Head of Insights

Kaplan Singapore; Singapore; Hybrid; SGD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

An international education provider in Singapore seeks a Head of Insights to turn data into actionable insights for strategic decision-making. The ideal candidate will lead the insights team, working closely with senior management to ensure that data is translated into clear analysis and recommendations. A strong background in business intelligence, analytics, and education is essential. The role offers a hybrid work environment, combining in-office and remote work arrangements.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Recognition as one of Singapore's Best Employers

Qualifications

• Strong senior experience in business intelligence or data-driven transformation.
• Ability to use insights to influence senior decision makers.
• Experience in leading and developing multi-disciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the shift towards evidence-based decision-making.
• Provide insights on student demand, enrolments, and operational performance.
• Develop dashboards and reporting solutions for executives.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Data storytelling

Stakeholder management

Commercial acumen

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Master's degree in Business Analytics or similar

Tools

Power BI

CRM systems

Job description

About Us

Kaplan Higher Education Academy (Kaplan) is part of Kaplan Inc., one of the world's most diverse education providers and the largest subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE:GHC).

Kaplan has welcomed students from over 55 countries and regions. As a Lifelong Integrated Learning Partner, we offer over 450 academic and professional certification programme options* for higher learning and skills development, providing opportunities for individuals to always stay relevant. To date, these opportunities have benefitted more than 100,000 graduates^.

We have a diverse team of individuals dedicated to our mission to help individuals achieve their educational and career goals, and build futures, one success story at a time. Our core values – Opportunity, Knowledge, Support, Integrity and Results – help guide the way we work.

At Kaplan, our employees are our most valuable assets, and everyone's contribution is integral to our success. We have been recognised by The Straits Times, for the second successive year, as being one of Singapore's Best Employers for 2023. This large-scale and comprehensive study assessed the attractiveness of organisations in Singapore based on an independent employee survey.

We strive to continue providing a professional, positive and stimulating work enviroment with plenty of room for initiatives, so that our employees can thrive with us. If you are seeking opportunities for growth, we welcome you to write to us!

*Based on full-time and part-time study modes across programmes offered at Kaplan.

^Total Diploma and Degree graduates from Kaplan from 2007 to 2023.

Job Description

THE ROLE: Head of Insights

The Head of Insights is a senior business partner to the Managing Director and senior leadership team, responsible for turning data (internal and external, quantitative and qualitative) into clear, actionable insight that shapes strategy, improves performance and supports growth for Kaplan Singapore. Over the 12-month contract, the role exists to turn data –internal and external, quantitative and qualitative – into clear, actionable insight that shapes strategy, improves performance and supports growth for Kaplan Singapore. The role holder will:

• Lead the organisation's shift towards genuinely evidence-based decision-making.
• Work closely with business leaders to understand their priorities and questions, and translate these into insight and analysis.
• Ensure that reliable data and insights (e.g. via Power BI and other tools) are readily available and easy-to-use for leaders and managers.
• Proactively surface trends, opportunities and risks, rather than only responding to ad hoc reporting requests.
• Combine operational and financial data with external benchmarks, market intelligence and anecdotal feedback to give a rounded view of performance.

They will steward the overall data and insights agenda – including people, processes, and tools – but with a primary focus on business impact rather than technology for its own sake.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Insight Leadership

• Act as the primary advisor to the senior management team on performance, trends, risks and opportunities.
• Work with leaders to define the key questions the business needs to answer, and design the analyses that address them.
• Develop and maintain a coherent "insight agenda" aligned to Kaplan Singapore's strategy, annual plan and key initiatives.
• Provide regular, forward-looking insights on student demand, enrolments, profitability, student experience and operational performance.
• Support the MD and senior team in preparing board papers, strategy reviews and business cases with robust evidence and clear narratives.

Business Partnering with Senior Leaders

• Build strong relationships with leaders across commercial, academic, operations, finance, marketing, AI, IT and student support.
• Listen carefully to business needs and pain points, and translate them into practical insight and reporting solutions.
• Facilitate discussions that help leaders interpret data, challenge assumptions and agree clear actions.
• Coach senior stakeholders on how to frame analytical questions, use dashboards effectively and interpret uncertainty or limitations in the data.
• Act as a "critical friend" to business owners – willing to challenge, test hypotheses and highlight uncomfortable truths where needed.

Internal & External Data, Benchmarking and Storytelling

• Bring together data from core internal systems (e.g. CRM, student systems, finance, marketing platforms) to give a joined up view of the student and revenue lifecycle.
• Systematically incorporate external data: market and competitor information, regulatory statistics, industry benchmarks and macro trends relevant to Kaplan Singapore.
• Use qualitative and anecdotal inputs (e.g. student and staff feedback, partner comments) alongside quantitative metrics to provide context.
• Develop clear, concise narratives and visualisations that explain what is happening, why it is happening, and what should be done about it.
• Ensure that insights are tailored to different audiences – from operational managers to executives and the board.

Insight Products, Dashboards and Self‑Service

• Own the roadmap for management information and insight products (e.g. Power BI dashboards, standard reports, analytical tools).
• Prioritise reporting and analysis that drive decisions and value, rather than producing large volumes of low‑impact reports.
• Ensure core dashboards are accurate, intuitive and focused on the metrics that matter (e.g. enrolments, retention, profitability, satisfaction, pipeline health).
• Work with IT and relevant vendors to ensure the underlying data infrastructure and tools are fit for purpose.
• Promote self‑service access to trusted data for managers, while providing guidance so that self‑service does not create confusion or conflicting numbers.

Data Transformation & Governance (Enabler to Insight)

• Lead, in partnership with IT, AI and Group functions, the evolution of Kaplan Singapore's data environment to better support insight and decision making.
• Oversee key data initiatives (e.g. data platform/warehouse, BI tooling upgrades, integration improvements) from a business outcome perspective.
• Define and champion clear data ownership, definitions and standards for core metrics so that there is "one version of the truth".
• Ensure data quality issues that materially affect insight or decision‑making are identified, prioritised and addressed.
• Make sure data use complies with relevant privacy, security and regulatory requirements, and that leaders understand any constraints.

Data Culture, Capability and Literacy

• Lead the shift from reactive reporting to a culture where data and insight are routinely used to test ideas and measure impact.
• Design and deliver simple interventions (briefings, clinics, drop‑in sessions, training) to build confidence in using data across the business.
• Help teams set meaningful KPIs and targets, and design sensible ways to track progress.
• Promote disciplined use of experiments, pilots and A/B tests where appropriate, ensuring results are interpreted correctly.
• Create a narrative across Kaplan Singapore about how data and insight contribute to better student outcomes and stronger commercial performance.

Team Leadership

• Lead and develop the Data & Reporting team so that it is seen as a trusted, high‑performing business partner.
• Set clear priorities, standards and ways of working (e.g. documentation, reproducible analysis, code quality where relevant).
• Balance workloads between business‑as‑usual reporting, ad‑hoc requests and more strategic analysis.
• Manage relationships with Group data teams and external partners to leverage expertise and avoid duplication.
• Model collaborative, pragmatic and solution‑oriented behaviour.

Financial Stewardship & Value Realisation

• Manage budgets related to data, analytics and BI tools, ensuring spend is justified by clear business benefits.
• Build concise business cases for new investments in data, insight or tools, with tangible value measures.
• Track and report the impact of key data and insight initiatives (e.g. revenue uplift, cost savings, improved conversion, reduced churn, better utilisation).
• Support senior leaders in quantifying and monitoring the benefits of strategic initiatives using agreed metrics.

Qualifications

While not strictly required if experience is strong, we would typically seek a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as:

• Business, Economics or Management
• Data Science / Business Analytics
• Information Systems / Computer Science
• Mathematics / Statistics
• Other relevant quantitative discipline

A Master's degree would be advantageous, particularly in:

• Business Analytics / Data Science / Applied Analytics
• MBA (or similar), ideally with a focus on strategy, digital or analytics
• Other relevant postgraduate qualification

Equivalent professional experience in senior analytics, strategy or commercial roles will be considered in lieu of formal qualifications.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Significant senior experience in roles such as commercial analytics, strategy, business intelligence or data‑driven transformation.
• Proven track record of using insight to influence senior decision makers and shape business strategy.
• Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to link analysis to revenue, cost, risk and student outcomes.
• Demonstrated experience translating business questions into structured analysis and clear recommendations.
• Proven ability to combine internal performance data with external benchmarks and market intelligence.
• Experience designing and overseeing dashboards and reporting for executives and operational managers (Power BI or similar).
• Exposure to modern data environments and ways of working (e.g. data platforms/warehouses, cloud, integrated systems) – able to work credibly with technical teams without needing to be a hands‑on engineer.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, including the ability to challenge constructively and manage conflicting priorities.
• Excellent communication and data storytelling skills – able to simplify complexity and focus attention on the "so what".
• Experience leading and developing a small multi‑disciplinary team and coordinating vendor or Group resources.

Desirable

• Experience in higher education, transnational education, or similarly complex service environments.
• Experience in organisations with regional or global structures and matrix reporting.
• Familiarity with advanced analytics or AI use cases (e.g. forecasting, propensity modelling, student risk models) and associated governance.
• Experience working within agile or hybrid delivery environments.

Competencies & Behaviours

• Strategic and commercial thinker – sees the bigger picture, understands trade‑offs, and focuses effort where it creates value.
• Proactive and curious – constantly looks for patterns, outliers and opportunities to improve performance; does not wait to be asked.
• Business‑savvy partner – speaks the language of the business, not just the language of data.
• Inclusive, collaborative leader – builds trust, listens actively and brings people together around shared facts and goals.
• Clear communicator – able to explain complex or imperfect data in plain language, including limitations and risks.
• Comfortable with ambiguity – can work with incomplete information, make sensible assumptions and drive towards clarity.
• High integrity and data ethics – respects confidentiality, uses data responsibly and challenges misuse.
• Continuous improvement mindset – seeks simpler, better ways to deliver insight and eliminate low‑value work.

Other Information

• Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.
• Work Arrangements: Hybrid (Blend of in‑office and remote work)
• Location: Wilkie Edge