Deputy Director, Workforce Services

A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research; Singapore; On-site; SGD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research in Singapore seeks a senior leader to run Workforce Services, overseeing HR operations, payroll, benefits, and employee records to support a broad research ecosystem.

You will set strategy, drive process improvements, ensure governance and data integrity, and collaborate with policy, finance and digital teams to deliver reliable, scalable services.

Qualifications

• 10–12 years of relevant HR experience including operations and payroll.
• Experience leading teams and service delivery in a multi-stakeholder environment.
• Strong knowledge of data integrity, governance, records management and compliance.
• Experience driving process improvement, digitisation or automation.
• Strong stakeholder management and analytical problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Set the Workforce Services strategy and operating model aligned to standards and employee journeys.
• Oversee end-to-end HR operations and lifecycle services including onboarding and offboarding.
• Lead payroll administration with statutory obligations, controls and audit readiness.
• Oversee benefits administration including insurance, wellbeing schemes and vendor audits.
• Ensure governance over employee data, personnel files, retention, security, and audit availability.
• Drive service excellence with standards, case resolution and feedback-driven improvements.
• Lead process optimisation and digitalisation using automation and self-service.
• Partner Policy, Finance, Digital and stakeholders to integrate policies and improvements.

Skills

HR operations

Workforce services

Payroll administration

Benefits administration

Employee lifecycle

Stakeholder management

Process improvement

Job description

Job Summary

You will lead Workforce Services for A*STAR, overseeing HR operations, service delivery, payroll, benefits administration and employee records.

Key Responsibilities

• Set the Workforce Services strategy and operating model, ensuring services are organised around clear standards, employee journeys and Research Institute-aligned needs.
• Oversee end-to-end HR operations and employee lifecycle services, including onboarding, employee administration, staff movements, secondments, contract renewals, work pass administration and offboarding.
• Lead payroll administration, including statutory obligations, payroll controls, reconciliation, exception management, business continuity and audit readiness.
• Oversee benefits administration, including insurance, medical and wellbeing schemes, corporate passes, vendor management, benefits-related audits and portfolio audit administration.
• Ensure strong governance over employee data, personnel files and records, including accuracy, retention, security and audit availability.
• Drive service excellence by setting service standards, monitoring case resolution and using employee feedback, service data and operational insights to address pain points.
• Lead process optimisation and digitalisation, using automation, workflow and self-service to simplify HR processes and improve productivity, controls and user experience.
• Partner various teams, including Policy & Governance, Employee Experience, Finance, Digital and business stakeholders to ensure policies are executable, services are integrated and improvements are delivered effectively.

Requirements

• Preferably 10 to 12 years of relevant HR experience, including HR operations, workforce/shared services, payroll, benefits administration or employee lifecycle services.
• Proven experience leading teams and managing service delivery in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
• Strong understanding of operational controls, employee data integrity, records management, audit readiness and statutory compliance relevant to workforce services.
• Experience driving process improvement, digitalisation or automation, with the ability to translate service issues into practical technology-enabled solutions.
• Strong stakeholder management, analytical and problem-solving skills, with the judgement to balance employee experience, service efficiency, governance and risk.

All new hires are appointed on a 3-year renewable contract in the first instance.