Job description
Join A*STAR, a premier Agency for Science, Technology and Research, as a Senior Assistant Director - Project Management, CSPO. In this strategic leadership role, you will steer the planning, design, and delivery of sustainable research facilities and infrastructure across Singapore, applying agile product ownership principles to maximise value for researchers, engineers, and partners. You will champion governance, risk management, and financial stewardship while ensuring safety, quality, and environmental sustainability are threaded through every project.
You will lead a cross functional team and collaborate with researchers, facilities engineers, procurement, finance, and external partners to translate complex scientific requirements into actionable project roadmaps. You will balance competing priorities, manage stakeholder expectations, and report progress to senior leadership and funding agencies. Your ability to communicate clearly, influence across diverse groups, and maintain a customer-centric focus will be essential to delivering outcomes that advance scientific discovery.
Key focus areas include portfolio management, prioritisation of work in line with strategic research goals, management of budgets and schedules, and the application of CSPO practices to maximise product value. You will foster a culture of safety, sustainability, and compliance while leading continuous improvement initiatives across the facilities programme. This is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on Singapore's research ecosystem by enabling cutting edge facilities that support scientists and engineers to push the boundaries of science and technology.
Responsibility
- Lead the PMO and oversee end to end delivery of sustainable facility development projects for research facilities.
- Define project scope, schedules, budgets, risk management plans, and performance metrics; monitor progress and adjust plans as needed.
- Coordinate cross functional teams including engineering, facilities, procurement, finance, and safety compliance to ensure on time delivery within budget.
- Apply CSPO principles to prioritise product backlogs and ensure value delivery for research stakeholders.
- Establish governance structures, reporting cadences, and stakeholder communications across internal teams and external partners.
- Manage vendor selection, contract negotiations, and performance management to secure high quality outcomes.
- Forecast resource needs, manage dependencies, and mitigate risks to keep projects on course.
- Foster a collaborative culture with researchers and partners to translate complex requirements into clear project plans.
Qualification
- Bachelor’s or higher degree in Engineering, Science, Construction Management or related field; master’s preferred.
- 8-12 years of project management leadership experience in large scale facility development or research infrastructure projects.
- Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO); additional agile or project management certifications (PMP, PMI-ACP) a plus.
- Proven ability to lead diverse teams, influence stakeholders, and communicate complex concepts clearly.
- Strong budgeting, procurement, risk management, governance, and compliance experience in regulated environments.
- Experience in Singapore or regional markets with public sector or R&D environments.
- Strategic thinker with customer focus, strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.