SVP/VP, Specialist, Programme & Partnerships Management (Providing Essential Needs), DBS Foundation

Business Function

DBS Foundation is committed to uplifting lives and livelihoods by helping vulnerable communities across Asia become more socially and financially resilient. In its next decade, the Foundation is sharpening its focus on addressing essential needs, fostering financial inclusion, and nurturing innovative Businesses for Impact that improve the social and financial resilience of vulnerable communities.

Responsibilities

Shape strategy through research and regional insights

• Help shape the strategy and priorities for DBS Foundation’s Providing Essential Needs portfolio, with a strong understanding of issues including physical and mental wellbeing, nutrition, and foundational literacy and numeracy.
• Research wider social issues, trends and emerging needs relevant to the portfolio across Asia, drawing on data, research, community insights and market perspectives to identify where needs are greatest and where DBS Foundation can make a meaningful contribution.
• Assess needs and gaps across markets, identify promising interventions and models, and translate insights into programmes and partnerships that advance DBS Foundation’s mission.
• Connect insights across markets, identifying common challenges, effective approaches and opportunities to adapt or scale relevant models across the region.

Build high-impact partnerships across Asia

• Originate, develop and manage strategic partnerships in Singapore and across DBS’ core markets in Asia, working with community organisations, social sector leaders, government agencies and other ecosystem partners.
• Work closely with partners to understand community needs and co-develop programmes with clear objectives, outcomes and pathways to impact.
• Build trusted, long-term relationships with partners, staying closely engaged throughout the programme lifecycle from programme design and implementation through to review and impact assessment.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen, adapt or scale effective approaches across markets, taking into account differences in local context and need.

Drive programmes and track impact over time

• Own programmes from concept and partner selection through implementation, monitoring, review and completion, ensuring they remain on track against agreed objectives, milestones and outcomes.
• Work closely with partners to establish appropriate impact indicators, baselines and reporting frameworks, and systematically monitor programme performance and outcomes.
• Track progress and change over time, using quantitative and qualitative data to understand whether programmes are achieving their intended impact and where adjustments may be needed.
• Maintain regular engagement with partners to review progress, validate impact data, troubleshoot implementation challenges and strengthen programme delivery.
• Prepare regular programme and portfolio progress reports, synthesising implementation progress, impact data, partner insights, challenges and emerging learnings for DBS Foundation management and other relevant stakeholders.
• Use evidence and learnings from programmes to inform future programme design, portfolio strategy and decisions on whether to deepen, adapt or scale interventions.

Integrate with DBS and connect across the region

• Actively identify opportunities to integrate DBS Foundation’s work with the wider DBS Group, bringing relevant expertise, capabilities, networks and colleagues into programmes where these can strengthen outcomes for communities.
• Work across DBS Foundation’s market teams and with colleagues across the bank to build meaningful One DBS connections into programme design and delivery, rather than treating internal engagement as an add-on.
• Collaborate closely with colleagues covering governance, compliance, impact measurement, advocacy and communications to ensure programmes are well designed, governed and executed.
• Facilitate the sharing of insights, learnings and effective models across markets, helping to strengthen the Foundation’s regional portfolio and identify opportunities for collaboration and scale.
• Contribute to wider DBS Foundation programmes, events, communications and engagements that advance our ambition to create impact beyond banking.

Requirements:

• Partnerships - self-starter who is able to drive DBS Foundation’s community focus through strong and relevant ecosystem partnerships, both internally within the bank and externally with community partners. Experience in regional partnerships would be viewed favourably.
• Project management skills - to execute programmes, initiatives and events that are part of the Providing Essential Needs strategy, working with an extended cross-functional team. Help in preparation of reports on various programmes and partnerships on a regular basis.
• Team player - able to leverage expertise across various teams in DBS Foundation (including regional teams) and pro-actively identifying integration opportunities within the wider DBS bank.
• Communication & Written skills - Communicate effectively to various stakeholders internal and external, and ensuring all relevant stakeholders are updated on the plan and execution, as well as providing their respective updates towards meeting timelines.
• Impact experience - Minimum 10 years work experience, with experience across impact monitoring and reporting, regional community programmes & strategic interventions, research, and project management. Experience in a corporate foundation setting would be an advantage.
• Must be able to work independently in a lean team, and be comfortable sharing on behalf of DBS Foundation within the impact ecosystem.
• Importantly, candidate should be purpose driven and have a desire to create impact to uplift the lives and livelihoods of the underprivileged.

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