programme effectiveness and quality. The position requires 5-8 years of relevant experience, with some years in a managerial role, and offers a great opportunity for professional growth within the education sector.

Qualifications

• 5 – 8 years in education or community programmes.
• 2 – 3 years in a supervisory or managerial role.
• Postgraduate qualifications an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Support strategic direction and operational plans.
• Oversee academic support programme delivery.
• Manage stakeholder relationships for programme success.

Skills

Strategic thinking

People leadership

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Project management

Education

Degree in Education, Public Policy or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Programme management systems

Job description

Job Summary

The jobholder (2-year contract) provides strategic, operational, and people leadership for the Perform In School sub-team, overseeing the effective delivery of MENDAKI’s school-based academic support interventions, including the MENDAKI Tuition Scheme (MTS).

The role bridges strategy and execution by translating departmental goals into actionable plans, ensuring programme quality, operational excellence, and strong stakeholder partnerships. The Assistant Director is accountable for sub-team performance, resource optimisation, data-informed decision-making, and continuous improvement of programmes and processes.

The incumbent works closely with the Head of Department to drive outcomes, manage risks, develop staff capability, and ensure alignment with MENDAKI’s broader education strategy and organisational priorities.

The jobholder is expected to work from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and may be required to work over weekends and public holidays to support organisation events. Although the jobholder is largely expected to work in an indoor environment, occasional travel for meetings and programme visits is expected.

Key Responsibility Areas

Strategic and Operational Support

• a. Support the Head of Department in shaping and executing the strategic direction of the Perform In School team.
• b. Translate strategic priorities into operational plans, targets, timelines and deliverables.
• c. Oversee the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of school-based academic support programmes, including MTS.
• d. Ensure programmes remain responsive to the evolving needs of students, parents, schools, and community partners.
• e. Track departmental performance indicators and prepare progress reports for management review.
• f. Identify operational risks and propose mitigation strategies to ensure programme continuity.
• g. Monitor programme outcomes and effectiveness using data and insights to guide strategic and operational decisions.
• h. Support professional development initiatives for staff, tutors, and centre leaders to strengthen programme quality.
• i. Keep abreast of Education policies and pedagogical trends at the national and community levels.

Programme Delivery and Development

• a. Oversee daily programme operations to ensure smooth execution, quality delivery, and compliance with objectives.
• b. Coordinate programme schedules, resources, and logistics across teams and partners.
• c. Conduct periodic reviews and evaluation of programmes and make necessary recommendations for improvement.
• d. Support the conceptualisation, development and implementation of new and innovative educational programmes and learning support initiatives.

Stakeholder and Partnership Management

• a. Strengthen and manage key stakeholders including schools, Self-Help Groups, M3 partners (MUIS and MESRA), government agencies (MOE, MSF, MCCY, MOH), and community partners.
• b. Serve as an operational point-of-contact for partners to resolve complex operational issues escalated by team.
• c. Ensure high standards of service delivery, partner satisfaction, and relationship sustainability.
• d. Identify opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and value creation with partners.
• e. Represent the team in internal and external meetings, committees, and forums.
• f. Maintain and update repositories of programme resources, partners, and service offerings.
• g. Support cross-departmental collaboration to ensure integrated service delivery.

Financial and Resource Management

• a. Support budget planning, forecasting, monitoring and optimisation of expenditure for departmental programmes.
• b. Ensure prudent use of resources, including procurement, vendor management, and cost controls.
• c. Review financial and operational data to ensure cost-effectiveness and impact-driven decision-making.
• d. Ensure accurate forecasting of resource and staffing needs aligned to programme demand.

People Leadership and Capability Development

• a. Support and mentor programme owners to ensure accountability and performance standards are met.
• b. Foster a collaborative, high-performing, service-oriented team culture aligned with organisational values focused on accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• c. Guide team onboarding, operations, and day-to-day problem-solving.
• d. Conduct performance check-ins and contribute to performance appraisals.
• Identify training needs and support team capability development initiatives.

Requirements

• a. 5 – 8 years of relevant professional experience, preferably in education, youth development, or community programmes.
• b. Min 2 – 3 years in a supervisory or managerial leadership role required.
• c. Degree in Education, Public Policy, Business Administration, Social Sciences or in any other relevant fields.
• d. Postgraduate qualifications or leadership certification will be an advantage.
• e. Good understanding of Singapore’s education and youth landscape.
• f. Strong strategic thinking with the ability to translate strategy into operational execution.
• g. Proven people leadership, coaching, and performance management capabilities.
• h. Strong interpersonal and communication skills to manage stakeholders across different levels.
• i. Strong analytical and data-informed decision-making abilities.
• j. Sound judgement, risk awareness, and problem-solving skills in complex environments.
• k. High level of accountability, resilience, adaptability and initiative.
• l. Strong organisational and prioritisation skills in a fast-paced, multi-stakeholder context.
• m. Able to work independently while collaborating closely with senior leadership.
• n. Proficient in Microsoft Office and relevant programme management or learning management systems.
• o. Proven experience overseeing multi-site or large-scale education programmes will be an advantage.