Assistant Director (Urban Futures)

Ministry of National Development; Singapore; On-site; SGD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency in Singapore is seeking an experienced Assistant Director (Urban Futures) to lead research projects on urban liveability and resilience. The ideal candidate will have 3-5 years of experience and be proficient in data analysis, project management, and communication. This role offers the opportunity to work on policy research that impacts Singapore's urban landscape and to collaborate with experts in the field. Join us to contribute to sustainable urban development and address future challenges.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Collaboration with industry experts

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of relevant experience in policy research or related fields.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Understanding of scientific methodologies for research projects.

Responsibilities

• Drive knowledge work in urban futures-related studies.
• Develop detailed research roadmaps and synthesize data.
• Engage with local and international experts for project collaboration.

Skills

Futures thinking mindset

Data analysis

Project management

Communication abilities

Interpersonal skills

Education

Relevant degree in Urban Planning, Public Policy, or related field

Tools

Geospatial Science software

Data Analytics tools

Job description

What the role is

CLC serves as a knowledge centre for the Infrastructure and Built Environment sector under the Ministry of National Development. Our mission is to identify and address future challenges for Singapore and other cities through our foresight capability, knowledge and capability development and strategic platforms, including the World Cities Summit. Our work on policy research draws insights from our network of experts and knowledge partners and takes an evidence-based approach to inform urban planning and policy development in Singapore. You can expect a dynamic and rewarding career at CLC, where you will help bring together city leaders and experts from around the world to create knowledge and apply these to addressing contemporary urban challenges and identifying critical opportunities.

Job scope

CLC’s futures and cities-oriented knowledge work in the built environment focuses on the following policy research domains:

• Future of Urban Liveability – How liveability can be maintained as Singapore grows, both in terms of population as well as growing older as a society, with more diverse demographics. How can planning and policies in the built environment respond to these changes? How do we measure liveability outcomes, involving complex notions of wellness, sustainability, rather than output indicators?
• Urban resilience – How cities can be responsive to citizen’s needs through the inter-play of urban governance and collaborative systems, urban design, districts/infrastructure planning and development to maintain liveablity.
• Science of cities enablers – How cities can leverage the application of relevant approaches/methods such as urban science, foresight, indices, and social and behavioural sciences in maintaining liveability.

What you will be working on

For the role of Assistant Director (Urban Futures), you will help to drive CLC’s knowledge work in projects such as the Future of Urban Liveability, Future of…studies, etc, grouped under the broad theme of Urban Futures. The studies take on a systems-level view of the policy pathways and urban governance considerations towards how the changes to the nature of work and shifts in live-work patterns impact how districts and neighbourhoods need to be transformed, as well as the infrastructure and management that needed to be put in place to support the transformation of the city, in the light of future disruptions. You may also work on topics related to the future the urban environment, such as the quality of the dense living environment, as well as review of indicators and metrics used to quantify liveability. You will work with team supervisors and members on challenging urban systems projects, develop detailed research roadmaps, utilise our research enablers and adopt data/science-based and people-centric approaches for these projects, with the intent of translating the applied research into policy. In your work, you will also synthesise information and analyse data from local and international sources, convene thought leadership sessions and in some instances, commission research to be done by universities and research institutes. There will also be opportunities for you to be involved in other related research projects, to diversify your research portfolio and acquire new skills. As part of conducting these policy futures projects, you may also be involved in publications, work closely with policymakers, planners, local and foreign experts, and industry practitioners to drive policy discussions and develop CLC’s interests. You will also be involved in work that helps to support and maintain CLC’s strategic partnerships with our knowledge or corporate partners. You may expect to share the output from your policy-futures work at CLC’s capacity development programmes which train urban leaders from Singapore and other cities. You may also contribute to curating and participating in the biennial World Cities Summit, Science of Cities Symposium, and other platforms for knowledge sharing.

What we are looking for

Profile and Competencies:

• Possesses a futures thinking mindset and keen interest in the policies and plans that underpin and drive urban development in Singapore, and in other cities.
• Possesses an inquisitive mind with good adaptive and communication abilities, interpersonal skills, management of stakeholders, and a sense of responsibility and drive for continuous self-development.
• Ability to organise, visualise and analyse data and research, present concise analysis findings, and communicate clear insights and recommendations for policies and planning in Singapore and other cities.
• Ability to work well independently and in a team setting.
• Strong experience in project management, i.e., ability to manage timelines and steer multi-stakeholder research projects to achieve set goals.
• At least 3-5 years (Assistant Director) of relevant experience in policy research, as a policy maker or practitioner involved in one or more of the following domains, namely, Urban Planning & Design, Architecture, Real Estate Development, Public Policy and Management, Sustainable Development, Urban Sociology/Economics and/or Urban Systems Design/Engineering.
• Ability to understand and apply scientific principles, methodologies and tools in research projects, translating qualitative and quantitative findings into practice-oriented research, and a keen interest in emerging urban challenges and innovative approaches for futures-oriented research.
• Proficiency in Planning and Development, Public Policy Analysis, Statistics, Data Visualisation, Computation, and/or Geospatial Science software, and Research Frameworks development and Data Analytics skillsets would be advantageous.

About Ministry of National Development

The Ministry of National Development (MND), the lead government agency responsible for land use planning and infrastructure development, aims to transform Singapore into an endearing home and a distinctive global city. At MND, we aspire to create a quality, vibrant and sustainable living environment for our people. We also strive to shape Singapore into a world-class city of knowledge, culture and excellence – one which keeps pace with global challenges and the rising aspirations of Singaporeans. Our Vision: An Endearing Home, A Distinctive Global City. MND's vision reflects our growing emphasis not just on physical infrastructure, but also on the softer aspects of creating emotional attachment in our people, the global talents and corporations whom we attract here. At the same time, it articulates MND's goal of building upon Singapore’s unique distinguishing characteristics to develop Singapore as a global city of knowledge, culture and excellence. Our Mission: Develop World-Class Infrastructure. MND will provide quality physical infrastructure for the nation by working with our partners in the public and private sectors. Create a Vibrant, Resilient and Sustainable Living Environment. MND will strive to make Singapore a livelier and more exciting city, and ensure our nation is well-prepared to face the growing uncertainties and complexities. MND will also maintain the quality and resilience of our built and natural environment to ensure high standards of living, and carry out development that meets the needs of the present without compromising that of future generations. Provide Affordable and Accessible Public Housing. MND will commit to support Singaporeans' homeownership aspirations and ensure public housing remains affordable and accessible. Build Rooted and Cohesive Communities. MND will strive to foster our citizens' attachment and love for our homeland and maintain social cohesiveness in our communities, even as Singapore continues to be an open and globalised society.