Senior Manager (Manpower Budgeting, Payroll & Grants Management)

Are you an experienced payroll and workforce finance professional who is passionate about operational excellence, governance, and digital transformation?

We are looking for a Senior Manager to oversee the University’s payroll operations, workforce budgeting, payroll accounting, and grant-funded manpower administration. This role is instrumental in strengthening workforce planning, financial stewardship, payroll governance, and digital transformation across the University.

Working closely with colleagues across HR, Finance, Research Administration, IT, and academic units, you will contribute to workforce and financial strategies while advancing operational excellence through process optimisation, technology, and continuous improvement.

What You Will Do

People Management

• Provide leadership and direction to the team responsible for payroll, workforce budgeting, payroll accounting, and grants administration.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Develop organisational capability through coaching, mentoring, and succession planning.

Workforce Budgeting & Financial Stewardship

• Coordinate the University’s annual workforce budgeting and manpower cost planning exercise.
• Develop workforce cost forecasts, financial models, dashboards, and budget scenarios.
• Provide workforce analytics and financial insights to support strategic planning and decision-making.
• Partner with Finance, HR Business Partners, and budget owners to optimise workforce costs and funding utilisation.

Payroll Operations & Governance

• Oversee end-to-end payroll operations across all employee groups.
• Ensure compliance with Singapore employment legislation, CPF regulations, IRAS requirements, and University policies.
• Manage payroll accounting, reconciliations, statutory reporting, audits, and financial controls.
• Strengthen governance through robust internal controls, risk management, and continuous process improvement.

Payroll Systems & Digital Transformation

• Champion the continuous enhancement of the SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central Payroll (SAP SF ECP) platform.
• Deliver payroll automation, system enhancements, and digital transformation initiatives.
• Collaborate with HR, Finance, IT, and external partners to implement scalable payroll solutions.
• Leverage technology and analytics to enhance operational efficiency, reporting capabilities, and data quality.

Grants & Payroll Funding

• Manage payroll-related grants administration across research and externally funded projects.
• Ensure payroll allocations comply with funding agency requirements and University policies.
• Advise Principal Investigators and stakeholders on payroll charging, manpower deployment, and grant utilisation.
• Support grant reporting, reconciliations, audits, and funding reviews.

Stakeholder Partnership & Advisory

• Serve as the University’s subject matter expert on payroll governance, workforce costing, payroll accounting, and grant funding.
• Build trusted partnerships across internal and external stakeholders.
• Provide strategic advice and insights on workforce expenditure, payroll risks, funding sustainability, and regulatory developments.

What We’re Looking For

• Professional training in Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, Business, or a related discipline.
• At least 8–10 years of progressive experience in payroll, workforce budgeting, finance, or grants administration, including people management responsibilities.
• Strong knowledge of Singapore payroll legislation, CPF regulations, IRAS requirements, payroll accounting, and financial controls.
• Hands-on experience with SAP SF ECP platform.
• Strong analytical, stakeholder management, project management, and change management capabilities.
• Experience in higher education, the publ