Manager, Centre Management (Soft Services)

THIS IS A 2-YEAR RENEWABLE / CONVERTIBLE CONTRACT ROLE

Job Summary:

Singapore Discovery Centre is seeking a Manager (Soft Services) to oversee all non-technical operations of the venue, ensuring a comfortable, clean, safe, and welcoming environment for visitors, staff, and tenants. This role oversees key functions such as security, cleaning, landscaping, pest control, tenancy management, safety, emergency and incident management, to uphold high service standards.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Operational Leadership & Soft Services Management

• Lead and manage all soft services supporting daily centre operations and visitor experience. This includes overseeing outsourced vendors and in-house teams to meet and exceed KPIs and SLAs.
• Monitor and track maintenance issues to provide operational insights to support business case proposals for CAPEX upgrades or system replacements (where applicable).
• Prepare and procure term service contracts to provide maintenance or repair work.
• Drive service innovation via new technologies and sustainability best practices.

2. Tenancy Management

• Act as the main liaison for all tenant-related matters, including service requests, operational compliance, and alignment with Centre standards.
• To perform in-depth review of public feedback / complaints linked to tenant service lapses or operational oversight.
• Engage tenants on event participation, promotional campaigns, and optimal use of shared event or display spaces.
• Manage handover/takeover (HOTO) procedures, tenant onboarding, and regular reviews to ensure a seamless operating environment.

3. Safety, Emergency & Incident Management

• Develop and implement robust emergency response protocols and business continuity plans to safeguard the well-being of all guests, staff, and contractors.
• Oversee safety across front-of-house public areas, back-of-house operations, and contractor work zones.
• Coordinate closely with internal operational units during incidents, drills, and evacuation exercises.
• Conduct regular safety briefings, site inspections, and onboarding inductions for all personnel, including part-timers and interns.
• Represent the Centre on Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Committee and manage CERT training requirements and compliance.
• Ensure timely submission and adherence to risk assessments, oversee Permit-to-Work (PTW) processes, and lead incident investigations where necessary. Continuously review and improve emergency response capabilities based on incident learnings and evolving risks.

4. Budgeting and Reporting

• Prepare and manage annual budgets for Centre operations and capital improvements.
• Monitor KPIs and present quarterly reports on system failures.
• Lead root cause analyses for identified failures and perform necessary recovery.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Facilities Management or equivalent.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant working experiences in managing indoor and outdoor spaces in attractions, museums, galleries, shopping malls and other high footfall venues.
• Minimum 2 years in a managerial role handling soft services, tenancy, or public space management.
• Certified as Fire Safety Manager or Senior Fire Safety Manager and in practice for similar building capacity. Candidate will be registered as the building FSM to carry out the duties of FSM.
• Familiar with Emergency Management, Fire Safety, or Incident Command Systems.
• Relevant experiences in hard services such as ACMV, M&E Systems, building automation system (BAS) and possess working knowledge of maintenance work, statutory codes and regulations. Savvy with statutory requirements on building services, facility operations, maintenance, and safety.
• Familiarity with government procurement system and contract management.
• Resilient to project complexities, demands, ensuring that all strategic and tactical objectives are met and fulfilled.
• Operational knowledge in latest AV systems will be considered favourably.

Preferred Attributes:

• Keen eye for details with strong situational awareness.
• Strong operational oversight, quick to respond to incidents/emergencies.
• Service-orientated, self-driven, and calm under pressure.

Working Hours:

• Comfortable working on rostered weekends and public holidays (as Duty Manager for the Centre) with approximately, 4 – 6 shifts/month with 1-2 shifts/week which may fall on weekends and/or public holidays (OIL will be given).
• Able to work beyond normal office working hours for troubleshooting and/or maintenance (when necessary).