Associate Director, SCALE (Academic Programmes Office)

Company description:

The National University of Singapore is the national research university of Singapore. Founded in 1905 as the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School, NUS is the oldest higher education institution in Singapore.

Job Description

The School of Continuing and Lifelong Education (SCALE) was established to drive the expansion of NUS' lifelong learning offerings in a concerted and strategic way that furthers our mission to be a leading global university, as well as fulfil our role as a public university of Singapore, shaping the future.

Through SCALE, working adults (i.e. professionals, managers and executives) who aspire to stay relevant and ahead of competition, companies looking to up-skill/re-skill their workforce, and even youths exploring quality tertiary education options, have access to NUS' suite of innovative, world-class continuing and lifelong education offerings.

Drawing on unparalleled access to the multi-disciplinary expertise of 16 other NUS Faculties/Schools, SCALE offers youth, executive and professional development/education programmes, part-time and full-time degree programmes, as well as modular courses that may be taken singly or stacked towards certificates/diplomas/degrees that meet the lifelong learning needs of individuals. All programmes are designed and developed in consultation with the industry to ensure relevance and currency.

About the Role

To augment our manpower resources in the School, we are looking for a suitably qualified candidate to join our Academic Programmes Office, as Head of Graduate Coursework Programmes (Governance & Management).

Reporting to the Assistant Dean, the incumbent plays a critical leadership role in overseeing the strategic direction, quality assurance, and operational management of graduate coursework programmes. This role ensures that programmes align with institutional goals, University standards, and evolving industry and academic trends. The incumbent is responsible for driving governance initiatives, ensuring compliance with higher education regulations while promoting continuous improvement in academic standards and student experience.

This role is offered on a 3-year renewable contract basis in the first instance, with the prospect of a regular open employment contract thereafter subject to satisfactory job performance during the first 3 years.

Remuneration is based on a 12-month salary structure, with an annual variable bonus which is subject to the incumbent's performance and the University/School's prevailing remuneration policies.

The incumbent will be emplaced at an appropriate appointment grade based on his/her individual merits.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Strategic Leadership & Policy Planning
   • Develop and implement academic policies and frameworks.
   • Align graduate programmes with institutional strategic goals.
   • Participate in university leadership meetings and decision-making.
   • Ensure compliance with higher education policies and regulations.
2. Curriculum & Oversight
   • Develop and enforce university governance frameworks for coursework programme.
   • Conduct regular curriculum reviews and updates.
   • Collate, review and consolidate reports from academic units for strategic oversight.
3. Student Wellbeing & Experience
   • Develop student advisory and mentorship programmes and policies.
   • Coordinate student wellbeing programmes within the University.
   • Organize feedback sessions to assess student satisfaction.
   • Improve student support services, including career counseling.
   • Monitor retention and graduation rates, implementing interventions where necessary.
4. Accreditation & Quality Assurance
   • Prepare and submit accreditation reports to regulatory bodies.
   • Implement continuous quality improvement processes.
   • Conduct internal and external programme reviews.
   • Ensure adherence to national and international academic standards.
5. Innovation & Strategy
   • Develop and shape NUS strategy on coursework programmes.
   • Conceptualise and develop new niches for coursework programmes.
   • Develop and support multi/interdisciplinary collaborations for innovative problem-solving.
   • Promote the integration of digital tools and e-learning platforms.
6. Diversity & Accessibility
   • Develop and enforce policies on the diversity of student populations of coursework programmes.
   • Partner with organizations supporting accessibility in education.
   • Establish scholarships and funding opportunities for underrepresented students.
7. Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships
   • Facilitate partnerships with technology and research organizations.
   • Build relationships with industry partners and employers.
   • Engage alumni in mentorship and networking initiatives.
   • Develop internship and employment collaboration opportunities.
8. General Duties
   • Review relevant data and analyze statistics for reporting to senior management and internal/external stakeholders.
   • Review and streamline processes and systems for optimal efficiency and stakeholder experience.
   • Oversee communication matters within APO.

Requirements:

1. Academic & Professional Certification
   • At least a good bachelor's degree in any discipline from a reputable university.
   • Strong English language proficiency is essential and proficiency in Mandarin will be an advantage to attend to Mandarin speaking clients locally and in the region.
   • IT savvy and proficient in MS Office applications.
2. Experience & Attributes
   • At least 15 years' relevant work experience, with at least the last 10 years in a similar capacity.
   • Energetic and skilled people manager, able to lead and rally a team towards achieving common objectives in a fast-paced, results-oriented and ambiguous work environment.
   • Highly numerate, analytical and meticulous with strong administration skills.
   • Strong project management and organisational skills.
   • Driven self-starter with strong analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
   • Results-driven, self-motivated and highly disciplined.
   • Exceptional/Good verbal and written communication skills.
   • Excellent interpersonal, communication (verbal & written) and presentation skills; flexible in adapting public speaking/presentation styles to audience of diverse background and culture.
   • Proven leadership skills to inspire, galvanise and engage staff members at all levels and with external stakeholders, functioning effectively in a complex, uncertain and ambiguous environment.
   • Strong team player, able to work collaboratively with various stakeholders to achieve desired outcomes.
   • Resilient, resourceful with good problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, and thrives in a fast-paced, results-oriented and ambiguous work environment.

To expedite application processing, a copy of academic certificates and transcripts from GCE O-level onwards should be uploaded via the online application portal. Salary expectations, if quoted, should be on a 12-month guaranteed basis; do not include variable components like performance bonuses, incentives & allowances.

More Information

Location: Kent Ridge Campus

Organization: School of Continuing And Lifelong Education

Department : Academic Programmes Office

Employee Referral Eligible:

Job requisition ID : 28257