Manager – The Mandarin Collective

ASIA PHILANTHROPY CIRCLE LTD.; Singapore; On-site; SGD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading philanthropic organization in Singapore seeks a Manager for The Mandarin Collective to support the Chinese philanthropy ecosystem. Key responsibilities include community engagement, research, and partnership development. Applicants should have 5-7 years of relevant experience, proficiency in Mandarin, and excellent communication skills. This full-time role offers the opportunity to work closely with senior leaders and drive impactful initiatives.

Qualifications

• 5 to 7 years of relevant work experience in advisory or business development.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Proficient in Mandarin and bilingual in English.

Responsibilities

• Identify common themes for collective action and regional collaboration.
• Build relationships with APC members and ecosystem stakeholders.
• Lead content for events related to Chinese philanthropy.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Community building

Interpersonal communication

Mandarin proficiency

Adaptability

Job description

Manager – The Mandarin Collective

Asia Philanthropy Circle (APC) is a community of philanthropists who are collaborating to chart a more just and sustainable Asia through collaborative philanthropy. Our members, across 13 markets, champion social innovation for public good and pioneer collaborative approaches to address systemic challenges. In doing so, APC aims to mobilise Asia-focused philanthropists to deepen their practice and address systemic challenges collaboratively. We are a registered charity headquartered in Singapore. Founded by Asian philanthropists, APC furthers the aspiration for collective impact through peer exchanges, collaborative projects and the development of initiatives and knowledge resources to build the regional social impact ecosystem.

APC’s 2025-28 strategy focuses on amplifying the collective impact of our close-knit community through growing community & capacity for strategic giving, seeding collaborative initiatives, ecosystem building, and strategic partnerships for scale. A growing area of focus is the development of the Chinese philanthropy ecosystem, led by The Mandarin Collective. Hence, we are looking for a Manager to spearhead our efforts in supporting members and the wider ecosystem. This person will lead the development of a portfolio of work that would include community & relationship building, conducting research that leads to action; conceptualizing and driving collaborative impact; and establishing productive working relationships and impactful collaborations between APC members and with the wider impact ecosystem.

About The Mandarin Collective

The Mandarin Collective is an initiative which supports the development of the Chinese philanthropy ecosystem through peer networks, knowledge exchange, and collaborative initiatives, catering to philanthropists in China and the diaspora.

The Mandarin Collective has 3 aims:

1. Helping Chinese philanthropists improve the impact of their philanthropy – through access to services such as philanthropy education, thematic workshops, next-generation engagement.

2. Facilitating the exchange between the Chinese and regional philanthropic communities – to foster understanding of how seasoned philanthropists create lasting impact and legacy.

3. Strengthening the philanthropy ecosystem – through supporting a range of projects including service delivery, convenings, and ecosystem building events.

Responsibilities

1. Evolve and Execute The Mandarin Collective Portfolio

· Proactively identify common themes for collective action, joint funding, and regional collaboration.

· Evolve and reliably execute on the strategic direction of Mandarin Collective, building on its foundation over the last 2 years.

· Design bespoke learning journeys and visits to innovative and leading organisations according to members’ interests, including but not limited to China.

· Organise regular events, workshops, panels, and dialogues to engage with the philanthropic community, thought leaders, government officials, and / or think-tanks on strategic philanthropy.

2. Build a Strong Community

· Deepen relationships with members of APC, The Mandarin Collective, and their next-generation family members to understand their interests and facilitate meaningful interactions.

· Plan, coordinate and facilitate programmes to integrate new segments of philanthropists (e.g., the Chinese diaspora) with the broader APC membership.

· Build strong relationships with ecosystem stakeholders (e.g. academia, higher education institutes, civil society organizations, government, intermediaries, private banks, etc.).

3. Amplify The Mandarin Collective’s Impact through Communications and Partnerships

· Lead content for events related to Chinese philanthropy, executing communications in close partnership with the APC Communications Senior Manager. Represent APC on Chinese philanthropic issues and act as a liaison with external stakeholders and potential partners.

· Enable APC to exercise thought leadership. Create and facilitate content creation for in-house or industry publications, news media, or social media etc, with support from the APC leadership and the Communications Manager.

· Provide Mandarin interpretation support at APC and other philanthropy events to enhance meaningful participation and engagement.

This is a full-time role based in Singapore. The Manager will work closely with the Director of New Markets & Services to drive programming, community engagement, and ecosystem-building efforts. The candidate will be required to multi-task on different work streams, including organising events, conceptualising new projects, and writing thought pieces. Candidate for this role should also be comfortable with travelling around the region, including China and other locations in Asia.

Qualifications

· Around 5 to 7 years of relevant work experience in an advisory or business development capacity.

· Proficient in written and spoken Mandarin and bilingual in English. Preference will be given to native Mandarin speakers and those fluent in other Asian languages.

· Excellent written and oral communications skills, with the ability to adapt a variety of writing and communication styles to frame ideas and concepts effectively for different target audiences.

Also desirable:

· Demonstrated experience working with the Chinese (U)HNW or business community, with responsiveness to their needs and expectations.

· Track record of community building, proficiency at connecting the dots, nurturing ideas to fruition.

· Experience or interest in the social impact, non-profit, philanthropy, and/or public sectors.

About you

· Strategic, systems thinker with a passion for solving complex societal issues and keen to apply skillset toward social impact / philanthropy.

· Knowledgeable about the Chinese philanthropic landscape or business community, and can build on this experience to support stakeholders effectively for impact.

· A community builder, with strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills and the confidence to build relationships and communicate regularly with very senior leaders. You engage stakeholders in sharing their collective knowledge and expertise to deliver valuable contributions and can build relationships with, and proactively include people whose identities and backgrounds differ from your own.

· Drives to action. Grasps ideas on-the-go and able to quickly translate concept to output.

· Hunger and humility to learn given the diverse skillsets needed in a fast-evolving field.

· Entrepreneurial mindset, adaptable, proactive, and operates with a sense of urgency. You feel confident managing projects with multiple workstreams, and aligning teams on goals and objectives, with the ability to organise and prioritise your work over a period of time.

· Enjoys working with a culturally diverse team in a mix of remote and hybrid arrangements.

Apply
Interested candidates should write in with your cover letter and latest CV to [e-mail].

Note: APC will not be able to sponsor employment pass for this role.