MANAGER, IT, DIGITALISATION & INNOVATION

JOB SUMMARY

The Manager leads the IT, Digitalisation & Innovation function and supports the Operations & Executive Director in determining and implementing strategies relating to information technology, digitalisation, innovation, data, cybersecurity, service continuity and assigned organisational projects.

This role is responsible for planning, managing and improving SCH’s IT infrastructure, systems, applications, networks, support services, technology projects, vendors and related controls so that reliable, secure and effective services are delivered to users with minimal operational disruption.

As an organisation, SCH relies on technology to support its care teams. The Manager will drive SCH’s digital transformation by identifying, piloting and scaling practical technologies, such as AI, robotics, smart sensors and automation, that improve resident care, safety and experience, reduce manual workload for staff, and raise operational efficiency and productivity.

The Manager provides direction to the IT team, advises management on technology risks, opportunities and priorities, champions an innovation culture across SCH, maintains appropriate governance and documentation, and undertakes special projects as assigned by the Operations and/or Executive Director.

JOB SCOPE

1    IT STRATEGY, GOVERNANCE, POLICY AND PLANNING

• Assist the Operations & Executive Director in determining and implementing information technology, digitalisation and innovation strategies, priorities, standards and improvement initiatives aligned with SCH’s strategic plan and operational requirements.
• Develop and maintain IT plans, policies, procedures, standards, registers and governance controls for the effective management and use of SCH’s technology resources.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, manpower productivity, service quality, information management and user experience through appropriate technology and process improvements.
• Prepare the annual IT budgets, project proposals, approval papers, management updates and other reports required for planning, governance and decision-making.
• Monitor key IT risks, dependencies, compliance obligations and service issues, and escalate significant matters to the Executive Director and relevant management stakeholders.
• Ensure that IT decisions, implementations and changes are properly assessed, approved, documented and communicated.
• Develop and maintain a multi-year IT and digital roadmap with prioritised initiatives, resource requirements and expected benefits, and review it regularly with management and the relevant board committee.

2    DIGITALISATION, INNOVATION AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY

• Lead SCH’s digitalisation and innovation agenda, working with all departments to identify where technology can best improve resident care, staff productivity and operational efficiency.

• Scan, evaluate and recommend emerging technologies relevant to residential and nursing care, including AI, robotics, smart sensors, Internet of Things (IoT), telehealth and automation, with a clear assessment of benefits, costs, risks and organisational readiness.

• Work with frontline teams to map current workflows and identify manual, repetitive or high-risk tasks, and simplify or redesign processes before introducing technology, so that solutions address real operational needs.

• Lead the adoption of practical solutions where appropriate, such as fall-detection and resident-monitoring sensors, electronic care and medication documentation, AI-assisted documentation and reporting, smart rostering, service and logistics robots, rehabilitation and assistive technologies, and automation of administrative and finance processes.

• Track and report the outcomes of digitalisation initiatives, including time saved, manpower productivity, reduction in errors and incidents, resident and staff satisfaction, and return on investment.

• Identify relevant government, sector and philanthropic grants, funding schemes and partnership opportunities, and prepare proposals and applications to support technology adoption.

• Lead change management for new technologies, including staff engagement, appointment of digital champions, training, communication and post-adoption support, so that new solutions are used consistently and benefits are sustained.

3    DATA, ANALYTICS AND RESPONSIBLE USE OF AI

• Establish and maintain data governance arrangements covering data ownership, quality, classification, retention and sharing, in compliance with the PDPA, MOH requirements and other applicable regulations.
• Develop dashboards and reports that turn operational, care and financial data into timely, useful information for management and board decision-making.
• Develop policies, guidelines and approval processes for the safe, ethical and responsible use of AI tools, including generative AI, covering data privacy, accuracy, human oversight, accountability and acceptable use.
• Assess AI, robotic and other new solutions for resident safety, privacy, dignity, cybersecurity, reliability and regulatory compliance before deployment, and monitor their performance and risks after deployment.
• Plan system integration and interoperability between SCH’s systems, and with external healthcare and sector platforms where required, to reduce duplicate data entry and improve information flow.
• Guide staff on the appropriate use of approved AI tools to improve productivity, while safeguarding resident and organisational information.

4    IT INFRASTRUCTURE, SYSTEMS AND SERVICE DELIVERY

• Ensure that SCH’s IT hardware, software, systems, applications, servers, networks, internet connectivity and related services are properly designed, implemented, maintained and supported.
• Plan and oversee preventive maintenance, patching, upgrades, renewals, capacity reviews, lifecycle replacement and service improvements.
• Establish service-support arrangements and ensure incidents, service requests, outages and recurring technical problems are promptly responded and resolved in a timely manner.
• Coordinate recovery actions during service disruptions and ensure affected users and management receive appropriate updates.
• Ensure IT operations are supported by current technical documentation, system records, maintenance logs, escalation contacts and operating procedures.
• Review service performance and recurring issues and implement corrective or preventive measures where necessary.

5    CYBERSECURITY, ACCESS CONTROL AND INFORMATION PROTECTION

• Ensure that SCH’s IT environment and solutions are managed to support the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information and services.

• Develop, implement and monitor appropriate cybersecurity controls, including user access management, endpoint protection, network security, vulnerability management, backups, monitoring and incident response.

• Ensure user access is granted, amended and removed based on proper approval, job responsibilities and applicable segregation-of-duties requirements.

• Coordinate the investigation, containment, escalation, documentation and follow-up of suspected cybersecurity or unauthorised-access incidents.

• Support audits, risk assessments, vulnerability assessments, compliance reviews and remediation activities relevant to IT and information security.

6    BUSINESS CONTINUITY, BACKUP AND RECOVERY

• Plan and oversee backup, recovery, business-continuity and disaster-recovery arrangements for critical IT services.
• Ensure backup jobs, retention arrangements and recovery procedures are monitored, documented and periodically tested.
• Coordinate IT continuity arrangements for planned maintenance, system failures, cyber incidents and other operational disruptions.
• Maintain appropriate downtime, communication, escalation, recovery and fallback arrangements for critical systems and services.

7    IT PROJECTS, SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT

• Plan and manage new system implementations, upgrades, migrations and technology projects from requirements gathering through implementation and post-implementation review.

• Ensure projects address user requirements, cybersecurity, integration, data preparation, migration, testing, training, change management, business continuity and support arrangements.

• Establish project scope, responsibilities, timelines, deliverables, risks, dependencies, acceptance criteria and escalation arrangements.

• Coordinate UAT and ensure significant defects, operational risks and readiness issues are addressed before production implementation.

• Conduct post-implementation reviews and follow up on outstanding issues, benefits and improvement actions.

8    PROCUREMENT, CONTRACT AND VENDOR MANAGEMENT

• Assess IT requirements and source, evaluate and procure appropriate technology solutions in accordance with SCH’s procurement policies and delegated authority.

• Develop clear technical requirements, evaluation criteria, scope of work, service levels and implementation requirements for IT purchases and contracts.

• Manage vendor performance and ensure agreed deliverables, support services, service levels, warranties and contractual obligations are monitored.

• Review quotations, proposals, renewals and contract changes and advise management on cost, risk, operational impact and value.

9    IT ASSET, LICENCE AND DOCUMENTATION MANAGEMENT

• Ensure IT assets, equipment, software licences, assigned users, locations, warranties and disposal records are accurately documented and maintained.
• Oversee IT asset issuance, transfer, stocktake, return, replacement and disposal in accordance with approved procedures.
• Ensure software and systems are appropriately licensed and supported and that unauthorised or unsupported technology is addressed.
• Maintain and periodically review IT inventories, system registers, network diagrams, configuration records, access records and supporting documentation.
• Ensure IT records and evidence are retained to support operations, audits, incident investigations and management reporting.

10    TEAM LEADERSHIP, USER SUPPORT AND TRAINING

• Lead, guide and supervise the IT team and allocate work according to operational priorities, competence and service requirements.

• Ensure users receive timely assistance, clear communication and appropriate guidance on approved systems and technology.

• Plan or coordinate user training, briefings and awareness activities for new systems, cybersecurity requirements and IT procedures.

• Promote a service-oriented, accountable and collaborative approach within the IT function.

11      SPECIAL PROJECTS AND ORGANISATIONAL SUPPORT

• Plan, coordinate and undertake special projects assigned by the Executive Director, including cross-departmental initiatives requiring structured planning, coordination, reporting and follow-up.
• Work with relevant departments and stakeholders to define project objectives, responsibilities, timelines, risks, resources and expected outcomes.
• Provide regular progress updates and promptly escalate significant delays, risks, resource constraints or decision requirements.
• Support urgent operational, emergency, outbreak or business-continuity requirements when assigned.

12    OTHERS

• Undertake other reasonable duties and responsibilities related to the role, department or SCH’s operational requirements as assigned by the Executive Director.
• Support authorised planned maintenance, major system changes, incidents or recovery activities outside normal working hours when operationally required.
• Maintain professional conduct, confidentiality, proper records and clear handover of outstanding matters.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

A) EDUCATIONAL, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

-    Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Systems, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Engineering or a related field.

-    At least five years of relevant IT experience, including experience leading or supervising an infrastructure, systems or technical support team/function.

-    Broad practical knowledge of IT infrastructure, servers, networks, cybersecurity, backup and recovery, cloud services, endpoint management and enterprise applications.

-    Experience in IT project management, system implementation, vendor management, procurement and contract administration.

-    Proven experience in leading digital transformation, process improvement or technology innovation projects, preferably involving AI, automation, robotics, IoT or data analytics.

-    Working knowledge of data protection, healthcare IT and AI governance requirements, such as the PDPA and relevant MOH guidelines.

-    Experience in preparing business cases, grant or funding applications and benefits-tracking reports would be an advantage.

-    Able to prepare management reports, project papers, technical documentation, policies and procedures.

-    Experience in healthcare, social service or any other regulated environment would be an advantage.

B) PROFESSIONAL LICENCE

-    Relevant professional certifications in IT