Assistant Director – Research Programme Development

About the role

The Assistant Director, Research Programme Development will lead systematic reviews of investigator‑led research activities and translate emerging opportunities into large‑scale programme proposals. This role supports the Office of Research Strategy in aligning research initiatives with national and international funding streams.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct systematic reviews of MOE Academic Research Fund (AcRF) Tier‑1 and Tier‑2 grants, completed projects and high‑quality unsuccessful proposals.
• Identify and develop research initiatives with potential for programme‑scale agendas aligned to major funding opportunities.
• Collaborate with faculty, schools, and research clusters to strengthen early‑stage concepts and design multi‑investigator programmes.
• Coordinate the development and submission of large grant proposals, including MOE AcRF Tier‑3, SSHR‑TG, philanthropic foundation grants, multilateral programmes, Horizon Europe, and multi‑institution consortium grants.
• Manage the institutional pipeline of programme‑scale initiatives, tracking proposal development and internal stage‑gates.
• Facilitate partnerships with external universities, research institutes, international organisations, and foundations.
• Engage with external stakeholders to support proposal development and programme positioning.
• Work closely with ORS leadership to prioritize initiatives aligned with institutional strategy.

Required profile

• Master's degree or equivalent professional experience in public policy, international development, economics, social sciences, business, or related fields.
• 8 to 12 years of relevant experience in research programme development, large‑grant coordination, or international development initiatives.
• Prior experience working with international research funding ecosystems, including philanthropic foundations.

Required skills