Senior Manager/ Assistant Director, NS Gallery Operations

Defence Collective Singapore Ltd; Singapore; On-site; SGD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Defence Collective Singapore Ltd seeks a Senior Operations Lead to plan, set up and run Ns Gallery’s physical operations across its phased openings (Dec 2027/Dec 2028). You will build the operations function from the ground up, ensuring safety, reliability and guest experience at NS Square atrium and gallery spaces.

Responsibilities include strategic planning, vendor management, ground operations team build, event support, asset management, safety compliance, budgeting and KPI reporting to

Qualifications

• Degree in Real Estate, Property Management, Facilities Management, Engineering or related field.
• 8–15 years in estate and property management, with min. 5 years of managerial experience.
• Experience in building, contract, vendor, security management and budgeting.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic and operational planning for NS Gallery facilities and operations.
• Manage end‑to‑end procurement for services (cleaning, security, M&E, landscape, ticketing, AV).
• Build and lead the ground operations team, including hiring and rostering.
• Oversee atrium operations and event support, ensure safety and uptime.
• Plan readiness for full gallery opening, testing, and commissioning.
• Oversee facilities and asset management, preventive maintenance.
• Ensure safety, compliance, risk management, and incident response.

Skills

Strategic planning

Vendor management

Facilities operations

Leadership

Education

Degree in Real Estate, Property Management, Facilities Management, Engineering or related field

Job description

THIS IS A 2-YEAR RENEWABLE CONTRACT ROLE

Lead the planning, setup, and operationalisation of Ns Gallery’s (NSG) physical operations across its phased opening, including the large platforms at the NS Square atrium, launching in December 2027 and full gallery opening in December 2028. This role ensures the Gallery is safe, functional, and operationally efficient, while building the operations function from the ground up.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic & Operational Strategy, Operations Planning & Setup

Lead and manage all hard and soft services

• Develop master operations plans and budgeting for the operational management of the NS Square atrium with large platforms display and the full NS Gallery.

• Translate design into operational requirements including flows, access, Back of House (BOH) spaces.

• Establish SOPs, policies, safety frameworks, and contingency plans

• Set up operational governance, KPIs, and reporting structures

2. Vendor Procurement & Management

• Lead end-to-end tender processes for the contracting of relevant services and management for the NS Square atrium with large platforms, and NSG. This includes the following services (but not limited to): a) Cleaning services, b) Security services, c) Facilities/M&E maintenance, d) Landscape and public area maintenance, e) Ticketing and visitor system & f) AV systems maintenance

• Establish Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and vendor performance tracking

• Manage vendor relationships to ensure quality and cost efficiency

3. Ground Operations Team Build

• Develop workforce model for: a) Frontline operations & b) Duty managers and supervisors

• Lead hiring, onboarding, and training

• Implement rostering aligned with visitor demand and programming

4. Atrium Operations & Event Support (Dec 2027 onwards)

• Oversee daily operations of atrium space

• Operational support for NS Square Atrium and NSG launch events, key signature events, and always-on marketing-led activations and events

• Manage crowd flow, safety, and operational readiness

• Ensure high standards of cleanliness and uptime

5. Full Gallery Readiness Planning

• Develop operational systems for full gallery opening

• Plan exhibit maintenance and AV servicing frameworks

• Support integration of ticketing, entry, and access systems

• Conduct testing, simulation, and commissioning exercises

6. Facilities & Asset Management

• Oversee lifecycle management of building and gallery systems

• Implement preventive maintenance strategies

• Ensure reliability and operational efficiency

7. Health, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with all regulatory and safety requirements

• Lead incident management and emergency preparedness

• Maintain strong risk management practices

8. Budgeting and Reporting

• Prepare and manage annual budgets for Gallery operations and capital improvements.

• Monitor KPIs and present quarterly reports on system failures.

• Lead root cause analyses for identified failures and perform necessary recovery.

Requirements

• Degree in Real Estate, Property Management, Facilities Management, Engineering or a related field.

• 8 - 15 years in estate and property management, engineering and hands-on experience in managing attractions, museums, and/or large commercial/retail buildings. With min. 5 years of managerial experience (as team lead).

• Experience in building, contract, vendor, and security management, and budgeting. Experience in ticketing and AV systems management is a bonus.

• Good knowledge of Mechanical & Electrical (M&E) services and ability to read and understand technical/structural drawings, e.g. as-built drawing.

• Familiar with statutory requirements on building services, facility operations, maintenance and safety.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Strong vendor and contract management experience

• Knowledge of Building Regulations and Code of Practice. Fire Safety Manager accreditation an added advantage.

• Able to work independently in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.

• Proven ability to build, guide and lead teams, with a forward-looking approach.