Programme Manager [LKCMedicine]

The Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) trains doctors who put patients at the centre of their exemplary care. The School, which offers both undergraduate and graduate programmes, is named after local philanthropist Tan Sri Dato Lee Kong Chian. Established in 2010 by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, in partnership with Imperial College London, LKCMedicine aims to be a model for innovative medical education and a centre for transformative research. The School’s primary clinical partner is the National Healthcare Group, a leader in public healthcare recognised for the quality of its medical expertise, facilities and teaching. The School is transitioning to an NTU medical school ahead of the 2028 successful conclusion of the NTU-Imperial partnership to set up a Joint Medical School. In August 2024, we welcomed our first intake of the NTU MBBS programme, that has been recently enhanced to include themes like precision medicine and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare, with an expanded scope in the medical humanities. Graduates from the five-year undergraduate medical degree programme will have a strong understanding of the scientific basis of medicine, with an emphasis on technology, data science and the humanities.

LKCMedicine is seeking to appoint a full-time Programme Manager to work on the Health-Driven Design for Cities (HD4) study. Jointly led by Professor Nick Wareham at University of Cambridge and Professor John Chambers at NTU LKCMedicine, HD4 is a large-scale population study aiming to develop the evidence base for interventions that impact the upstream determinants of health in cities. It exploits a unique opportunity to work synergistically with the SG100K cohort study, augmenting it with data characterising the individual environmental exposures of the cohort participants.

SG100K, spearheaded by Professor John Chambers, is a landmark population cohort study of 100,000 Singaporeans of diverse ethnic background. The cohort has completed recruitment of >95,000 participants at the point of this posting. With comprehensive behavioral, phenotypic, multi-omics data, and electronic health record linkage to look into health outcomes, the study represents a state-of-the art platform for researchers to understand the etiology and pathogenesis of diverse disease outcomes in Asia, and to generate insights that have the potential to improve health outcomes for Asian populations globally.

The appointee shall work under the direction of the HD4 team, e.g., Professor John Chambers, Asst Professor Marie Loh, etc. and will have a unique opportunity to work with a leading interdisciplinary team of epidemiologists, clinicians, scientists, engineers and architects to investigate how individuals move in space and time in Singapore, their corresponding exposure to risk factors that intersect with urban environments, and how this influences their behaviour and health. 

This role will be based primarily in the Population and Global Health Department at LKCMedicine (Novena) in Singapore. The appointee will be expected to report to Professor Chambers. The appointee shall lead and oversee a multidisciplinary research initiative focused on the intersection of environmental exposures and public health. This managerial role is responsible for strategic planning, team leadership, financial governance, stakeholder engagement, and ensuring alignment with institutional, grants, ethics and other relevant policies. The incumbent will act as the administrative lead for programme delivery, working closely with principal investigators and institutional partners to translate complex research into scalable, impactful interventions which will improve our living space, as well as, public health.

Key Responsibilities

1.  Programme Management

• Lead strategic planning and execution to ensure effective programme delivery, aligning with the approved grant proposal(s) objectives.

• Oversee programme budget and resource allocation, ensuring timely achievement of key milestones and optimal use of funds.

• Develop and implement a comprehensive performance monitoring framework to assess progress, identify risks early, and lead mitigation efforts.

2. Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and lead strategic partnerships with researchers, policymakers, healthcare professionals, environmental scientists, and community stakeholders to advance programme goals.

• Design and implement frameworks for effective knowledge transfer and collaboration across disciplines and institutions.

• Represent the programme as a thought leader at national and international conferences, workshops, and high-level stakeholder engagements.

• Establish and maintain clear governance structures and communication protocols, including timely dissemination of minutes and action items.

3. Research Coordination

• Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary teams to achieve programme milestones, ensuring alignment with research objectives and institutional strategy.

• Oversee the integration and harmonization of data across disciplines (e.g., epidemiology, environmental science, public health) to enable cross-cutting analysis and impactful insights.

• Direct the management of post-award grant activities, including budget forecasting, grant virements, compliance monitoring, and reporting to funding agencies.

• Provide strategic oversight for procurement planning and execution, ensuring timely and cost-effective delivery of research goods and services, maximizing grant utilization for the entire duration of the grant(s).

• Lead the negotiation and review of research-related agreements in collaboration with legal and institutional stakeholders, safeguarding programme interests.

• Ensure governance and compliance with all ethical, legal, and data protection standards, including the development and maintenance of ethics submissions and regulatory amendments.

4. Communication and Reporting

• Design and lead the implementation of comprehensive communication strategies to effectively disseminate programme progress, insights, and findings to internal and external stakeholders.

• Establish and govern communication platforms (e.g., MS Teams, dashboards, knowledge portals) to enhance collaboration, information flow, and accountability across multidisciplinary teams.

• Oversee the development of high-quality presentation materials, briefs, and reports tailored to various audiences, including academic peers, policy stakeholders, and the public.

• Act as a communication liaison to ensure alignment of messaging across teams and consistency in stakeholder engagement.

5. Recruitment of Research Staff

• Lead research workforce planning and recruitment strategies to ensure optimal staffing with minimal turnover for successful programme delivery and long-term sustainability.

• Oversee the development of job scopes, selection criteria, and interview processes in collaboration with Professor Chambers and HR partners.

• Ensure recruitment practices align with institutional policies while also promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• Participate in onboarding processes to integrate new hires effectively into the programme team.

Key Competencies and Requirements:

• Master’s or PhD in public health, environmental science, epidemiology, or a related field preferred. In lieu of the stated qualifications, candidates with a strong track record of delivering high-impact outcomes in programme management roles may be considered.

• 7 to 8 years' of relevant experience. Candidates with programme management experience will be an added advantage.

• Proven experience in managing large-scale, multidisciplinary programmes or projects.

• Strong understanding of environmental determinants of health and related research methodologies.

• Excellent project management skills, including budget management, legal agreements negotiation and risk assessment.

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with experience engaging with diverse stakeholders.

• Knowledge of relevant policies, regulations, and frameworks related to environmental and public health will be an advantage.