Deputy Director, AI & Trust

Public Service Division; Singapore; On-site; SGD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Public Service Division seeks an Assistant/Deputy Director to lead national R&D strategies in AI and Trust Technologies and to forge international partnerships. You will work across public agencies, industry, and academia to drive major RIE funding initiatives and shape Singapore’s digital governance with thought leadership.

The role emphasizes strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and team mentorship in a dynamic, cross-domain environment. Position is Singapore-based with high visibility.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or related field.
• 15+ years experience leading technology teams in research or engineering.
• Familiar with RIE ecosystem.
• Strategic thinker with collaborative attitude and strong teamwork.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, with presentation skills.
• Strong stakeholder management with local and overseas partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and execution of national R&D strategies in AI and Trust Technologies, identifying capability gaps and strategic interventions.
• Collaborate with public agencies, industry and academia to drive RIE funding initiatives.
• Drive international collaborations to position Singapore as a trusted node for global tech standards.
• Represent Singapore/IMDA at forums and standards committees; publish thought leadership.
• Monitor global shifts in AI and Trust Technologies; provide timely recommendations to inform policy and value capture.
• Mentor and coach the team to foster curiosity, continuous improvement and development.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Leadership/mentoring

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Presentation skills

Education

Bachelor degree in Computer Science/Computer Engineering or related field

Job description

[What the role is]

IMDA is spearheading Singapore’s drive to be a world leading Digital Economy. IMDA aims to empower our companies and workforce to harness the power of digital technologies to drive innovation and foster trust in an increasingly digital world.

We are looking for an Assistant Director/ Deputy Director who will play a pivotal role in leading our Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) efforts in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Trust Technologies, cross-domain research, and research to business development. The successful candidate is a highly motivated and independent team player who has demonstrated experience developing research to business strategies, driving thought leadership activities for Singapore and orchestrating international partnerships through the RIE. He/she will have opportunities to collaborate with local and international research communities and international organisations, such as OECD, to drive technology thought leadership.

Join us in our journey and jointly architect Singapore’s digital future.

[What you will be working on]

• Lead the development and execution of national R&D strategies in AI and Trust Technologies,identifyingcritical capability gaps and formulating strategic interventionsto reinforce Singapore’s position as a trusted Global Digital Hub.

• Work with public agencies,industryand academia to drive the conceptualisation and preparation of major RIE funding initiatives.

• Drive international collaborations with established key opinion leaders as well as promising/emerging researchers and research institutes. Position Singapore as a trusted node where global tech representatives (industry, academia, govt)conveneto establish new consensus on technology (e.g. global specifications and standards).

• Represent Singapore and/or IMDA at relevant research and technology forums and standards setting committees. Establish IMDA’s thought leadership in AI and Trust Technologiesin blogs, socialmediaand papers.

• Support the senior leadership team in monitoring and contextualising global shifts and technologydevelopmentsinAI andTrust Technologiesand cross-domainresearch, to maketimelyrecommendations to drive policy, capture new value and/or pre-emptanticipatedrisks.

• Mentor and coach the team. Instil a culture of curiosity, compassion, continuousimprovementand continuous development.

[What we are looking for]

• Holds at least Bachelor Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or a related field

• At least 15 years of experience in managing technology teams in research and/or engineering

• Familiarity with RIE ecosystem

• Strategic thinker with collaborative attitude anda strong teamplayer.

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, as well as strong presentation and engagement skills

• Strong stakeholder management skills to work with both local and overseas partners. Ability to convene senior stakeholders in frank discussions and forge mutually beneficial paths forward

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Position will be commensurate with experience.

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