"Lead, International Programmes (Contract appointment ending 30 June 2030), SOE"

Lead, International Programmes (Contract appointment ending 30 June 2030), SOE

• Employment Type: Contract
• Experience Level: Manager
• Education Level: Bachelor's Degree or equivalent
• Country: Singapore | Closing On 15 Mar 2026
• Working Arrangement: Hybrid

About Us

Singapore Management University is a place where high-level professionalism blends together with a healthy informality. The 'family-like' atmosphere among the SMU community fosters a culture where employees work, plan, organise and play together - building a strong collegiality and morale within the university.

Our commitment to attract and retain talent is ongoing. We offer attractive benefits and welfare, competitive compensation packages, and generous professional development opportunities - all to meet the work-life needs of our staff. No wonder, then, that SMU continues to be given numerous awards and recognition for its human resource excellence.

Job Description

• This position is for School of Economics (SOE).
• External Relations & Strategic Stakeholder Engagement (DBA, DBEM, SFCE):
• Provide stewardship of external relations for SOE's DBA and SFCE programmes, serving as the primary School-level liaison with partner universities and key stakeholders across recruitment, admissions, programme delivery, and alumni engagement.
• Support School leadership in managing international partner relationships, including the preparation for senior-level meetings, joint reviews, and related programme engagements.
• Engage senior executives, industry leaders, and programme participants as part of recruitment, outreach, and alumni activities, exercising professional judgement and discretion in representing the School.
• Identify partnership-related risks and sensitivities, and coordinate with internal stakeholders to manage issues and escalations appropriately.
• Support the School's international relations work by contributing to selected overseas engagements and assisting with the preparation, coordination, and follow-up of international visits, meetings, and partnership-related activities, in coordination with relevant School units and University offices.
• Strategic Recruitment & Admissions Oversight (DBA, DBEM):
• Provide strategic oversight of recruitment planning and execution for SOE's international programmes, including the development and refinement of recruitment strategies in collaboration with partner universities.
• Oversee admissions coordination across the full admissions cycle, ensuring alignment with approved policies, timelines, and academic standards.
• Guide and support recruitment activities across local and overseas markets, including information sessions, recruitment fairs, and virtual outreach.
• Oversee the maintenance and effective use of prospective student databases to support engagement, follow-up, and reporting.
• Monitor recruitment pipelines and market developments, and provide updates and insights to School leadership.
• Internal Programme Leadership & Coordination (DBA, DBEM):
• Provide functional leadership and coordination across internal programme leads supporting the School's international programmes portfolio.
• Set priorities, workplans, and timelines to ensure coherent execution across recruitment, admissions, programme delivery, and external engagement.
• Serve as an escalation point for programme-related issues, balancing academic, operational, and partner considerations.
• Convene and facilitate regular coordination meetings to align stakeholders, manage dependencies, and track progress against agreed milestones.
• Support capability development and knowledge transfer within programme teams, particularly for international-facing and externally partnered programmes.
• Student & Alumni Engagement (DBA, DBEM):
• Serve as a key point of contact for DBA students, ensuring a high-touch service and a strong student experience.
• Oversee and support student and alumni engagement initiatives, including orientations, academic or professional events, and alumni activities.
• Support overseas or off-site programme components, including international study segments or residencies, where applicable.
• Maintain student and alumni engagement records and databases to support tracking and reporting.
• Marketing, Communications, Reporting & Governance (DBA, DBEM):
• Oversee and support the development and maintenance of marketing, branding, and communications materials for international programmes, including print and digital content, ensuring alignment with approved programme positioning and School and University guidelines.
• Track recruitment, engagement, and partnership outcomes, and prepare reports and updates for School management.
• Work closely with relevant SMU central offices to support governance processes, approvals, and compliance with institutional policies and regulatory requirements, particularly for SFCE arrangements.
• Budgeting & Financial Oversight (DBA, DBEM):
• Support the development and management of programme budgets, ensuring financial sustainability and effective resource utilisation.
• Work with finance teams on forecasting, cost management, and revenue tracking in alignment with School and University requirements and business goals.
• Track and report on key recruitment metrics (e.g., conversion rates, cost-per-lead) to assess the effectiveness of recruitment efforts.
• Other Duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Degree with at least 8 to 10 years of relevant work experience preferably in education and/or public service sector(s).
• Excellent written and communication skills.
• Proficiency in Mandarin is a requirement for this role as the candidate is expected to engage with Mandarin-speaking stakeholders.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills to engage with diverse stakeholders and foster collaborative working relationships.
• Meticulous, hardworking, and strong organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently and work under stress to meet tight deadlines.
• Flexibility to perform ad-hoc duties as needed; other duties as assigned.
• Willingness to travel, both locally and internationally, and to work evenings or weekends when required to support programme activities.

Other Information

#LI-KC1

Candidates who do not possess the stipulated qualifications but have relevant work experience may still apply. Remuneration and appointment terms shall commensurate with qualifications and experience. SMU reserves the right to modify the appointment terms where necessary.

Posted On 13 Feb 2026