Assistant Director (National Identity & Integration), RED

Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth; Singapore; On-site; SGD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth is seeking an Assistant Director in the Resilience and Engagement Division to lead a dynamic team and collaborate with public, private and people-sector partners to design and implement sense-making mechanisms assessing how national identity, social cohesion and solidarity are shaped in Singapore.

You will monitor integration between locals and newcomers and Singaporeans’ sense of national identity, develop and review strategies, policies and

Qualifications

• Deep understanding of Singapore’s political and social contexts.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with team leadership experience.
• Experience coordinating cross-agency collaborations and initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead a dynamic team of officers, collaborating with stakeholders across public, private, and people sectors to design and implement sense-making mechanisms assessing national identity, social cohesion and solidarity in Singapore.
• Monitor and analyse the state of integration between locals and newcomers and Singaporeans’ sense of national identity.
• Develop and review strategies, policies, and programmes to strengthen national identity or social cohesion, coordinating with other government agencies on cross-cutting issues.
• Plan and coordinate whole-of-government platforms driving the national identity and social cohesion agenda, such as the National Integration Council.
• Enlist and engage non-government stakeholders to co-create solutions and drive the agenda on social cohesion and solidarity.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Data-driven policy analysis

Deep critical thinking

Clear writing

Policy design

Cross-agency collaboration

People leadership

Public policy impact

Job description

What the role is:

Our work in the Resilience and Engagement Division (RED) centres on strengthening national identity, enhancing social cohesion and solidarity, and commitment to contribute to the common good.We do this through three pillars of work which have an impact on both locals and newcomers into Singapore society: fostering a strong and inclusive sense of national identity, helping newcomers integrate into Singapore and appreciate what it means to be part of Singapore, and promoting a culture of volunteerism and giving.You will be part of our team that reviews and formulates policies, strategies and plans to strengthen citizens’ sense of belonging to Singapore, social cohesion and solidarity, and commitment to contribute to the common good. Our work focuses not only on Singaporeans, but also supporting the integration of newcomers into Singapore society.

What you will be working on:

• As an Assistant Director in RED, you will lead a dynamic team of officers, and work closely with a wide range of stakeholders across the public, private, and people sectors, to: Design and implement sense-making mechanisms involving quantitative and qualitative sources of information, to assess the impact and implications of issues and efforts that drive national identity, social cohesion and solidarity in Singapore to inform our strategies and programming.
• Monitor and analyse the state of integration between locals and newcomers in Singapore and Singaporeans’ sense of national identity.
• Develop and review strategies, policies, and programmes to address challenges and opportunities to strengthen national identity or social cohesion and solidarity, as well as develop, implement and evaluate corresponding recommendations. This will involve working with other government agencies to address cross-cutting issues.
• Plan and coordinate whole-of-government platforms that drive the agenda on national identity and social cohesion, such as the National Integration Council.
• Enlist and engage non-government stakeholders to co-create solutions, and drive efforts to help drive our agenda on social cohesion and solidarity.

What we are looking for:

Competency Requirements

• Stakeholder Engagement
  • Formulate and evaluate stakeholder engagement strategies to achieve desired outcomes, including finding ways to strengthen the impact of engagement efforts with existing stakeholders and fostering strategic partnerships with new stakeholders.
  • Build trust and enduring relationships with key stakeholders, as well as drive alignment of strategic priorities with the view to forge common ground and secure constructive outcomes.
• Data-driven Policy Analysis
  • Guide team to effectively collect, report, analyse, and synthesise insights from relevant quantitative and qualitative datasets, to review policies, programmes and initiatives, and develop evidence-based recommendations for new or improved strategies.
• Deep Critical Thinking
  • Guide team to anticipate key policy drivers and accurately identify emerging complex and cross-cutting issues, and to develop effective, evidence-based policy solutions that are clear and actionable, while navigating complex societal contexts.
• Clear and Concise Writing
  • Coach team and set out good practices, so that they are able to clearly and concisely tailor written communications for different target audiences to support effective decision-making.
• Design for Implementation and Communication
  • Develop and implement policies that integrate strategic communications considerations from inception, ensuring effective public engagement and stakeholder buy-in.
  • Lead the execution of policy solutions through appropriate platforms and processes, with strong awareness of implementation challenges and the ability to work with key stakeholders to address obstacles.
  • Balance strategic vision with practical realities, ensuring policies are well-communicated and successfully delivered to meet intended objectives.
• Other Requirements
  • Deep understanding of Singapore’s political and social contexts
  • Good networks across ministries and agencies
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and able to effectively lead a team, with a passion for developing people and building a strong team
• Experiences
  • Experience in coordinating cross-agency collaborations and initiatives
• Personality Traits
  • A passion for Singapore and keen interest to contribute to our mission of building national identity.
  • A self-starter who is mature, resourceful and meticulous.
  • Works well within and across teams by building rapport and trust with others.
  • Possess a natural bias for action and a strong drive to effect change, solve problems, and see tasks through to completion.

*Successful candidate will be offered 2-year contract in first instance, with potential for extension or confirmation.

About Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth

We aim to build a cohesive and resilient society, deepening the sense of national identity and affinity for Singapore through strengthening community bonds, promoting of the arts and heritage, youth engagement, sports development, volunteerism and philanthropy.