Office Manager (3-year contract), PGPP

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 Office of Postgraduate Professional Programmes (PGPP).
• Office Administration and Operations:
• Manage the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of the MRA office to ensure smooth workflow and effective coordination across the team.
• Oversee scheduling, logistics, and coordination of meetings, briefings, and events chaired by the Director or involving the MRA team.
• Maintain office systems, records, and documentation to ensure accessibility, confidentiality, and compliance with university policies.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for general office enquiries and internal communications.
• Budgeting and Procurement Support:
• Assist in budget preparation, monitoring, and expense tracking for the MRA team.
• Manage procurement processes including purchase requisitions, vendor onboarding, and payments, in line with university financial policies.
• Create Purchase Order entries in Ariba system and processing of vendor invoices and inter-department charging.
• Check and verify expense claims of staff to ensure accuracy, completeness and adherence to SMU policies before submitting to HOD for approval.
• Responsible for fixed assets inventory in PGPP which includes identification and reconciliation of assets, asset tagging, tracking and documenting any movement of assets.
• Manage paperwork and payments related to student helpers.
• Maintain accurate financial records and prepare expenditure summaries or reports for management review.
• Human Resource and Staffing Administration:
• Coordinate recruitment, onboarding, off-boarding and contract renewals for staff within the MRA team.
• Support training nominations, leave management, and performance appraisal documentation.
• Liaise with the HR Business Partner on staffing-related matters.
• Manage, guide and train student helpers who are assisting in events.
• Support Director, MRA:
• Provide executive and logistical support to the Director in managing schedules, correspondence, travel arrangements, and follow-ups on key initiatives.
• Prepare and consolidate reports, presentations, and meeting materials as required.
• Support the coordination of strategic and operational meetings involving the Director and other senior stakeholders.
• Manage Director’s local and overseas expense claims.
• Support Director’s travel request and expense claims in Travel Manager System and submit the statement to Finance for reimbursement.
• Cross-Team Coordination and Communication:
• Facilitate coordination among the Marketing, Recruitment, Admissions, and Systems & Analytics sub-teams to ensure alignment of timelines, deliverables, and reporting.
• Support planning and execution of MRA-wide projects, reviews, and events (e.g., PGP open houses, information sessions).
• Ensure effective internal communication within the MRA team and with partner offices.
• Process Improvement and Compliance:
• Identify opportunities to improve administrative efficiency through standardised procedures or digital tools.
• Ensure compliance with university policies on procurement, data management, PDPA, and information security.
• Maintain accurate version control of documentation, policies, and templates used across the MRA team.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Degree in Business Administration, Management, or a related discipline.
• At least 5 years of relevant administrative or office management experience, preferably in a higher education or corporate environment.
• Prior experience in providing administrative support to senior management is highly desirable.
• Strong organisational and multitasking skills with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Good knowledge of office administration, budgeting, procurement, and HR processes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and comfortable using digital collaboration tools (e.g. SharePoint, Teams).
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with staff at all levels.
• Discreet and professional in handling confidential information.
• Resourceful, proactive, and able to exercise sound judgment under minimal supervision.