Director, Technology (Applications, Digital & Data)

Introduction

Temasek is seeking a Director of Operations to fundamentally reinvent how technology operations are designed, run, and scaled across its Technology, Applications, Digital and Data platforms.

This is not a traditional operations role. The mandate is to build an AI-first, autonomous operations capability—shifting from reactive support models to self-healing, predictive, and intelligence-driven systems.

The role will challenge legacy constructs, aggressively reduce operational complexity, and deliver step-change improvements in reliability, security, and cost efficiency. Success will require both deep technical credibility and the ability to drive enterprise-wide transformation at pace.

Responsibilities

Reinvent Operations into an AI-Native Capability

• Redesign operations from the ground up into an AI-first, automation-led model
• Build and scale AIOps platforms enabling predictive detection, autonomous remediation, and continuous optimisation
• Eliminate manual, repetitive operational processes through intelligent automation and GenAI-driven workflows
• Establish self-healing systems as the default, not the aspiration

Deliver Near-Zero Downtime at Scale

• Drive a step-change in system reliability, targeting near-zero unplanned outages
• Institutionalise SRE principles, error budgets, and resilience engineering across all platforms
• Implement deep observability and real-time operational intelligence
• Hold teams accountable for measurable reliability outcomes, not activity

Radically Optimise Cost-to-Run

• Challenge and reduce structural cost baselines across infrastructure, cloud, and applications
• Deploy AI-driven FinOps, workload optimisation, and autonomous scaling
• Replace fragmented tooling and duplicated processes with simplified, platform-based models
• Deliver sustained cost reduction without compromising performance, resilience, or security

Cybersecurity Execution & Control Discipline

• Partner with the CISO to implement and enforce cybersecurity controls in strict alignment with enterprise cybersecurity policies
• Ensure consistent, measurable execution of security controls across all platforms and environments
• Embed security into operational workflows, system design, and deployment pipelines
• Maintain continuous audit readiness through strong control implementation and evidence-based reporting

Build Autonomous Incident Management

• Transform incident management into an AI-assisted, increasingly autonomous capability
• Enable real-time detection, automated triage, and rapid containment of incidents
• Lead major incident response with precision and speed, minimising business impact
• Drive a culture where every incident results in systemic elimination—not repeated firefighting

Set a new Standard for Governance and Audit

• Establish real-time, data-driven control environments—moving beyond periodic audit readiness
• Lead all audits with a “no surprises” standard, ensuring consistent control effectiveness
• Drive zero-backlog remediation discipline
• Integrate governance directly into platforms through automation and policy-as-code

Modernise and Simplify the Technology Landscape

• Aggressively reduce legacy complexity and technical debt
• Drive transition toward cloud-native, platform-based architectures
• Standardise and rationalise tooling, platforms, and processes
• Enable faster delivery cycles through operational simplicity and scalability

Build a High-Performance, Future-Ready Organisation

• Assemble and lead elite teams across AIOps, SRE, cloud, and cybersecurity operations
• Set a high-performance bar with clear accountability for outcomes
• Attract and retain talent capable of operating in high-automation, high-expectation environments
• Act as a force multiplier across CTO/CDO/CISO and business leadership

Drive Relentless Transformation

• Continuously challenge the status quo—no “steady state” mindset
• Benchmark against leading global technology organisations, not industry averages
• Position operations as a competitive advantage for Temasek, not a support function
• Deliver transformation at pace, with visible and measurable impact

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Cybersecurity, AI or related field
• Relevant professional certifications (e.g. CISSP, CISM, ITIL and cloud certifications) are an added advantage.
• Min.15 years of experience in technology operations, with significant transformation exposure including 7+ years in senior leadership roles
• Proven experience in replatforming or modernising large-scale enterprise environments, driving automation- or AI-led operational
• Proven experience building or scaling AIOps / automation-first operations environments, cloud-native platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), observability, resilience engineering, and SRE practices
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity control implementation, platform engineering and modern infrastructure architectures
• Track record of rebuilding or significantly transforming operations functions
• Ability to operate in ambiguity while driving clarity and execution
• Comfortable making bold decisions with enterprise-wide impact
• Relentless focus on outcomes over activity
• Strong operational discipline with the ability to drive sustained change
• High standards for performance, ownership, and delivery
• Demonstrated ability to deliver material cost reductions at scale, manage complex budgets and vendor ecosystems & connect operational transformation directly to enterprise value creation