Strategic Visionary: Driving Institutional Growth

Senior Leaders Guide to Strategic Success

We are seeking a seasoned Senior Director, Office of Strategy Management who will be responsible for developing and implementing strategic plans that drive our University's growth.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in strategic planning, corporate governance, and performance management. They must possess excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills to facilitate effective stakeholder engagement.

As a key member of our leadership team, you will work closely with senior executives to develop and implement strategic initiatives that align with our University's goals and objectives.

• Develop and implement strategic plans that align with the University's vision and mission;
• Lead the development of the University's strategic plan and ensure its alignment with institutional goals and objectives;
• Oversee the operationalization of systems to monitor and evaluate strategic performance;
• Co-lead the annual planning process to ensure alignment of work plans with prevailing strategic plan;
• Provide strategic inputs and information for key reports and other critical areas to support institutional decision-making and long-term planning;

Strategic Planning and Implementation:

Develop and implement strategic plans that align with the University's vision and mission;

Lead the development of the University's strategic plan and ensure its alignment with institutional goals and objectives;

Oversee the operationalization of systems to monitor and evaluate strategic performance;

Facilitate the University's strategic planning framework, encompassing both short and long-term planning cycles undertaken by departments;

Ensure alignment between departmental plans and the University's overarching strategic objectives and priorities;

Coordinate the effective communication of strategic outcomes across the University;

Oversee the team in supporting senior leadership meetings and executive retreats focused on strategy formulation;

Prepare agenda plans, engage stakeholders, prepare materials, document key discussions, and synthesize insights to inform long-range goals and strategic frameworks;

Track progress, offer actionable recommendations, and facilitate access to required resources to drive successful implementation of strategic initiatives;

Compile and present reports on strategic initiatives, plan reviews, and other critical areas to support institutional decision-making and long-term planning;

Corporate Planning and Performance Management:

Oversee the University's performance management frameworks, including the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) and the Dean's Discretionary Fund-BSC (DDF-BSC) performance-based incentive framework;

Drive continuous improvement and strategic alignment;

Lead performance review facilitation for BSC and DDF-BSC, engaging with Schools and relevant Offices to analyze performance drivers;

Identify key achievements and improvement areas, follow up post-review to confirm or revise targets, ensure alignment of work plans and annual budgets with desired outcomes;

Manage performance reporting and analysis for BSC and DDF-BSC, compiling, analyzing, and reporting performance metrics to support data-driven decision-making and institutional planning;

Strengthen departmental planning capabilities by identifying and organizing relevant resources, streamlining planning processes, and providing advisory support to OSM colleagues involved in planning activities;

Leading or contributing to cross-university taskforces and working groups to support institutional priorities and collaborative initiatives;

Undertake other related duties as assigned;

Bachelor's degree in any field; postgraduate degree would be an advantage;

At least 12 to 15 years of work experience within at least 10 years in strategic planning, preferably in higher education and/or consulting;

Experience in managing a team and leading projects;

Background in supporting the development of education and research policies;

Proven track record of delivering results-oriented strategic plans and programs;

Demonstrated strong analytical and critical thinking, problem-solving ability to assess and evaluate issues and data;

Excellent communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills;

Strong supervisory and leadership skills;

Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail;

Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software;

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;