Senior Assistant Director / Assistant Director, Human Potential Coordinating Office

A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research; Singapore; On-site; SGD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A*STAR's Human Potential Coordinating Office in Singapore seeks a seasoned grants and programme administrator to oversee end-to-end grant calls, policy review, and KPI tracking. You will liaise with researchers and funding agencies, ensuring governance and compliance while communicating funding schemes to the research community.

With a background in life sciences and at least five years in public sector grants, you will help manage budgets, support forecasting, and coordinate stakeholder events

Qualifications

• A degree in life sciences, biotechnology, or a related discipline is preferred, though not essential.
• At least 5 years' experience in grants management and budget administration in a public sector setting would be advantageous.
• Familiar with public service processes, communications protocols, and coordination dynamics.
• Self-motivated individual who can take initiative, work independently, and adapt to changing priorities and workstreams.
• Excellent communication skills and able to clearly and concisely express technical and non-technical information to all levels in the organisation
• Meticulous with strong organisational skills, and open to learning and developing expertise in research programme and grant management.
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Office, especially in Excel and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• End-to-end management of grant calls, including policy review, application assessment, stakeholder communication, process oversight, and KPI/audit tracking
• Communicate funding schemes and application processes to the research community
• Review and assess grant call applications and make recommendations to the HP WC for approval
• Ensure good governance and compliance in the grant administration process
• Monitor and analyse research funding utilisation and expenditure.
• Support budget planning, forecasting and reporting for research grants and programmes.
• Provide guidance to Principal Investigators and researchers on grant budgeting, optimisation and cost justification.
• Ensure compliance with institutional financial policies and funding agency requirements.
• Organise and support stakeholder engagement sessions and ecosystem wide events with external partners
• Promote the work of A*STAR and its research entities in Early Life and Adolescence Research
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including public service, researchers, academic institutions, funding agencies and regulatory bodies.
• Facilitate collaboration and communication to support research objectives and organisational goals.
• Serve as a key point of contact for research-related operational and administrative matters.

Skills

Grants management

Budget administration

Stakeholder management

Event management

Communication skills

Education

Life sciences degree (preferred)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Job Description

Human Potential was introduced as a new focus area under the expanded Human Health and Potential domain in RIE2025, and its importance continues to be affirmed in RIE2030.

Job Description

Human Potential was introduced as a new focus area under the expanded Human Health and Potential domain in RIE2025, and its importance continues to be affirmed in RIE2030.

As Singapore grapples with persistently low birth rates, a shrinking workforce, and a rapidly ageing population, the Human Potential Programme plays a critical role in addressing these national challenges. With human capital as Singapore's most valuable resource, it is imperative to optimise everyone's potential across the entire life course.

The Human Potential Coordinating Office (“HP CO”) in the Biomedical Research Council is responsible for supporting the Human Potential Working Committee (“HP WC”), overseeing and managing Early Life and Adolescence Research, and working with other Human Potential agencies in the ecosystem to coordinate research and intervention projects in the human potential space.

The Successful Applicant Will Be Expected To

Grant Management & Administration

• End-to-end management of grant calls, including policy review, application assessment, stakeholder communication, process oversight, and KPI/audit tracking
• Communicate funding schemes and application processes to the research community
• Review and assess grant call applications and make recommendations to the HP WC for approval
• Ensure good governance and compliance in the grant administration process

Budget Administration

• Monitor and analyse research funding utilisation and expenditure.
• Support budget planning, forecasting and reporting for research grants and programmes.
• Provide guidance to Principal Investigators and researchers on grant budgeting, optimisation and cost justification.
• Ensure compliance with institutional financial policies and funding agency requirements.

Event Management

• Organise and support stakeholder engagement sessions and ecosystem wide events with external partners
• Promote the work of A*STAR and its research entities in Early Life and Adolescence Research

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including public service, researchers, academic institutions, funding agencies and regulatory bodies.
• Facilitate collaboration and communication to support research objectives and organisational goals.
• Serve as a key point of contact for research-related operational and administrative matters.

Job Requirements

• A degree in life sciences, biotechnology, or a related discipline is preferred, though not essential.
• At least 5 years' experience in grants management and budget administration in a public sector setting would be advantageous.
• Familiar with public service processes, communications protocols, and coordination dynamics.
• Self-motivated individual who can take initiative, work independently, and adapt to changing priorities and workstreams.
• Excellent communication skills and able to clearly and concisely express technical and non-technical information to all levels in the organisation
• Meticulous with strong organisational skills, and open to learning and developing expertise in research programme and grant management.
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Office, especially in Excel and PowerPoint.