Job Description

What is this role about? We are looking to appoint a proven leader in laws within the digital economy at the Singapore Academy of Law’s subsidiary, the Asian Business Law Institute (ABLI), to lead and develop projects supporting the convergence of laws and regulations in the digital space in Asia Pacific. This role will build and reinforce ABLI’s projects on personal data protection and privacy laws in Asia. The successful candidate will build similar initiatives in complementary areas of law, with the aim of strengthening and facilitate cross-border dealings for the digital economy. Working directly with ABLI’s Executive Director, SAL’s leadership team and senior legal industry representatives, the role will drive ABLI’s development of national and regional legal research for the development of consistent regulations and approaches in an area of strategic importance for Asia Pacific.

This is a contract position.

Candidate Qualities The successful candidate will have:

• Demonstrated skills in legal evaluation, analysis and insight into the legal issues within the digital economy. Policy development experience a plus.
• A track record of supporting and influencing internal and external stakeholders, and local and international partners, across varying levels of seniority.
• Substantial experience participating in speaking engagements and interacting with media.
• Experience in strategic planning and management of professional /expert teams or organisations.
• Team player with commitment to supporting and developing colleagues to succeed with creativity, energy and rigour. Experience in leading teams a plus.
• At least 10 years’ working experience in the legal industry with an advanced degree in the law (preferably in one or more of the following areas: commercial law, international trade, technology law). Experience in leading research projects a plus.

Experience working in research institutions, think-tanks or policy units will be an advantage.

Key Accountabilities

• Ensure project outputs meet the requirements of the audience(s) for projects:

• Obtain adequate data from project audience(s) on their requirements;

• Develop output strategies to meet the needs of the audience(s);

• Develop metrics to measure the success of project outputs against audience(s) requirements;

• Ensure project outputs meet those performance metrics.

• Ensure project stakeholders are engaged with projects:

• Identify and prioritise stakeholder groups for project outputs;

• Develop strategies to ensure engagement of stakeholder groups;

• Develop metrics to measure stakeholder engagement;

• Ensure stakeholder engagement meets those metrics.

• Secure financial contributions from stakeholders to support project delivery

• Identify and prioritise stakeholders for funding;

• Develop strategies to secure funding for stakeholders.

• Ensure projects meet milestones for delivery of outputs;

• Develop milestones for project delivery;

• Ensure project outputs meet relevant milestones.
  

Descriptions of the Job Role (A) Research & Analysis:

• Formulate and execute strategies to establish ABLI as an essential partner to support the development of coherent regional legal positions in the digital economy, such as in the fields of e-commerce, e-consumer protection, fintech and digital payments, regulation of intermediaries, Over-The-Top platforms, cybersecurity, law enforcement in cyberspace, etc.
• Propose and ensure the development of research and analysis activities that will contribute to:

• Innovative national and regional initiatives aimed at establishing a seamless digital business environment among the APAC countries, and between them and other parts of the world (e.g. Digital Economy Agreements, Regional Partnerships, etc.);

• National digital policies and strategies of Asian jurisdictions that rely on digital to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, for instance in the context of the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework;

• The roll-out in Asia Pacific of common strategies and blueprints on e-commerce and the digital economy developed by supra-national organisations; and

Any other areas in the digital economy which would benefit from review by ABLI to establish a cross-border regional digital economy. It is expected that the output of such research and analysis will be in the form of papers, articles or any other modes of dissemination.

(B) Representation & Advocacy:

• Formulating and executing strategies to drive convergence of Asian laws with an impact in the digital economy, and promote the Singapore legal thought to fulfil the following objectives:

• Establish ABLI as the go-to regional think-tank for deep research and practical guidance to facilitate cross-border digital dealings and a safe digital environment to do business in Asia.

• Take steps to represent ABLI in local and international consultations and forums with a competence in digital to raise awareness, inform and promote the work done by ABLI.

• Cultivate business networks, research and funding partnerships with key government, business, legal, and academic thought leaders relevant to the work of the project.

• Support plans made by ABLI and SAL management (e.g. fundraising, monetisation of Intellectual Property) to financially support ABLI’s mission.
  

Interested candidates are invited to submit your resume, stating your current / expected salary and date of availability to https://bit.ly/3wBpbw1.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.