Project Officer

Purpose of the Post

Imperial Global Singapore is Imperial's formal legal entity in Singapore to undertake research and innovation projects in collaboration with universities, industry, government, and third-sector partners from across the Singapore ecosystem.

Hosted at the Singapore and located at the National University of Singapore UTown Campus, Imperial Global Singapore provides the physical and administrative infrastructure to extend Imperial's research activities to Singapore and broader South East Asia. CREATE hosts interdisciplinary research centres from top global universities including other key strategic partners including Cambridge, CNRS, MIT, and TU Munich.

Within this context, the Project Officer plays a key enabling role in supporting the Associate Director to oversee and coordinate activities across IGS. The purpose of the post is to:

• Provide high-quality executive, administrative, and coordination support to the Associate Director, ensuring they have clear visibility of key activities, priorities, and deadlines across all IGS research programmes and operations.

• Support cross-organisational projects and initiatives (including systems, processes, and governance improvements) that underpin the effective delivery of research and innovation activities.

• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration between research teams and core support functions (HR, Finance, IT, operations), assist with the implementation and documentation of systems and processes that are shared across IGS research programmes, contributing to consistent, efficient, and compliant ways of working.

• Act as a central point of contact for enquiries related to research processes, systems, and cross-organisational activities, and support the coordination of events and tasks that might otherwise fall between organisational boundaries.

Through these contributions, the Project Officer will help ensure that IGS operates effectively within the CREATE environment, enabling researchers to deliver high-impact research and innovation.

The position is based full-time in Singapore, at the offices of Imperial Global Singapore.

Key Responsibilities

Cross-Organisational Project Coordination

• Support the Associate Director in planning and delivering projects that span the organisation, such as:

Implementation of research management or grant systems

Development of standard operating procedures and workflows

• Initiatives to improve research governance, compliance, and reporting

• Develop and assist with project plans, timelines, and task tracking.

• Coordinate contributions from different units (research teams, IT, HR, finance, legal, etc.).

• Monitor project progress, identify risks or issues, and escalate as required.

Executive Support & Activity Oversight

• Work closely with the Associate Director to maintain a clear view of key activities, deadlines, and priorities across the organisation.

• Maintain and regularly update a portfolio overview of major projects, initiatives, events, and reporting timelines.

• Prepare brief summaries, notes, and trackers to support planning and decision-making.

• Provide administrative and secretarial support for the Academic and Associate Director's, including:

Workload management

Deadline prioritisation

Diary and meeting coordination

Drafting correspondence, summaries, and presentations

Preparing briefing materials and reports

Assisting with visitor clearance, room bookings, and travel/accommodation for relevant projects or visitors

• Act as a first point of contact for enquiries related to research processes, systems, and cross-organisational projects.

• Organise and support process focused meetings, including:

Scheduling and invitations

Preparing agendas and collating papers

Taking minutes and recording action items

Following up on agreed actions with relevant staff

• Maintain central repositories for policies, procedures, templates, training materials, and process documentation to support staff across all IGS research programmes.

• Perform ad hoc administrative tasks as directed by the Associate and/or Academic Director.

Cross-Functional Coordination (HR, Finance, Research & Operations)

• Support coordination between the Associate Director and HR, Finance, IT, and other teams, ensuring that information, forms, and approvals move smoothly.

• Identify and flag where processes appear unclear or stalled, and assist in coordinating next steps.

• Assist with HR-related processes, in collaboration with HR:

Preparing letters of appointment or contract-related documents

Supporting onboarding and offboarding checklists

Coordinating access cards and clearances for staff

• Assist with Finance-related processes, in collaboration with Finance:

Process invoices and verify supporting documents

Assist in developing processes for Financial reporting

• Coordinate setup of system access and user accounts for new staff/teams in liaison with IT.

• Support email account and distribution list setup/maintenance (under IT guidance).

• Assist in maintaining structured, accessible digital filing systems.

Systems & Process Implementation

• Assist with rollout of new or updated systems and tools.

• Coordinate user access requests and basic configuration information in liaison with IT and vendors.

• Document current processes and workflows (e.g. onboarding, project setup, approvals) that cut across IGS research programmes.

• Help identify issues such as bottlenecks, duplicated steps, or missing information by engaging with staff and reviewing process flows.

• Draft suggestions or options for improvement for discussion with the Associate Director and relevant stakeholders.

• Develop and maintain process documentation, user guides, quick-reference materials, and checklists for staff.

• Support communication and basic troubleshooting for users, escalating to IT or system owners as needed.

Events and Other Activities

• Maintain an overview of key organisational events, cycles, and deadlines that affect the Associate Director's area and IGS research programmes (e.g. reporting cycles, key meetings, internal workshops).

• Identify activities or small projects that may not have a clear owner and, under guidance from the Associate Director, either:

Coordinate relevant people to take responsibility, or

Take on coordination tasks at officer level (e.g. scheduling, logistics, basic documentation).

• Assist in planning and coordinating cross-programme events (e.g. joint research meetings, internal information sessions, training sessions, small workshops) that support organisational operations and research activities.

Job descriptions cannot be exhaustive and the post holder may be required to undertake other duties, which are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.

Person Specification

Requirements

Candidates/post holders will be expected to demonstrate the following Essential (E) / Desirable (D)

Experience / Education

Educated to degree level or equivalent experience in Business Administration, Project Management, or a related field. (E)

Experience

Experience in administration or project support within a complex organisation (e.g. higher education, research, public sector, corporate, or non-profit or international environment). (E)

Experience providing support to senior staff (e.g. executive assistant, senior administrator, or officer-level support role). (E)

Experience in organising and delivering professional events, such as high-level stakeholder visits, internal workshops, or external engagement activities. (E)

Experience coordinating activities across multiple functions (e.g. HR, Finance, IT, research/operations) and tracking actions to completion. (E)

Experience supporting project delivery and/or basic project coordination (e.g. timelines, task tracking, documentation). (D)

Knowledge

General understanding of administrative processes related to HR and finance (e.g. recruitment and onboarding workflows, purchasing/approvals, invoicing), and willingness to learn organisation-specific procedures. (E)

Knowledge of good practice in event planning and logistics (e.g. scheduling, stakeholder communication, on-the-day coordination). (E)

Familiarity with cross-cultural working and international collaboration, and the ability to adapt communication accordingly. (E)

Knowledge of the Singaporean and wider Southeast Asia research and innovation ecosystem. (D)

Awareness of project management principles and basic tools (e.g. action logs, Gantt charts, risk/issue lists), even if not in a formal project manager role. (D)

Skills & Abilities

Excellent planning and organisational skills able to manage multiple tasks, competing deadlines, and shifting priorities. (E)

Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to draft clear emails, notes, briefings, and guidance documents for internal and external stakeholders. (E)

Strong attention to detail and accuracy in documentation, recordkeeping, and data entry. (E)

Good analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to understand processes, identify basic gaps or bottlenecks, and suggest practical options for improvement. (E)

High level of professionalism, diplomacy, and cultural sensitivity when dealing with diverse stakeholders, including senior academics, partners, and external agencies. (E)

Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a small, multi-functional team, using judgement on when to seek guidance or escalate issues. (E)

Confident user of IT systems, including MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and online collaboration tools (e.g. Teams, SharePoint), with a willingness to learn new platforms and systems. (E)

are at the root of everything we do and everyone in our community is expected to demonstrate Imperial:

• Respect

• Collaboration

• Excellence

• Integrity

• Innovation

Employees are also required to comply with all Imperial policies and regulations.

We are committed to equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination and to creating an inclusive working environment for all. We encourage candidates to apply irrespective of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion and belief, gender reassignment, sex, or sexual orientation. You can read more about our commitment