Assistant Manager (Research Administration Support), iCORE

A*STAR RESEARCH ENTITIES; Singapore; On-site; SGD 45,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

A*STAR RESEARCH ENTITIES is seeking a Procurement/Contract Manager to drive demand aggregation for laboratory consumables, equipment and services, ensuring cost efficiency, continuity and stakeholder satisfaction.

You will partner with research users, Central Procurement and vendors to consolidate requirements, negotiate terms and manage the end-to-end contract lifecycle, while ensuring compliance with organisational and Government procurement policies.

Qualifications

• Diploma or Bachelor's in SCM, analytics, or related field.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; SAP/Ariba experience advantageous.
• Self-starter with urgency and initiative.
• Ability to work independently and in a team.
• Experience in procurement or contract management preferred.
• Laboratory setting experience advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Support development and implementation of demand aggregation and sourcing strategies.
• Partner with users, Central Procurement and vendors to consolidate requirements.
• Plan and coordinate end-to-end procurement for demand-aggregated items.
• Manage end-to-end contract lifecycle including renewals and close-out.
• Conduct market research, supplier evaluations and negotiations.
• Monitor supplier performance, procurement pipelines, and renewals.
• Analyze procurement spend and risks to identify optimisations.
• Maintain contract records, dashboards, and KPIs.
• Identify and implement process improvements for efficiency.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to support continuous improvement.

Skills

Strong organisational skills

Excellent verbal and written comms

Self-starter with urgency

Independent and team player

Stakeholder management

Problem-solving

Willingness to learn

Multi-priority handling

Education

Diploma or Bachelor's in SCM/Business Analytics/related field

Relevant work experience in Procurement or Contract Management

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

SAP/Ariba

Job description

Job Responsibilities

• Support the development and implementation of demand aggregation and sourcing strategies for laboratory consumables, equipment and services to achieve cost efficiency, supply continuity, and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Partner with research users, Central Procurement and vendors to consolidate procurement requirements, identify demand aggregation opportunities, perform negotiations where necessary and establish contracts that deliver value across the organisation.
• Plan and coordinate the end-to-end procurement process for demand-aggregated laboratory consumables, ensuring timely fulfilment of research requirements in compliance with organisational and Government procurement policies.
• Manage the end-to-end contract lifecycle for assigned contracts, including contract preparation, execution, administration, performance monitoring, variation management, renewals, and contract close-out.
• Conduct market research, supplier evaluations, and commercial negotiations to secure competitive pricing, favourable contract terms, and reliable supply arrangements.
• Monitor supplier performance, contract utilisation, procurement pipelines, and contract renewal schedules to ensure uninterrupted supply and effective contract governance.
• Analyse procurement spend, demand trends, supplier performance, and operational risks to identify opportunities for cost optimisation, process improvements, and risk mitigation.
• Maintain accurate procurement and contract records, including contract repositories, dashboards, and management reports, and provide regular updates on procurement activities and key performance indicators.
• Identify, recommend, and implement process improvements to enhance procurement efficiency, contract management practices, and demand aggregation initiatives.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and cross-functional teams to support continuous improvement initiatives and achieve procurement and operational objectives.

Job Requirements

• Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Analytics, or a related field; or relevant work experience in Procurement or Contract Management.
• Strong organisational skills with meticulous attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Powerpoint, Outlook).
• Experience with usage of SAP/Ariba systems would be advantageous.
• Self-starter with a strong sense of urgency and initiative.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Previous experience with work in a laboratory setting would be advantageous.
• Strong problem-solving skills and a proactive, solution-oriented mindset.
• Willingness to learn and adapt to new challenges.
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, and coordination skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively across teams.
• Mature and logical thinking, dependable, and capable of working with minimal supervision.
• Candidates with no industry experience may also apply