Head, Strategy & Product Innovation

Role overview

DesignSingapore Council is seeking a senior leader to head the Strategy and Product Innovation division. Reporting to the Group Head of the Sector Development Group, this person will shape organisational direction, keep the Design 2035 Masterplan moving forward, and ensure it remains relevant as the sector evolves. The role also oversees a portfolio of products and incentive policies designed to create meaningful and long-term value for the design industry.

About DesignSingapore Council

DesignSingapore Council (Dsg) is Singapore’s national design agency. Its purpose is to encourage the use of design in work and daily life, support the growth of the design sector, and help Singapore become a more liveable, loveable, and limitless nation through design. Dsg operates as a subsidiary of the Singapore Economic Development Board.

About the Strategy & Product Innovation division

The Strategy & Product Innovation (SPI) division guides the organisation’s long-term direction and helps position Singapore as a design-led innovation hub. A major part of the division’s work is delivering the Design 2035 Masterplan, supported by a product portfolio that aligns with Dsg’s masterplan and delivers measurable outcomes for the broader design ecosystem. The division has two teams:

• Strategic Planning team: Handles long-range planning and strategy development, including the implementation, review and refinement of Design 2035, future-focused initiatives, and research that supports Dsg’s priorities.
• Product Innovation team: Partners with Dsg business divisions to solve internal and external needs through design-led approaches, creating incentive policies and products that help expand design adoption across both design and non-design sectors.

Key responsibilities

The scope of work includes, but is not limited to, the following areas:

Strategic planning

• Partner with senior leadership and the Advisory Board to help define direction, identify priority areas, and focus efforts that strengthen Dsg’s standing as a thought leader and support a stronger design ecosystem in Singapore.
• Lead the planning, execution, and refinement of strategic initiatives such as partnerships, white papers, strategy reviews, toolkits, and workshops. This also includes driving the Design 2035 Masterplan into action and helping other divisions convert strategy into practical workplans and programme improvements.
• Oversee and guide research streams across the organisation, including projects initiated by SPI and, when needed, requests from other divisions.

Product innovation and user experience

• Lead collaboration with business divisions to assess and improve product and programme offerings so they better support the growth of the design sector in line with Design 2035. This includes shaping or reviewing Dsg-led programmes and refining incentive policies with agencies such as EDB, ESG, STB and SWDA to suit client and stakeholder needs.
• Drive design-led research and advocacy by working with internal and external stakeholders on customer and product discovery through interviews, workshops, and prototyping. Turn findings into insights and design recommendations that address system constraints and support decision-making.
• Direct product outreach and programme management efforts, including working with business and communications teams on promotional strategy. Ensure products and initiatives are developed, evaluated and managed effectively, with clear budgeting, targets, and reporting on outcomes.

Requirements

• Bring at least 10 years of experience in strategy and product development, with practical exposure to research, budgeting, process design, and strategic planning. Experience in futures thinking and facilitation for work planning would be advantageous.
• Have at least 5 years of leadership experience, with a demonstrated ability to manage teams, guide projects, align cross-functional groups, and deliver results through structured oversight.
• Possess strong stakeholder and people-management skills, with the ability to explain complex ideas clearly and support team growth and development.
• Show genuine passion for Singapore’s design and creative community, and a commitment to its continued progress.
• Be highly analytical and strategic, with the confidence to question assumptions and improve approaches based on data and insight.
• Communicate exceptionally well in both spoken and written form, and be able to present product direction, strategy, and requirements clearly to stakeholders, teammates, and customers while facilitating alignment and negotiation.

Eligibility

This role is suited to senior professionals with deep experience in strategy, product development, research, and leadership. Candidates should be capable of operating at an organisational leadership level and working closely with senior management, the advisory board, and cross-functional teams.

Additional information

No salary, vacancy count, start date, or application deadline was provided in the source. No internship duration is applicable, as this is a full-time leadership role.