Senior Manager / Assistant Director (Psychological Research & Evaluation)

Ministry Of Social And Family Development; Singapore; On-site; SGD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional development

Job summary

Ministry Of Social And Family Development seeks a Senior Manager / Assistant Director to lead rigorous research and advanced analytics in social policy and family services. You will design quantitative studies, apply ML and NLP to large datasets, and synthesize findings into actionable policy insights for decision-makers.

You will manage cross-functional projects, collaborate with internal stakeholders and external partners, and contribute to MSF’s strategic outcomes using emerging AI

Qualifications

• Background in Psychology, Statistics, Data Science, Computer Science, Economics, Social Sciences or related disciplines with strong training in quantitative research methods
• Strong technical proficiency in programming and statistical analysis (Python and/or R)
• Experience using advanced analytics techniques (multivariate modelling, longitudinal analysis, ML, causal inference)
• Experience applying AI technologies (LLMs, NLP) for data analysis or research
• Ability to develop, evaluate and validate analytical models and AI-enabled solutions
• Strong communication and project management skills
• Experience in applied social research or policy-related evaluation is a plus

Responsibilities

• Design and conduct quantitative research and advanced analytics to address social and policy questions
• Apply longitudinal analysis, predictive modelling, ML, and causal inference to identify drivers and trajectories
• Leverage AI technologies (LLMs, NLP) to analyze data and build analytical solutions
• Identify emerging social trends and anticipate needs across population groups
• Develop and validate new analytical methodologies and tools
• Communicate complex findings into actionable policy insights and recommendations
• Manage research projects, timelines, and collaborations with internal and external partners

Skills

Python/R programming

Data analysis

Statistics

Research methods

Policy analytics

Education

Background in Psychology/Statistics/Data Science or related

Tools

LLMs

NLP

SQL

Pandas

Job description

What the role is:

The Strategy, International & Research (SIR) Directorate oversees and drives MSF's strategic planning, transformation, international engagement, as well as research and analytics efforts to achieve MSF's strategic outcomes.The Psychological Research & Evaluation (PRE) team drives applied psychological and social research, evaluation and advanced analytics to support MSF's policymaking and service delivery. Our work involves leveraging diverse data sources and innovative analytical approaches to deepen understanding of social and family needs, uncover underlying patterns and drivers, and generate actionable insights to inform policies, programmes and interventions.As a Senior Manager / Assistant Director, you will be involved in designing and conducting rigorous research and advanced data analytics to address complex social and policy questions. You will also contribute to strengthening MSF's research and sensemaking capabilities through the application of advanced statistical methods, machine learning and emerging AI technologies.

What you will be working on:

• Design and conduct quantitative research and advanced analytics to address complex social and policy questions, and generate actionable insights for policymaking and service delivery.
• Apply a range of analytical techniques, including longitudinal analysis, predictive modelling, machine learning and causal inference, to understand patterns, relationships, drivers and trajectories of social and family outcomes.
• Leverage AI technologies, including Large Language Models (LLMs) and Natural Language Processing (NLP), to analyse structured and unstructured data, uncover insights and develop innovative analytical solutions.
• Develop and apply analytical approaches to identify emerging social trends, detect evolving needs and anticipate potential risks across different population groups.
• Explore, develop and validate new analytical methodologies, models and tools to strengthen MSF's research, analytics and sensemaking capabilities.
• Synthesise complex analytical findings into clear, actionable insights and recommendations for policymakers and operational stakeholders.
• Manage research and analytics projects, including methodological design, model validation, deliverables and timelines, and collaborate with internal stakeholders and external research and technology partners.

What we are looking for:

• Background in Psychology, Statistics, Data Science, Computer Science, Economics, Social Sciences or related disciplines, with strong training in quantitative research methods, statistics or data analytics with at least 5 to 7 years of relevant experience.
• Strong technical proficiency in programming and statistical analysis, particularly Python and/or R, with demonstrated ability to independently conduct complex analyses.
• Experience in applying advanced analytical techniques such as multivariate statistical modelling, longitudinal analysis, predictive analytics, machine learning or causal inference.
• Experience in applying AI technologies, including Large Language Models (LLMs), Natural Language Processing (NLP) or other AI/ML techniques, for data analysis, text analytics or research applications.
• Ability to develop, evaluate and validate analytical models and AI-enabled solutions, with a sound understanding of methodological rigour, model performance and limitations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify appropriate analytical approaches and translate complex findings into meaningful policy and operational insights.
• Good communication, stakeholder engagement and project management skills.
• Experience in applied social research, programme evaluation or social policy research would be an advantage.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified within 4 weeks from the closing date of this position. The position offered will be commensurate with the candidate's relevant experience.

About Ministry Of Social And Family Development

Join Us at MSF for a Meaningful, People-Centric Career!At MSF, our mission is to nurture and build resilient individuals, strong families, and a caring society. We offer meaningful and impactful people-centric careers in the design and delivery of policies, services and programmes. We are an all-inclusive and family friendly workplace where career growth is prioritised through a comprehensive suite of development opportunities to help our officers succeed today as well as be future-ready. We do this through various formal and informal learning and development programmes for officers to build different competencies and gain diverse work experiences within MSF, the Public as well as the Social Service Sectors.