Project & Ops Manager

Overview:

At IMBA, operations are about more than efficiency. They're about creating seamless experiences that bring our stories to life every day. The Head of Operations will play a pivotal role in transforming our vision into action, ensuring the venue runs with precision, warmth, and creativity.

Reporting to the Head of Operations, you will lead all on-ground functions, including ticketing, visitor experience, technical and facilities management. You'll balance strategy with hands-on leadership — guiding teams, managing partners, and ensuring that every visitor interaction reflects IMBA's standard of excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Project & Production Management* Lead and manage the full lifecycle of IMBA exhibitions, installations, productions, and special projects, from planning through to completion.

• Develop and maintain project timelines, technical specifications, budgets, procurement plans, and production schedules.
• Ensure all deliverables are completed on time, within approved budgets, and in compliance with IMBA's quality and safety standards. 2. Technical & Creative Execution* Translate creative and curatorial concepts into executable production and technical plans.
• Oversee fabrication, construction, AV/lighting, media integration, staging, and installation works.
• Conduct feasibility studies, prototyping, and technical testing for all projects. 3. Cross-Functional Collaboration* Work closely with the Content, Creative, Brand/Marketing, Venue Operations, and Corporate Functions teams for the seamless delivery of all projects.
• Provide all required documentation, handover notes, technical manuals, and maintenance guidelines to the Operations team before opening. 4. Vendor, Contractor & Stakeholder Management* Source, evaluate, recommend, and manage external vendors, contractors, designers, artists, fabricators, and technical partners.
• Negotiate scopes of work, service agreements, deliverables, and costings.
• Supervise all contractors on site to ensure adherence to safety, compliance, and project specifications. 5. Budgeting, Procurement & Risk Management* Prepare, manage, and track project budgets, cost forecasts, and expenditure reports.
• Implement risk assessments, mitigation plans, and contingency strategies for all projects.
• Ensure all procurement is conducted in accordance with IMBA's authority matrix and financial procedures. 6. Compliance, Licensing & Safety* Ensure all projects meet statutory and regulatory requirements, including but not limited to SCDF, BCA, IMDA, licensing, and Workplace Safety & Health (WSH) regulations.
• Oversee the preparation and submission of required permits, risk assessments, method statements, and safety documentation. 7. Team Leadership* Manage the supply chain of vendors and contractors, building a reliable bench of partners for recurring production needs.
• Set clear KPIs and development plans for direct reports; build a project team capable of running concurrent projects across multiple venue spaces (gallery, theatres, and public zones) without cross-hall delays. 8. Multi-Hall / Cross-Venue Coordination* Own the master schedule across all exhibition halls and theatre spaces, identifying dependencies (shared rigging, AV crews, queuing/ticketing flow) that cross physical boundaries.
• Flag and resolve scheduling conflicts between simultaneous builds/installs in different halls before they cascade into delays.
• Coordinate soft-open and public-open readiness per hall, ensuring no single space blocks overall venue opening. Requirements & Qualifications:* 5+ years of experience in project/production management, ideally in experiential venues, museums, live events, retail construction, or entertainment.
• Demonstrated ops background: comfortable owning end-to-end delivery, not just a single workstream.
• Experience managing vendors/contractors and negotiating service agreements.
• Famil