Director of Compliance and Assurance

The Director of Compliance and Assurance provides objective review and practical advice to help the School maintain sound compliance, governance and decision-making processes. Working with the CEO and colleagues, the postholder checks that significant decisions and processes are appropriately authorised, supported by evidence, informed by risk and consistent with policy and agreed priorities. Reporting to the CEO, the role supports good decisions rather than adding another approval layer, with input sought from the Finance and Risk Committee through the CEO. Accountability remains with the relevant executive, manager, committee or Board authority. The Director carries out proportionate reviews, identifies gaps, asks for clarification and helps colleagues address concerns, referring unresolved material issues through the agreed reporting arrangements. The postholder brings an objective perspective and a practical understanding of school operations. Reviews and constructive questions should be timely, fair and focused on improving outcomes and controls, without unnecessary delay or fault-finding. Job Responsibilities 1. Assurance advice and reporting • Provide clear, objective advice to the CEO and colleagues on governance, compliance, financial controls, procurement and decision-making processes; contribute to Board and committee reporting through the CEO. • Attend Board or committee meetings by request only, subject to the approval of the relevant Chair, to explain assurance findings and recommendations, with arrangements coordinated through the CEO and Corporate Secretariat. • Offer early advice on significant or unusual proposals so that governance, authority, risk, evidence and value-for-money requirements are addressed before final approval. • Prepare concise, objective reports that distinguish material weaknesses from minor process variation and identify accountable owners and realistic completion dates. • Coordinate requests for focused assurance work through the CEO, including requests from the Board or Committee Chairs. • Recommend remedial action, additional approval, specialist advice or temporary pause before commitment. 2. Constructive challenge and decision quality • Test whether proposals clearly state the need, options considered, evidence relied upon, costs, benefits, risks, conflicts, approvals and expected outcomes. • Question assumptions, incomplete analysis, unusual urgency, retrospective approval, weak competition, unsupported single-source selection, fragmented expenditure or recommendations driven predominantly by an end user. • Ask for further explanation or supporting evidence where a material decision does not clearly meet policy, delegated authority or the purpose of an approved budget. • Where appropriate, recommend that the accountable decision-maker pauses a matter for clarification before commitment or payment. The Director does not independently veto expenditure; unresolved material concerns follow the agreed reporting arrangements. • Encourage challenge to occur early and professionally, preserving pace where controls are sound and focusing deeper scrutiny where risk, value or precedent warrants it. 3. Procurement, expenditure and delegated authority • Carry out risk-based reviews of procurement and expenditure controls across tender and below-tender activity. • Test that the requester, evaluator, approver and payment releaser roles are appropriately separated and that any exceptions are authorised and recorded. • Review whether quotations, tender evaluations, waivers, negotiations, supplier due diligence, conflicts of interest, contract awards and value-for-money assessments are complete and credible. • Undertake targeted and random post-transaction reviews across purchasing categories, departments and thresholds, reporting recurring themes rather than duplicating routine operational checking. • Confirm that payment release follows evidence of the correct prior approval and does not become a substitute for approval of the underlying commitment. • Advise on improvements to delegated authorities, approval matrices, templates, workflows and system controls. 4. Governance, risk and compliance • Monitor the effectiveness of key compliance and control frameworks, including policy ownership, approval pathways, conflicts management, record keeping and follow-up of agreed actions. • Work with the Senior Manager Risk and Compliance without duplicating that role: the Senior Manager owns and coordinates the management framework; the Director provides objective review and practical recommendations to the CEO, contributing to Board and committee reports through the agreed arrangements. • Identify cross-organisational patterns, control gaps and areas where policy, practice or delegated authority no longer reflects the School’s scale and complexity. • Coordinate appropriately with external audit, internal audit, legal advisers and specialist reviewers to reduce duplication and ensure findings are tracked to completion. • Maintain the independent assurance plan and assurance findings register. Management remains responsible for maintaining operational action plans and providing evidence of closure. 5. Culture and capability • Build understanding that compliance supports good judgement, responsible innovation, financial stewardship and institutional trust. • Support colleagues in preparing clear, concise decision papers with appropriate evidence. • Develop proportionate guidance and training on delegated authority, procurement, conflicts, documentation, escalation and assurance expectations. • Recognise and report good practice, not only weaknesses, so that effective approaches are replicated across the School. Key Relationships CEO, Executive Team, Senior Manager Risk and Compliance, Finance, Procurement, Corporate Secretariat and operational colleagues; Governors and Committee Chairs by request. Expected outputs and measures of success • An annual risk-based assurance plan aligned with the School’s principal risks and agreed priorities, submitted through the CEO for Finance and Risk Committee approval. • Concise assurance updates submitted through the CEO for Finance and Risk Committee reporting, with attendance by request only and material concerns raised promptly through the agreed reporting arrangements. • Improved quality and consistency of decision papers, procurement records, approval evidence and management responses. • Demonstrable separation between proposal, approval and payment-release responsibilities. • Timely closure of agreed recommendations, with transparent reporting of overdue or disputed actions. • Fewer repeated control failures, retrospective approvals and avoidable escalations. • Evidence that colleagues seek advice early and find reviews fair, practical and useful. Requirements • A recognised professional qualification in accounting, audit, law, governance, risk, compliance, procurement or a closely related discipline. • Relevant experience in internal audit, assurance, governance, finance, compliance, procurement or organisational controls within a complex organisation. • Experience preparing clear assurance reports for management; familiarity with Board or committee reporting would be helpful. • Demonstrated ability to review complex proposals, follow financial and approval trails, test evidence and identify control or governance weaknesses. • Strong understanding of delegated authorities, procurement, conflicts of interest, budget governance, contract award and payment controls. • Experience in education, charities, not-for-profit organisations or other highly regulated environments would be advantageous. Personal Attributes • Sound judgement, integrity and the confidence to ask constructive questions respectfully. • Ability to distinguish genuine material risk from minor non-conformity and apply proportionate responses. • Clear written and verbal communication, including concise reports and practical recommendations. • Intellectual curiosity and persistence in following evidence without becoming procedural or adversarial. • Political awareness, discretion and resilience when handling sensitive or contested matters. • Collaborative style combined with the ability to maintain professional distance and objectivity. • Strong analytical capability and confidence using financial, procurement and compliance data. • Commitment to the School’s values, reputation, stewardship and long-term sustainability. Closing Date Interested candidates are invited to apply through the Careers section of our website by Wednesday, 9 December 2026. You can contact the HR department at hr.recruit@tts.edu.sg for any enquiries regarding the role. Safeguarding / Child Protection Compliance The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will conduct thorough background checks on all successful applicants. About Tanglin Trust School Tanglin Trust School is an equal opportunities employer committed to the ongoing professional development of all our employees. We are looking for people who can bring new perspectives, life experiences and skills that will enrich our community and the learning of our students, both inside and outside the classroom. If you share our vision and are keen to embrace the challenges and rewards of life in an established international school in Singapore, we would love to hear from you.