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About DesignSingapore Council Pte Ltd (Dsg)

DesignSingapore Council’s (Dsg) vision is for Singapore to be an innovation-driven economy and a loveable city through design by 2025. As the national agency that promotes design, our mission is to develop the design sector, help Singapore use design for innovation and growth, and make life better in this UNESCO Creative City of Design. The Dsg is a subsidiary of the Singapore Economic Development Board. www.designsingapore.org

About the Strategy & Governance Unit

The Strategy and Governance (S&G) Unit develops the strategies and directions for the organisation, to realise its vision of creating an innovation driven economy and a loveable city by design. The unit comprises of two teams:

1. Strategic Planning & Futures team is responsible for long-term planning and strategy development. Specific work entails formulation of Dsg’s Masterplan, driving Strategic Futures initiatives, and conducting research required to support the Dsg’s interests.
2. Corporate Planning & Governance team is responsible for optimising organisational effectiveness; involving overseeing of knowledge management systems, data governance platforms, and other Dsg processes.

About the Job

Dsg is looking for a passionate candidate to join the Strategic Planning & Futures team, housed within the S&G unit. This position reports to the Deputy Director, Strategy, Governance and International Relations. It may come with supervisory responsibilities.

Scope

There are three main responsibilities for this role:

Strategic Planning:

• Leading strategy development for the organisation, particularly to shape Dsg’s design masterplans.
• Supporting Dsg units by translating broad strategies into actionable steps; to help refine unit-specific programmes and initiatives.
• Co-leading Dsg’s annual work-planning exercise with the Corporate Planning & Governance team, in consultation with management and units.

Strategic Futures:

• Conducting market scans of design and non-design related topics (e.g. technology, sustainability, etc)
• Distilling signals and trends into scenarios that challenge existing assumptions and identify opportunities or threats for Dsg and the design sector.
• Conducting internal and external sharing sessions to facilitate knowledge exchange and dialogues.
• Providing a future-thinking lens to Dsg’s workplanning sessions.

Research:

• Leading a new Value of Design study to investigate the social and economic value of design to Singapore, as well as the impact to businesses and government. Requires project management of external vendor for the research work.
• Coordinating research projects and requirements within Dsg (e.g. across units) to streamline overlapping needs and align best practices.

Requirements

• Minimum 5-8 years of working experience in strategic planning, research, as well as futures and foresight work. Experience with strategic planning methodologies or models would be an advantage but is not required.
• A strong passion for design, especially the design and creative ecosystem in Singapore.
• Strong analytical ability; able to interpret and synthesise data, provide insights, and develop or augment strategies.
• Experience in managing qualitative and quantitative research
• Inquisitive mind that will challenge latent assumptions, approaches and narratives.
• Skilled in translating complex strategies and thinking downstream to management, colleagues and the broader design industry.
• Possess critical thinking skills, as well as excellent writing and verbal communication.
• Possess interpersonal skills to manage and collaborate with multiple stakeholders.
• Methodical, process-oriented, and proactive self-starter.