Centre Director, Centre of Excellence, Airport Innovation
Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)
Singapore · Contract
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- Experience
- Any
- Salary
- —
- Openings
- 1
- Posted
- 3 weeks ago
- Work mode
- In office
- Eligibility
- Professionals with experience in innovation, research, or applied industry collaboration in relevant fields may apply; candidates with leadership experience in research or innovation platforms and strong partnership-building capability are especially suited.
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- Required to apply
Where you'll work
Job description
About the Role
The Centre Director for the Centre of Excellence (CoE), Airport Innovation will report to the Governing Board and turn its strategic agenda into day-to-day execution. The role is responsible for driving the CoE’s mandate across three core pillars: Research and Innovation, Innovation Talent Development, and management of innovation assets.
Strategic Leadership and Governance
- Convert the Governing Board’s direction into an actionable operating framework, an annual delivery plan, and a long-range strategy that reflects the CoE’s three phases.
- Prepare strategy and operating plans for Board endorsement while ensuring they stay aligned with the national aviation strategy.
- Keep the Governing Board regularly informed with clear, honest updates on project status, team performance, and organisational well-being, including semi-annual KPI reviews.
Research and Innovation
- Head the CoE’s research and innovation activities, serving as the main contact for technical project updates and supervising the Lead PI/Convenor for high-impact proof-of-concepts and pilots aligned to the national aviation R&I roadmap.
- Build a centralised partner inventory and proactively identify and bring in non-traditional innovation partners such as start-ups, technology suppliers, OEMs, Institutes of Higher Learning, and research institutes that are not yet part of Singapore airport operations.
- Guide the creation of research proposal teams by appointing Lead Principal Investigators/Convenors and Work Package PIs, and oversee movement from research to PoC, pilot, and scale-up.
Innovation Talent Development and Innovation Assets
- Lead a system-wide assessment of innovation talent gaps and oversee the design and delivery of programmes across undergraduate, postgraduate, and continuing education and training levels, including ops-tech certification, postgraduate research assistantships, and airport operations innovation curriculum work with IHLs.
- Manage the identification, prioritisation, procurement, and administration of shared physical and digital innovation assets, including the physical apron testbed and digital twin, to support CoE projects, the wider ecosystem, and start-ups.
Partnerships, Thought Leadership, and External Presence
- Develop and maintain strategic partnerships across the authority, aviation partners, IHLs, research institutes, and technology ventures while preserving clear role boundaries with existing aviation technical delivery centres.
- Drive the CoE’s marketing and thought leadership efforts to strengthen visibility in Singapore and internationally, and position the Centre as the primary destination for airport innovation in Singapore.
What We Are Looking For
The ideal candidate should have a proven record in innovation-focused work, research, or applied industry engagement in a relevant area such as engineering, AI, robotics, systems, or aviation-related disciplines.
Applicants should also bring experience in founding, leading, or scaling a research centre, innovation platform, or open innovation programme, such as a national CoE, technology transfer office, or multi-stakeholder programme.
A strong background in building and managing valuable partnerships across IHLs, research institutes, industry users, and start-up ventures is essential, along with a solid understanding of the full innovation lifecycle and the barriers that stop pilots from reaching deployment.
Valuable Experience
- Exposure to airport management, aviation infrastructure, ground handling, or air traffic management at an operational or strategic level.
- Knowledge of Singapore’s research funding landscape, including NRF grant mechanisms, the ICAI programme process, and CAAS R&I roadmap structures.
- Past experience working in or hosting a Centre of Excellence, national laboratory, or a similar cross-boundary institution.
- Experience dealing with civil aviation authorities, regulatory sandboxes, or government innovation agencies.
- International experience and an active global network in aviation or related technology sectors.
Additional Information
This is a contract role based onsite in Changi, East Region, Singapore.