Centre Director for Centre for African Studies (CAS)

About the Centre for African Studies (CAS)

The NTU-SBF Centre for African Studies operates as a trilateral platform uniting government, industry, and academia to enhance awareness and expertise on Africa amongst Asian enterprises and policy makers. It aims to foster stronger economic, commercial, and policy partnerships bridging Africa and Asia.

Role Overview

The Centre Director reports jointly to the Chairman of the CAS Advisory Board and the Dean of the Nanyang Business School, with a matrix report to the Associate Dean (Research) of NBS. This leadership role involves managing all CAS activities, ensuring alignment with the centre's mission, steering strategic vision development, and elevating CAS’s presence both domestically and globally. The Director will cultivate strategies to deepen understanding and connections concerning African markets, industries, and companies relevant to Singapore’s stakeholders, collaborating closely with NTU faculty to advance knowledge leadership in these domains.

Key Responsibilities

• Formulate and implement CAS’s strategic plan in partnership with the Advisory Board and NBS leadership, including long-term goals and operational workplans with KPIs.
• Identify opportunities and manage risks to support CAS’s sustainable growth and impact.
• Lead outreach initiatives and industry relations aligned with the centre’s strategy, building networks across corporations, governments, and ecosystem partners.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders such as NBS and SBF to facilitate exchange of knowledge and reinforce relationships between African and Singaporean businesses and leaders.
• Drive thought leadership by partnering with academics and international researchers to develop practical research projects aiding companies in Africa-Singapore collaborations and market expansion.
• Work with SBF to curate market entry guides and sector-specific insights for African markets beneficial to businesses.
• Manage content creation, stakeholder communication, intellectual property, and distribution to broaden the centre’s influence.
• Initiate human capital programs such as executive training, student internships, consultancy projects, and executive education to nurture Africa-competent professionals supporting Asian expansion into Africa.
• Oversee daily operations ensuring strategic objectives are met, with accountability for KPIs set by governance bodies.
• Ensure operational efficiency, sound financial management, budgeting, resource allocation, governance adherence, and reporting compliance.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required; PhD or Doctorate in Business Administration is highly desirable.
• At least 10 years of pertinent experience in the field.
• Proven track record in establishing effective partnerships and engaging with industry stakeholders.
• Demonstrated knowledge of African companies and markets, with existing networks considered advantageous.
• Experienced in outreach activities and organizing engagement events.
• Familiarity with academic institutions and faculty collaboration preferred.
• Experience contributing to industry white papers and projects is beneficial.
• Strong strategic planning abilities.
• Self-motivated with aptitude for teamwork.
• Excellent organizational, stakeholder management, interpersonal, and communication skills.

Additional Information

The NTU Singapore’s Strategy and Innovation in Entrepreneurship (SIE) division offers extensive research expertise spanning corporate governance, business strategy, digital platforms, emerging markets, and sustainability. The division is invested in delivering superior education, preparing students with essential skills for global competitiveness, and progressing entrepreneurial initiatives.

NTU is committed to fostering equality, diversity, and inclusion, creating an enriching campus environment respectful of all backgrounds.