Deputy Director, SME Partners

National Trades Union Congress (NTUC); Singapore; On-site; SGD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

NTUC is seeking a Deputy Director for SME Partners to provide strategic and operational leadership for industry clusters and company accounts. You will lead a team of Industry Training Officers to drive business transformation, workforce upskilling, and stakeholder engagement across SMEs.

You will translate priorities into strategies, manage programs, and strengthen NTUC's value proposition to unions, companies, and workers, delivering scalable transformation outcomes while building capabilities

Qualifications

• Evidence of leadership in industry development, workforce transformation, or related fields.
• Experience delivering multi-priority outcomes with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to engage senior stakeholders including business owners and public-sector partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead assigned industry clusters and translate priorities into strategies and outcomes.
• Drive transformation initiatives such as business transformation, job redesign, upskilling, and productivity adoption.
• Develop sector-level partnerships with trade associations, unions, and government agencies to expand SME outreach.
• Lead a team of Industry Training Officers, set expectations, and oversee delivery and pipelines.
• Engage senior stakeholders to understand business and workforce needs and strengthen NTUC's value proposition.

Skills

Leadership experience

Team leadership

Business transformation

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical skills

SME experience

Job description

Who We Are.

Pioneering workers' rights since 1961, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) unites 59 trade unions, seven trade associations, 12 social enterprises, and other enterprise partners as we create better lives for workers here in Singapore.

Our work cuts across the different ages and stages of life as we walk the ground and respond to everyday needs. Through initiatives that protect our workers at work, transform careers, manage the cost of living, help with financial resilience and health, and nurture relationships for families, we champion every worker through every touch point as we work towards better wages, welfare, and work prospects.

Because Every Worker Matters.

The Role

Deputy Director, SME Partners

Role Purpose

The Deputy Director provides strategic and operational leadership for a portfolio of industry clusters and company accounts within SME Partners. The role leads a team of Industry Training Officers (ITOs) to drive business, workforce and workplace transformation for SMEs.

The Deputy Director is responsible for achieving organisational targets, strengthening stakeholder partnerships, developing scalable transformation solutions and building team capabilities to deliver SME transformation outcomes at scale.

Key Responsibilities

• Cluster & Transformation Leadership


• Lead assigned industry clusters and translate organisational priorities into clear strategies, workplans and outcomes.


• Drive company engagement and transformation initiatives, including CTC development, business transformation, job redesign, workforce upskilling, and productivity and technology adoption.


• Develop and lead sector-level strategies and partnership models with trade associations, unions, government agencies, institutes of higher learning and ecosystem partners to expand SME outreach and deliver transformation outcomes at scale.


• 2. Leadership & People Management


• Lead, coach and develop a team of ITOs, setting clear expectations for engagement, delivery and outcomes.


• Deploy resources effectively and oversee team performance, project delivery, pipelines and operational priorities.


• Strengthen team capabilities in business development, stakeholder engagement, advisory, facilitation and project management.


• Company & Stakeholder Engagement


• Build strong relationships with SME owners, union leaders and ecosystem partners.


• Engage senior stakeholders to understand business and workforce needs, identify opportunities and strengthen NTUC's value proposition.


• Represent SME Partners at strategic and industry platforms and facilitate alignment across stakeholders.


• Provide strategic advice and recommendations to senior management, supported by industry intelligence, market analysis, stakeholder insights and implementation considerations.


• Orchestrate relevant capabilities across SME Partners, unions and the wider NTUC and Job Security Directorate ecosystem to deliver integrated business and workforce solutions for companies and workers.


• 4. Performance, Governance & Innovation


• Oversee cluster performance, project pipelines and transformation outcomes, using data and insights to guide priorities and resource allocation.


• Drive collaboration and sharing of capabilities and successful practices across clusters.


• Conceptualise, develop and operationalise new programmes, partnership platforms and scalable solutions that address emerging business and workforce needs, including the practical adoption of technology, data and AI.

What We Are Looking For

• Proven leadership experience in industry development, workforce/business transformation, consulting, organisational development, human capital, operations or related fields.


• Strong track record of leading teams and delivering outcomes across multiple priorities.


• Strong business acumen and ability to engage credibly with business owners, C-suite leaders, union leaders and senior public-sector stakeholders.


• Strong analytical ability, including the use of data and market insights to guide priorities, assess opportunities and drive performance.


• Experience working with SMEs and developing strategic partnerships or scalable operating models across multiple stakeholder groups.

The Successful Candidate

We are looking for a leader who can operate effectively at both strategic and execution levels, lead and develop people, navigate diverse stakeholder interests, and take ownership of the performance and development of assigned clusters.

The successful candidate will play a key role in translating industry and company transformation opportunities into tangible workforce outcomes while strengthening labour-management partnerships and NTUC's value proposition to unions, companies and workers.

We regret to inform that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.