Associate Director, Academic Programmes (UG), College of Integrative Studies

Responsibilities

• Academic Programme Development, Administration and Governance
• Provide operational leadership for the administration of undergraduate academic programmes, in support of strategic direction set by the Associate Dean (Undergraduate Education) and College academic governance.
• Lead outreach, admissions, recruitment, and student onboarding initiatives to strengthen programme visibility, student engagement, and enrolment outcomes, in close partnership with the Associate Dean (Student and Alumni Matters), who holds strategic oversight of admissions.
• Oversee the review and enhancement of programme-related policies, student handbooks, academic guides, and operational frameworks — including keeping the BIS Student Handbook, Faculty Advising Handbook, and Professional/Research Track advising materials current with the College's competency framework and Individualised Major model — under the direction of the Associate Dean (Undergraduate Education).
• Oversee programme surveys and assessment activities to monitor programme effectiveness and enhance the student experience.
• Ensure the efficient administration of curriculum matters, including academic planning, course scheduling, course mapping, and coordination with internal stakeholders.
• Partner with academic leadership to support annual curriculum planning and academic resource allocation.
• Manage administrative matters relating to postgraduate research programmes and related academic governance processes.
• Oversee the College's E-Learn advising platform, including maintaining accurate records of each student's declared Individualised Major, Anchor and Accelerator selections, and competency-mapping status across the Professional and Research Tracks.
• Oversee and maintain the College's competency mapping tool, ensuring TSC and CCS cluster data is captured accurately and kept current as students progress — from declaration, through mid-programme mapping, to capstone and Elevator Pitch preparation — and is available to Faculty Advisors, the FCC, and the Associate Dean (Undergraduate Education) for advising and review purposes.
• Ensure data integrity and consistency between these systems and the College's student-facing materials (handbooks, advising guides), flagging discrepancies for resolution by the Associate Dean (Undergraduate Education).
• Undergraduate Academic Programme Leadership and Team Management
• Lead, mentor, and oversee a high-performing Academic Programme (UG) team to ensure the effective administration of undergraduate programmes (the University Core Curriculum and the IM and ISM programmes) and student services.
• Provide coaching, guidance, and performance management to direct reports through regular one-on-one engagements, feedback sessions, and performance reviews.
• Foster a collaborative and engaged team culture through regular team meetings, knowledge sharing, and professional development opportunities.
• Drive process improvement initiatives including initiatives adopting AI to optimize workflows, data collection, and service.
• Establish, monitor, and review team performance indicators to enhance operational effectiveness and service excellence.
• Build team resilience and business continuity through cross-training and capability development initiatives.
• Institutional Contribution and Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Represent the College as required on university-wide committees, working groups, and strategic initiatives relating to academic programmes, curriculum development, and educational innovation.
• Support major institutional projects — including academic systems implementation and process transformation — and coordinate (without owning) curriculum review processes led by faculty and academic leadership.
• Build and maintain strong collaborative relationships with schools, faculty, administrative offices, and external stakeholders to advance institutional objectives.
• Prepare reports, presentations, and recommendations for senior management and university committees.
• Contribute to interdisciplinary education initiatives and the development of new academic opportunities across the University.
• External Relations and Strategic Partnerships (Academic)
• Develop and strengthen relationships with pre-university institutions, partner universities, and other educational organisations to support student recruitment and academic collaboration, in partnership with the Associate Dean (Student and Alumni Matters).
• Cultivate industry partnerships to enhance experiential learning opportunities, student projects, internships, mentoring, and career development initiatives.
• Support the operations of the Futures Capability Council (FCC), including capstone review scheduling, employer engagement, and FCC-member coordination — the FCC provides review and input on student competency proficiency; academic decision authority, including final grading, remains with Faculty Advisors.
• Support the administration of the CIS Board and other advisory boards and external stakeholder engagements to strengthen the College's strategic positioning and industry relevance.
• Promote the College's academic programmes and initiatives through participation in relevant internal and external forums.
• Other duties as assigned.
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher with at least 8 to 10 years of relevant work experience with leadership experience, preferably in higher education administration, academic programme management, or a related field.
• Proven leadership experience with the ability to manage, develop, and motivate teams.
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead projects, drive process improvements, and manage competing priorities in a complex environment.
• Experience working with academic governance processes, curriculum administration, admissions, or student lifecycle management would be advantageous.
  
  

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.