About Us
SPH Media's mission is to be the trusted source of news and lifestyle content in Singapore and Asia. One of our core purposes is to produce credible, balanced, and objective news and analysis, always with a view to uphold the public good and fostering an informed, engaged citizenry.
We welcome talented individuals to join us and grow a career in a vibrant and collaborative environment built around a culture of respect and inclusivity.
As an employer, we are committed to rewarding our people fairly and developing them in their careers.
About the Role
The Lead, Strategic Partnerships is a leadership role responsible for the strategic design and management of SPH Media's partnerships with key corporate partners and industry bodies, as well as the conceptualisation and execution of non-profit stakeholder advocacy programmes.
The role's primary function is to secure and manage partnerships that enable our family of brands to achieve clear, measurable outcomes for audience growth. Sales or revenue targets are not part of the scope of this role. The candidate is also expected to grow and engage a diverse pool of stakeholders for brand affinity, alongside his / her team. Understanding of and experience in social media will be critical, as advocacy initiatives can be run on SPH Media's corporate social media channels.
This position reports to the Head of Communications, Engagement & Partnerships (CEP), and works synergistically with the Internal Communications, External and Brand Communications teams.
Roles & Responsibilities
1. Strategic Engagement and Advocacy
- Lead the strategy and implement plans to build a network of stakeholders / advocates to amplify brand affinity and enhance our corporate reputation. This involves engagement plans and working with our family of brands to reach out to priority groups such as youth through campaigns and other outreach initiatives, driving growth for our database of advocates, and tracking engagement and brand affinity against agreed metrics.
- Partner the Internal Communications and HR teams to drive employee and alumni advocacy.
- Partner the External and Brand Communications teams to devise advocacy initiatives that leverage external publicity, as well as run on our corporate social media channels.
- Review and enhance current initiatives with digital companies, Institutes of Higher Learning, and foreign news associations to establish mutually beneficial partnerships that enable us to build brand affinity and awareness of SPH Media's suite of products.
2. High-Impact Project and Content Oversight
- Drive the strategic initiative to commission engaging, high-quality local content across all SPH Media brands by strategically leveraging external production grants (including but not limited to those from government organisations).
- Lead key public service and brand initiatives, including serving as the principal sponsorship lead for the National Day Parade (NDP) and maximising exposure to reflect SPH Media's pivotal role in nation building and fostering an informed citizenry.
3. Team Management and Operational Governance
- Lead, guide and work with the Strategic Partnerships team, ensuring resource allocation aligns with strategic priorities and corporate KPIs.
- Build capability of the team in stakeholder advocacy, ensuring skills transfer.
- Explore the implementation of innovative tech solutions (e.g., CRM) to build, track, and deepen engagement with the network of advocates.
- Oversee and ensure the identification, assessment, and updating of key enterprise risks relevant to the team's portfolios.
Who we are looking for
- 12 to 15 years of relevant experience, including at least five years in a leadership/people management role. The candidate will ideally demonstrate maturity in leadership, and is a skilled collaborator.
- Experience in stakeholder advocacy, non-profit partnerships management, social media, and / or external communications are critical skills we are looking for.
- A self-starter with strong capability development, communications and negotiation skills
- Proven ability to galvanise people from across functions, and lead cross-functional projects with a focus on community building.
- Ability to navigate ambiguity and identify opportunities to grow stakeholder advocacy.
- Strong capabilities in governance and operational resilience, including protocol development and utilisation of technology solutions for efficiency.
