Responsibilities- This position is of Office of the Provost (PVO).
- Faculty Information Systems (FIS)— FIS, Teaching Load Management System (TLMS) & Business Intelligence (BI) Reporting Platform
- Serve as the institutional lead and system owner for the RPT (Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure) module within the FIS, working with Office of Integrated Information Technology Services (IITS), Office of Human Resources (HR), and Office of Business Improvement (OBI) to manage system design, enhancements, testing, and rollout, and to contribute to the broader FIS development roadmap in alignment with evolving institutional processes.
- Drive the design and refinement of system workflows to ensure FIS functionality meets institutional governance requirements and the operational needs of Schools and administrative units.
- Serve as the primary escalation point for Schools and HR on system-related issues, and represent Faculty Matters requirements in engagements with IITS.
- Provide operational oversight of the TLMS and the Faculty Matters BI reporting platform, in collaboration with IITS.
- Named Awards
- Lead the end-to-end management of all Named Award-related functions, including nomination calls, fund utilisation, policy and guidelines reviews, award administration, and stakeholder communications.
- Act as Secretariat to the Named Awards Committee (NAC), leading agenda planning, briefing and report preparation, and coordination across stakeholders to enable timely and well-informed decisions.
- Prepare periodic review reports on fund utilisation, in consultation with the Office of Advancement (OA) and Finance (OFin), for submission to senior management.
- Partner with Schools, HR, OFin, OA, and other units to ensure that all award activities are executed efficiently and in compliance with institutional policies and donor intent.
- Faculty Policy Development & Guidelines
- Lead faculty policy reviews and the drafting of policy documents, guidelines, and operational frameworks for areas that fall within the assigned portfolio (e.g., named awards, sabbatical leave, faculty administrative appointments, faculty planning and budgeting, etc.).
- Coordinate feedback from Schools and administrative units during policy consultation processes and manage the end-to-end policy development cycle from drafting through to iNet publication and university-wide communication.
- Translate approved policies into clear operational guidelines and workflows and develop or update process documents to support consistent implementation across SOCIs.
- Work with Schools and administrative units to ensure consistent application of policies and to resolve operational issues and exceptions.
- Senior Leadership and Strategic Searches
- Lead the coordination of senior academic leadership search processes, working closely with the Provost and Search Committees across all aspects of senior academic leadership recruitment, including role scoping, stakeholder engagement, timeline and budget management, campus visit coordination and candidate communication.
- Prepare candidate dossiers, meeting materials, and search documentation for review and approval by senior leadership and governance bodies, including the President and Board of Trustees.
- Liaise with executive search firms, manage day-to-day operational aspects of the search process, and ensure timely follow-up on all action items.
- Prepare announcements and communications to stakeholders upon completion of search processes.
- Sabbatical Leave & Administrative Appointments
- Review applications for sabbatical leave and administrative appointments across all Schools and Colleges, assessing alignment with institutional policy/frameworks, eligibility criteria, and operational considerations.
- Prepare consolidated recommendations and advisory papers for the Provost's consideration, ensuring decisions are consistent, well-informed, and aligned with University policy.
- Liaise with Schools, HR, and OFin to gather the relevant data and context needed to support the review process.
- Maintain accurate records of sabbatical and administrative appointment decisions and track outcomes for reporting and policy review purposes.
- Faculty Workforce Planning & Budgeting
- Work closely with the Senior Deputy Director, HR, and OFin to support faculty headcount planning, including annual budgeting and faculty composition analysis, and prepare analytical inputs to support senior management, Board of Trustees, and MOE submissions on faculty staffing and resource allocation.
- Serving as the University's key point of contact for adjunct faculty matters, including governance, benefits and privileges, policies, and quality assurance. This role liaises with HR and relevant units on onboarding, orientation, satisfaction surveys, and alignment with full-time faculty planning.
- Institutional Reporting & Data Coordination
- Manage faculty-related reporting processes — including BOT, AAC, and senior management updates — working with HR, Finance, and Schools to gather, validate, and consolidate data to ensure accuracy and consistency across all outputs.
- Other duties
- Provide functional guidance and workstream coordination to the Senior Assistant Manager, ensuring quality, consistency, and timely delivery, while actively supporting their professional development and capability building.
- Serve as an important coordination point for Schools and administrative units on faculty-related processes, and represent Faculty Matters in engagements with internal and if necessary, external stakeholders.
- Serve as the key contact point within the VP (FM) team on matters related to declaration of Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest.
- Provide cross-portfolio support across Faculty Matters workstreams during peak periods, including PTAC-related processes and other high-priority initiatives.
- Serve as co-secretariat for high-level meetings as required.
- Any other duties assigned.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or at least 12 years of relevant experience in higher education administration, academic governance, or institutional operations.
- Significant experience in academic staff-related policies and processes within Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) is highly desirable.
- Demonstrated ability to contribute to policy development, manage complex cross-functional initiatives, and engage effectively with senior stakeholders.
- Ability to act as systems owner or business lead for enterprise or institutionwide platforms, including translating policy and governance requirements into clear system specifications.
- Strong capability in process design, documentation, and optimisation, with the ability to map endtoend workflows and identify risks, dependencies, and control points.
- Experience working effectively with IT, analytics, and systems teams to manage enhancements, user acceptance testing, and production rollouts, without requiring specialist technical expertise.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to produce accurate reports and well-reasoned recommendations.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including report writing and presentation to senior audiences.
- Independent and resourceful, with strong follow-through and the ability to work both autonomously and collaboratively within a lean team.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office and comfortable working with customised administrative and data management systems, including the effective use of AI-enabled tools and digital technologies to support analysis, workflow efficiency, reporting, and process improvement.
Other Information
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.
