Manager / Senior Manager, Central Grants Team, Finance

A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research; Singapore; On-site; SGD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research in Singapore seeks a Senior Manager for Central Grants Team – Grants submission to oversee end-to-end grant submissions, ensure compliance, and optimize processes. You will lead a team of grants specialists, coordinate with internal and external partners, and deliver timely, accurate reporting to stakeholders.

The ideal candidate brings 3–5 years of leadership experience, strong expertise in SAP S/4HANA, Tableau, and Power BI, and a proven

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accountancy or equivalent finance and accounting qualification.
• 2–3 years of experience in managing a team and overseeing multi-departmental collaboration.
• Proficiency in SAP S4 Hana/SAP systems, grant management, RPA, and analytical tools like Tableau and Power BI is advantageous.
• Strong leadership capabilities with the ability to inspire and motivate a team.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Meticulous, self-driven and able to multitask in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the end-to-end processing of grant submissions and ensure compliance with grant terms.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to resolve grant processing issues and ensure timely submissions.
• Maintain records of grant submissions and supporting documentation for audits.
• Lead and develop a grants team, setting goals and performance expectations.
• Maintain Power BI dashboards for management reporting and data-driven decision making.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accountancy or equivalent finance and accounting qualification

Tools

SAP S/4HANA

Tableau

Power BI

RPA

Job description

Job Overview

Job Overview for Senior Manager (Central Grants Team – Grants submission) The Senior Manager, Grants Management will be responsible for overseeing the administration and management of various grants. This role requires a strategic thinker with strong leadership skills to lead a team of grants administration specialists, ensuring the effective and efficient processing of grant submissions in compliance with grant terms and conditions. This individual will work closely with internal stakeholders and external partners to maximize the impact of grant funding, ensure timely accurate reporting, and foster the development of strong, sustainable funding partnerships.

• Manage the end-to-end processing of various grant submissions, ensuring compliance with the grant terms and conditions outlined by various grantors. This includes reviewing the grant expenditures, identifying non-fundable items, conducting budgetary checks, etc.
• Collaborate with all stakeholders to clarify and resolve issues or queries related to grant processing, ensuring accurate and timely submission.
• Ensure proper records of grant submissions and supporting documentation are maintained for review and audit purposes.
• Monitor, update and review work schedules to resolve any bottlenecks and provide timely and accurate reports on the status and progress of grant submissions.
• Provide regular updates to senior leadership on the status of current grants, promptly highlighting any issues to ensure timely resolution.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for all stakeholders for complex grant administrative queries.

Job Overview

Job Overview for Senior Manager (Central Grants Team – Grants submission) The Senior Manager, Grants Management will be responsible for overseeing the administration and management of various grants. This role requires a strategic thinker with strong leadership skills to lead a team of grants administration specialists, ensuring the effective and efficient processing of grant submissions in compliance with grant terms and conditions. This individual will work closely with internal stakeholders and external partners to maximize the impact of grant funding, ensure timely accurate reporting, and foster the development of strong, sustainable funding partnerships.

Key Responsibilities: Grant Administration

• Manage the end-to-end processing of various grant submissions, ensuring compliance with the grant terms and conditions outlined by various grantors. This includes reviewing the grant expenditures, identifying non-fundable items, conducting budgetary checks, etc.
• Collaborate with all stakeholders to clarify and resolve issues or queries related to grant processing, ensuring accurate and timely submission.
• Ensure proper records of grant submissions and supporting documentation are maintained for review and audit purposes.
• Monitor, update and review work schedules to resolve any bottlenecks and provide timely and accurate reports on the status and progress of grant submissions.
• Provide regular updates to senior leadership on the status of current grants, promptly highlighting any issues to ensure timely resolution.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for all stakeholders for complex grant administrative queries.

Key Responsibilities: Grant Monitoring and Reporting

Grant Monitoring & Reporting

• Monitor the progress of grants to ensure submission deadlines and reporting requirements are met timely.
• Review and follow up on grant receivables and payables posting, ensuring financial obligations are recorded timely and accurately.
• Resolve unreconciled monthly grant receivables variances with Grantors and Accounts Receivables department promptly.
• Ensure prompt follow-up and collection of grant receivables from external funders.
• Prepare and submit a comprehensive representation letter annually, ensuring all relevant information are accurately presented.
• Participate actively to provide relevant information for cash forecasting and budgeting exercise.

Grant Audit and Stakeholder Engagement

Grant Audit

• Follow up with funders on audit requirements and timeline for grant audit planning. Support grant audits by extracting and collating necessary documents required by auditors.
• Liaise with all stakeholders to ensure audits are completed within stipulated timelines and promptly address any required follow-up actions.
• Follow up on the progress of grant submissions to ensure timely approval of grant audits.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Foster strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders (i.e. funding agencies, government entities, and other key partners).
• Respond to inquiries and requests from funders, partners, and stakeholders in a timely and professional manner.
• Coordinate grant-related meetings, site visits, and presentations.

Continuous Process Improvements

Continuous Process Improvement

• Identify opportunities to streamline workflows, enhance team collaboration, and optimize resource utilization.
• Assess and mitigate risks related to grant funding, ensuring the organization maintains good standing with funders.
• Identify areas of potential risk and take proactive steps to mitigate compliance challenges.
• Continuously review and refine grant management processes to improve efficiency and accuracy through the use of tools and technology.

Team Leadership

• Manage a team of grants specialists by providing guidance, mentorship, professional development opportunities and leadership support for task execution.
• Establish clear goals, timelines, and performance expectations for the team, ensuring efficient grant management processes.
• Lead and provide directives on the prioritisation of grant submission processing and other grant administrative responsibilities.
• Hold regular team meetings to update team on changes, provide resolutions for challenges and identify areas of improvement.

Others

• Manage and operate RPAs to enhance process efficiency for grant submissions and the extraction of grant audit documents.
• Maintain Power BI dashboards for management reporting, ensuring data is presented clearly and accurately.
• Analyse data and prepare management reports as needed to support strategic decision-making.
• Handle ad-hoc assignments as required

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in accountancy or equivalent finance and accounting qualification, with 3 to 5 years of related experience, ideally within a shared services environment.
• 2 to 3 years of experience in managing a team and overseeing multi-departmental collaboration is preferred.
• Proficiency in S4 Hana/SAP systems, grant management, RPA, and analytical tools like Tableau and Power BI is advantageous.
• Strong leadership capabilities, with the ability to inspire and motivate a team.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Meticulous and self-driven, able to multitask and deliver results in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Ability to convey complex information in a clear, compelling, and engaging manner during presentations.