Assistant Manager, Associates Management

About the Role

The Associates Management (AM) team plays a critical role in sustaining the quality, capability and engagement of SUSS’s Associate Faculty (AF) workforce. The team oversees end‑to‑end AF appointment, onboarding, governance, engagement and relations, while partnering Schools and central stakeholders on people policies and workforce strategies.

We are seeking a high‑calibre Assistant Manager to take on a strategic and advisory role within AM. This role goes beyond operational execution and requires the incumbent to exercise independent judgment, manage complex matters, and shape AF-related policies and engagement strategies that have university‑wide impact.

The successful candidate will act as a trusted partner to key stakeholders, contribute substantively to organisational decision‑making, and support the continuous evolution of AF management practices in response to institutional priorities and growth needs. The role reports to a Senior Manager and operates with a substantial degree of autonomy.

What You Will Be Doing

Key Responsibilties: 

• Serve as a key advisor to schools and departments on matters relating to AF management, providing expert guidance on policies, practices and complex workforce considerations.
• Build and sustain long‑term, trust‑based relationships with academic and administrative leaders, balancing institutional priorities with faculty needs.
• Proactively identify emerging stakeholder concerns and translate them into actionable strategies and solutions.
• Lead the management of complex and sensitive AF relations matters, including investigations, disciplinary cases and grievances, ensuring procedural fairness, sound risk assessment and alignment with institutional values.
• Contribute to the development, review and implementation of policies, frameworks and governance processes relating to AF.
• Facilitate the conceptualisation, design and execution of AF engagement strategies, including both large and small scale signature events, communication platforms and community‑building initiatives with university‑wide reach.
• Represent AM in cross‑functional and university‑wide initiatives, contributing a people and governance perspective to broader organisational projects.
• Identify systemic gaps and opportunities for process improvement, leading initiatives that enhance efficiency, governance robustness and stakeholder experience.
• Support capability development within the team by guiding junior staff, sharing expertise and contributing to overall team effectiveness.

Job Requirements

• Degree with at least 4–6 years of relevant working experience, preferably in higher education, HR, employee relations or stakeholder engagement roles.
• Experience managing complex stakeholder relationships and handling sensitive cases with discretion and professionalism.
• Demonstrated ability in policy interpretation, process improvement and programme implementation.
• Strong analytical, interpersonal and communication skills, with the confidence to engage senior stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment and manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Proficient in MS Office applications (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc).