Assistant Director/Senior Assistant Director, Research Office (2 years contract)

We are looking for a dynamic and experienced leader to join the NUHS Research & Innovation Office as a Assistant Director/Senior Assistant Director. In this pivotal role, you will oversee and manage the Research Grants and Research Finance units; driving organisational research output and ensuring robust governance of research funds.

This is an exciting opportunity to shape research strategy, lead digital transformation initiatives, and make a meaningful impact on the research landscape within NUHS.

The key responsibilities would be;

Internal Grants Management

• Develop and implement internal funding strategies to provide targeted support for strategic research interests


• Manage internal grant call and review processes for seed grants and ad-hoc grants to NUHS researchers


• Conduct regular progress reviews to monitor grant status and budget utilisation


• Develop governance frameworks for research grants across NUHS and NUSMed

External Grants Administration

• Oversee external grant applications and post-award processes, ensuring timely submissions and compliance with grant terms and conditions


• Liaise with national grantors and NUS ODPRT on research matters


• Develop strategies to increase external grant applications and improve success rates

Reserch Finance Managment

• Oversee the Research Finance Unit to ensure efficient processes and prevent loss of funds


• Identify and resolve process bottle necks to support more efective use of rese4rch funding within the organistaion

Productivity & Digitalisation

• Develop a single data warehouse to streamline data collation across the Grants and Finance Units


• Lead productivity and digitalisation exercises for research grant processes


• Collaborate with NUHS, NUS, and NUSMed digital transformation teams to implement innovative solutions

Events Leadership

• Co-Lead the Logistics Subcommittee for the bi-annual NUHS Scientific and Innovation Summit


• Manage event procurement, registration, and coordination across subcommittees

People Leadership

• Provide mentorship and professional development to the grants team


• Lead succession planning and staff welfare initiatives


• Manage a team of 7 direct reports and up to 10 indirect reports

Qualifications

• A good degree, preferably in Science or Medicine. A PhD will be an added advantage.


• At least 6-9 years of relevant experience in research management, administration, or related industry experience in the healthcare/biomedical sciences (HBMS) sector


• Experience in managing research programmes and budgets is a distinct advantage

Competencies & Skills

• Strong leadership and managerial skills with at least 5 years of leadership experience


• Excellent communication, analytical, and writing skills


• Proven ability to lead teams, projects, and functions


• Good interpersonal skills and a collaborative team player


• Ability to work independently and adapt to evolving organisational needs