Chief Operating Officer

Management Development Institute of Singapore; Singapore; On-site; SGD 180,000 - 340,000; Full time

Job summary

Management Development Institute of Singapore is seeking a senior leader to set and execute the organisation’s strategic direction, driving sustainable growth, operational excellence, and long‑term business sustainability. You will oversee academic quality, regulatory compliance, financial performance, and market expansion, while leading senior management to deliver student outcomes and stakeholder value.

The role requires building durable partnerships with regulators, industry, and

Qualifications

• At least 15 years of senior management experience, preferably in higher education or training sectors.
• Proven strategic leadership, business growth, and full P&L management.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory landscapes in education and licensing in Singapore.
• Ability to lead multi-functional organisations and cross-border operations.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and drive the organisation’s strategic direction and long‑term plans.
• Lead organisational development initiatives, including market expansion and operations optimisation.
• Take accountability for financial and commercial performance, budgeting, and resource allocation.
• Establish KPIs and governance across multiple business units and functions.
• Drive student enrolment, retention, progression, and student experience.
• Oversee regulatory compliance and governance across Singapore and overseas operations.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Business growth

P&L management

Stakeholder management

Regulatory compliance

Financial planning

Education

Master’s degree or higher in Business/Management

PhD preferred

Job description

• Develop and drive the organisation’s strategic direction to achieve sustainable year-on-year revenue growth, operational excellence, and long-term business sustainability.
• Lead organisational development initiatives, including market expansion, new business opportunities, and the strengthening and optimisation of existing operations.
• Take overall accountability for financial and commercial performance, including revenue generation, cost management, profitability, budgeting, financial planning, and resource allocation.
• Establish organisational performance targets, KPIs, and benchmarks, and ensure effective execution and accountability across multiple business units and functions.
• Drive student enrolment, retention, progression, and overall student experience while maintaining financial sustainability and alignment with the organisation’s strategic objectives.
• Provide strategic oversight of academic quality, ensuring high standards in teaching and learning, programme relevance, student outcomes, and alignment with industry needs and regulatory requirements.
• Develop and implement operational strategies, processes, systems, and governance structures to improve efficiency, scalability, service quality, and overall organisational performance.
• Ensure compliance with applicable Singapore education regulations, licensing and regulatory requirements, and SkillsFuture Singapore requirements, while overseeing regulatory compliance across relevant international operations.
• Provide leadership and oversight across local and overseas operations, ensuring consistent standards of performance, governance, operational effectiveness, and service delivery.
• Oversee commercial services, student support functions, corporate services, and other non-academic operations to ensure effective support of the organisation’s strategic and educational objectives.
• Establish and maintain appropriate governance frameworks, internal controls, enterprise risk management, and business continuity plans, while fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, continuous improvement, and lifelong learning.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders, including the Governing Board, regulators, business partners, academic and professional stakeholders, and other relevant external parties.
• Lead, develop, and empower senior management and cross-functional teams to build a high-performing, accountable, and collaborative organisational culture.
• Undertake additional strategic initiatives, projects, and responsibilities as assigned by the Governing Board or senior leadership.

Requirements

• Master’s degree or higher in Business, Education, Management, or a related discipline. A PhD or equivalent doctoral qualification is preferred.
• Proven experience aligned with the scope of this role, including strategic leadership, business growth, full P&L management, organisational development, operational excellence, academic quality oversight, regulatory compliance, and leadership of complex or multi-functional organisations.
• At least 15 years of senior management experience, preferably within the higher education, adult education, private education, training, or service-based sectors.
• Professional certifications in leadership, finance, governance, education management, or a related discipline will be an advantage.
• Strong track record in business growth, market expansion, operational transformation, and translating organisational strategy into measurable outcomes.
• Strong knowledge of Singapore’s private education and education regulatory landscape, including relevant licensing, regulatory, and SkillsFuture Singapore requirements. Experience in international or cross-border education operations will be an advantage.
• Strong commercial acumen with demonstrated financial, operational, and strategic management capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to balance academic quality, student outcomes, regulatory compliance, and commercial performance.
• Experience in driving student enrolment, retention, progression, and student experience within a higher education, adult education, private education, or training environment will be an advantage.
• Experience in developing and implementing operational strategies, processes, systems, governance frameworks, internal controls, risk management, and business continuity measures.
• Proven ability to build, lead, and develop high-performing senior management and cross-functional teams, with strong stakeholder management skills and experience engaging with regulators, governing boards, business partners, and senior external stakeholders.
• Strong communication, presentation, negotiation, decision-making, and influencing skills, with sound judgement and the ability to operate effectively in complex and evolving business environments.