Director, MINDS Institute

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

MINDS has been caring for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (PWIDs) and their families since 1962.

Grounded in the belief that all PWIDs have innate abilities and talents, MINDS is committed to empowering them and enhancing their quality of life, while advocating for greater inclusivity for PWIDs as a nation.

MINDS is today one of the largest charities in Singapore employing more than 850 staff. With the key focus to expand community-based services, improving the employability of PWIDS, strengthening education, and engendering inclusive community living, MINDS offers a holistic range of services and programmes across the PWIDs lifespan.

These include schools, employment and training development centres, home-based care services and community-based services to cater to the physical, psychological, environmental and social needs of PWIDs. For more information, please visit www.minds.org.sg.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• To oversee the design, development, implementation and evaluate MINDS services and programmes to ensure they meet contemporary evidence-based practice and international best practice standards in improving the QOL of persons with ID and their families.
• Oversee the delivery of superior quality of services and programmes aligned to stakeholder Quality of Life Outcomes aligned to best practice standards.
• Lead and oversee the identification, development, and implementation of appropriate evidence-based outcome measures across MINDS services and programmes.
• Provide sound advice to the CEO on service outcome measures as well as gaps in advocacy areas for the empowerment of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• To lead the organization in identification of service insights, client profiling, identification of gaps and future trends in the ID space using data analytics and visualisation with view to improving stakeholder Quality of Life outcomes in MINDS and the local ID sector.
• To spearhead the development and continual review of MINDS Research framework, and aligned with it, the identification of contemporary areas for future research and practice. Examples of research areas include Health, QOL, Employment, Social Inclusion.
• To lead the measurement of impact made by applied research activities in service/programme improvements, across MINDS and the local ID sector.
• Plan, organize and ensure smooth co-ordination and delivery of trainings/seminars/workshops/webinars to staff (e.g. teachers, training officers) and stakeholders (e.g. Clients, caregivers, employers) both in MINDS and across the social services sector.
• Lead and direct MINDS participation in external forums / conferences /seminars / symposiums / learning journeys (local and international) so as to ensure MINDS remain at the forefront of the thinking and practice in intellectual and developmental disabilities through acquisition and application of contemporary ID knowledge and skills.
• To establish key strategic networks and collaborations with relevant internal and external stakeholders and partners (local and international) in the development and delivery of research and experimentation projects so that MINDS position as thought and practice leader is affirmed at the national, regional and international levels.
• To represent MINDS at sector/national platforms/forums such as AIC and NCSSS Institutional Ethics Review Committee to review research studies across the social sector as well as MSFs Review Board for Vulnerable Persons.
• To represent MINDS at international platforms such as IASSIDD to contribute as a thought leader in the ID space as well as lear international best practices.
• To lead and oversee the conceptualisation, development of experimentation/proof-of-concept innovation projects (based on emerging best practices) in collaboration with operational units using a design thinking/implementation science methodology.
• As assigned to co-lead with appointed Directors to spearhead the review and development of new services.
• Lead the conceptualisation and oversee the delivery of research of the service-needs in question and conduct outcomes evaluation studies and needs sensing studies to ensure that the service being developed aligns with best practises.
• Lead the development and review of the service framework and where relevant and necessary to also seek out collaboration with strategic partners in relevant industry to scale and sustain the development.
• Project and plan for budget required to drive MIs projects and initiatives, both present and within the next 5 years.
• Lead identification and application for funding sources where possible and necessary, and to ensure MI remains within its budget allocation.
• Mentor managers within respective MI functions (Research and innovation, data management and analytics, experimentation and advocacy).
• Lead the planning of professional development of staff in MI so that departments staff competencies are aligned to the delivery of departments overall workplans and targets.

A minimum post-graduate qualification at Masters level in social sciences, allied health sciences or education. Ph.D qualification would be beneficial.

• At least 10 years of working experience in the field of disability, social or health sector.
• Demonstrated strong experience in research design and evaluation as evidenced by a track record of conference paper presentations and publications relevant to the field of disability.
• Demonstrated experience in service model design, conceptualisation, and evaluation.
• Demonstrated strong experience in linking research and theory with practice/service delivery through an implementation science approach.
• High level of written and oral communication skills with the ability to communicate with a range of stakeholders from policy, practice, and research perspectives.
• Demonstrated capacity to supervise, train and mentor peers and staff in areas of research, curriculum, and disability service delivery.
• Demonstrated project management skills and ability to deliver outcomes within tight timeframe.
• Good teamwork and interpersonal skills, and to be able to lead a department to develop and deliver the workplans aligned with MIs strategic thrusts.
• Relevant professional registration and memberships as required.