Manager, Events & Administration (2-Year Contract), Soss

COMPANY DESCRIPTION Singapore Management University is a place where high-level professionalism blends together with a healthy informality. The 'family-like' atmosphere among the SMU community fosters a culture where employees work, plan, organise and play together - building a strong collegiality and morale within the university. Our commitment to attract and retain talent is ongoing. We offer attractive benefits and welfare, competitive compensation packages, and generous professional development opportunities - all to meet the work-life needs of our staff. No wonder, then, that SMU continues to be given numerous awards and recognition for its human resource excellence. RESPONSIBILITIES This position is for School of Social Sciences (SOSS). Lead End-to-End Planning and Delivery of School Events Orchestrate the full lifecycle of about 40 academic and institutional events (physical, virtual and hybrid), from concept development and agenda-setting through to execution and post-event evaluation. Work closely with the Associate Dean (Research), faculty and administrators to design event themes, curate speakers and structure programme content aligned with School priorities. Develop and implement event communications and promotion (including eDMs and copywriting) in collaboration with relevant stakeholders. Manage event budgets, procurement, vendors, logistics and protocol to ensure professional, well-attended and smoothly executed events. Conduct post-event reviews, reporting and follow-up publicity to enhance reach, effectiveness and continuous improvement. Administer faculty applications for internal event, collaboration and visitor funding schemes. Manage Conference Fund, Faculty Travel and Student Hiring Oversee the end-to-end management of the school's conference and operational funds, including budgeting, utilisation tracking, expense allocation and reporting. Advise about 50 faculty on outbound conference travel (2 to 4 trips annually per faculty), including funding priorities, eligibility and compliance with prevailing travel and entertainment policies. Manage all pre- and post-travel processes via Concur (e.g. bookings, claims, documentation), ensuring accuracy, timeliness and policy compliance. Allocate expenses across internal and external funding sources and monitor fund utilisation to ensure judicious and equitable use of School resources. Administer the appointment and payment of student and research assistants, in accordance with university policies and timelines. Other responsibilities Support School-level events and administrative processes as required (e.g. faculty meetings, retreats, working groups, compliance-related roles). Undertake other tasks as assigned by the Dean and Assistant Dean (Administration). QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor's degree or above, preferably in Social Sciences, Business Management, Communications, Hospitality. The role requires a blend of conceptual, interpersonal and operational capabilities to orchestrate high-quality events from design through delivery and evaluation: Strong ability to conceptualise and design event agendas, including framing themes, titles and programme flow, proposing suitable presenters. Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills to align faculty, administrators and external partners. Proven project management capabilities to plan and deliver multiple events concurrently with strong attention to detail. Sound financial and governance awareness, including budgeting, approvals and compliance with institutional policies. Effective communication and writing skills for speaker engagement, event copywriting and promotion. Strong operational execution skills, including logistics coordination, on-site delivery and post-event evaluation. Resourceful and solution-oriented in addressing unexpected issues. Proficient in using Microsoft Office, Canva and Concur Travel software. Able to work on weekends on ad hoc basis (few times a year). At least 5 years of relevant work experience in relevant settings. OTHER INFORMATION #LI-XL1 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 neces Please note that your application will be sent to and reviewed by the direct employer - Singapore Management University