Constituency Manager (People Association)
 

Hi

How much does the pay work out for Constituency Manager for People Associations?

I have a friend who was formerly in the police force for about 6 years as a Staff Sgt (non-grad post), resigned and joined PA as Constituency Manager. Starting salary is $3000 + $400 allowances.

I had also worked in a ministry and a stat board, holding a non-grad post before successfully obtaining a private degree and submitted my application to PA and obtained the chance for an interview 2 weeks from now.

What are the pay structure I can think of, in this organisation?

Hmm... I heard PA has good bonus, wonder if it's true.

Please advise me if possible...

Perhaps i could add in that I have about 10 years of experience in a Ministry, 2 years in Stat board, 2 years running my own business, and 2 years in insurance related industry...

I read somewhere that a fresh grad would command about $2950 basic + $450 allowances. But having said that, I'm not holding a local degree and i understand the basic pay might not be applicable to me.

Of course, I would be offered the pay at the first interview, but just curious how much can I hope to have?

well, it depends on how many work experience you have since obtaining your degree. you should be in your mid or lates 30s? They will look at your last drawn pay too. your friend is the same age as you?

Hi, ya, I'm in my mid 30s. My friend got this job when he was 30 yrs of age, as of last yr.

Meanwhile, I'm also browsing around for more information and noted that the panel of interviewers may consist of 5 persons, of which could include directors, etc...

I'm in somewhat a similar situation.. Also nearing my mid-30s.. i just completed my part-time degree with honors.. All this while i've worked in the same industry for 11 years.. Just wondering if it is common practice for HR to disregard all past experience of a person before he gets a degree?
Is it common for HR to use this argument to get experience workers at a discount?.. How to bargain for higher salary in this situation??

pa has lots of shift work and weekend work attending events like residential meetings, neighbourhood celebrations, etc

I am very active in grassroots...Constituency Manager (CM) is usally stationed in a CC. Report to the constituency director. I think job scope involve supporting RC, CCC events, attending RC and some sub committee meeting (usually at night) and got to do shift work. A lot of interaction with residents. Pay wise, I dont know....

yah
got to chase all the agencies as well for follow up action for the residents complaints

but what is the long-term experience and skill set that you hope to gain from it

is it transferable to other industries?

I understand what it means to participate in grassroots meetings, RC, CC, sub committees, celebrations, dinners, etc... I had been a volunteer before and have also seen my fair share of working with difficult grassroot leaders and residents.

Well, it's the right thing to say that the skill sets are not transferrable to other industries and it's only relevant locally.

But understanding the path and looking at my current stance, I would not be embarking on yet another business adventure nor corporate ladder-climbing. After all, I'm in my mid-thirties and soon, I'll be in my prime of 40s. Realistically, I don't think I'm going to start afresh in financial industries like banking, sales, etc..

There are many PA managers who resigned and thought they had wanted to 'serve the community with passion', 'help the needy', etc. Some time later, they learnt the hard truth that there's always the ugly side of the society where the people they help may actually turn out to be the ones who are thankless and difficult. Disappointed with the outflow of events, they left PA and sought better ventures, despite having higher moral grounds at the onset.

Well, I wouldn't say I am heading towards a path of destruction, but having said that and calculating the hurts that may come, my age, the best possibility of me achieving huge monetary success, helping the deserving (and the ugly) and sleepless nights - I guess there's always room to do more things in the community via this channel.

I'll consider it this way: i'm volunteering and getting paid at the same time...

i think they might give you around $2.5k, since you only have a private degree. then again, you might only be considered for an executive and not a manager.

but think again, many of pa people stay 1-2 yrs cannot take it already. you better reconsider.

Have you already click the like button of Yam Ah Mee facebook?

tha'ts a good one. yam ah yam ah mee for you and mee...

I worked in PA for 2 years from 2005-2007. Started as a constituency manager ($2700) and got a promotion to deputy constituency director after 13 months. Work was really tough especially if your MP is new and young. A lot of events to support and had to work on most of my weekends and evenings. Not a good job for someone who wants to start a family or settling down.
However, this job can open up many opportunities as you meet all sorts of people. Heck, even DPM came to my wedding ;)

I have heard many people telling me that it's a tough job and weekends would be burnt. let's say that i am the sort who likes to get offdays on weekdays and work on weekends, I should be happier.

You join as CM right away? That's nice. Normally, I heard there is a ACM, but you skipped that.

However, it seems that nowadays, there's no more ACM as entry would be CM right away, and the next promotion would be Senior CM.

But you got Deputy CD after CM? I think that's a very fast track for you.

Can you advise on the increment a CM might get? ... I am getting increment of $75 per year at my company..

Oops yah... used to be called ACM...the next is DCM then SCM. Sad to say at the time, I didn't get an increment because dcm and acm is the same grade. But high bonus was quite good... Increment soso

i am also interested in this . But i am from a private uni and had worked for abt 12 yrs in finance dept at public sector. Duuno if they will call me up for interview or not, the only advantage i have is that i know how public sector function.

it seems that there is a lack of people wanting to join PA nowadays and they should be calling you for an interview.

speak well and if you don't know what point the interviewers are trying to make, try not to smoke them.

given your vast experience in public sector, i'm sure you will be getting a director / deputy dir level position (at least).

And don't forget to speak like Yam Ah Mee ftw.

no need director or DD. too high for me liao.

Manager at $2K+ & Deputy Director at $3k+ @_@

Wah didn't know PA is so generous with their titles one har? I'm drawing $3100 now at SMRT and they only call me Senior Executive :"(

Based on experience, any bros and sis can advice if I join companies like PA that give good titles like Directors, VP etc. will it help in my career progression?

Thanks

not really, they will still based on your work experience and your last drawn pay. titles are not important.

I was hoping with a nice title on name card, can go out network and meet senior level people will be much easier and lead to more good opp.

Also my thinking is that if eg. my title is Director, then when I exaggerate my current job scope and leadership abilities will be more convincing.

you are being modest. 12 years in a public sector equips you well for the title.

in case you might not be aware, the titles at PA had been upgraded a notch since last year.

Previously, a fresh grad entered PA as assistant constituency manager (ACM) but has been changed to CM directly. Let me phase it this way:

ACM or DCM can be known as CM
CM previously is now DCD (deputy constituency director)
SCM previously is currently known as Constituency Director

For your 12 years experience, you may be able to fetch a basic pay of $4500 to $6000 (excluding allowances). I believe you should be in your middle to late thirties.

are you sure you want to draw lower salary and yet commanding higher profile or title?

wouldn't it be amusing if you are a director but your counterparts are senior executives?

you may feel honored when you are discussing policies with directors or deputy directors. but if you look at it from another view, these 'directors' are actually doing the job of executives.

so much for directors.

Let just hope so. If they dun call u for interview also no use. :)

Nah, it wouldn't work. Competent HR practioners already have a payscale for each title, they will benchmark you to the correct title based on your last drawn pay no matter what you call yourself currently.

I know that PA keep posting for this position. Does that mean that the turnover rate is very high ??

it could also mean that they're not recruiting at all despite having interviews

ya, the turnover rate should be very high due to the number of complaints against PA staff and work pressure from MPs/Ministers.

I also understand that under PA act, the staff is obliged by law not to be rude to customers....how to work like that. Sure gana bullied by the members of public one.

with so many pple resign .... have to think twice on this job .. but is there any1 who is can sgare on this job scope ..

i mean share their experience on this job.

I am working there for quite some time and I knew the difficulties in this job and somehow or rather, you will sooner or later lose passion in this job. My batch mates resign within 3-6 months and some will try to stay for 1 year. This job uses more EQ than IQ, it is a PR job as you are dealing with people. Working in PA is quite a different thing compared to other desk bound jobs as you get to see many different types of people everyday and you will realize how "pathetic and cruel" the society can be.

Depending on your "relationship" with colleagues and boss, your workload varies and I can say if you are bad luck & your boss thinks you are capable or you have to cover the workload for the time being, he might give up up to 6 committees to handle..

Basically, grassroots are your actually boss not CD as you attend the committee's meeting and you are not the in-charge, you are only there as a facilitator, run the event, do what as they wish or tell you to do. Your boss listens more to grassroots, so if grassroots like you, you are likely to get promotion or other rewards.

The pay wise, I can say is quite good for a fresh grad (CM) and above but if lower position like CME or CSE is bad. The bonuses is not bad but it also varies and depends on the economy.

How is what you describe different from any company? Most jobs are more about EQ and people relationship with decision makers than IQ or how good you are in the job.

I joined PA newly and in terms of salary it really depends on your experiences and qualification. As a CM, I am drawing $4100 basic with $400 allowance and that adds up to about $4500 and I must say is a good package for a 31 yr old.

Furthermore, the progression for a CM is very obvious as you would get to promote to Deputy Constituency Director and Consituency Director in the years down the road.

I joined PA newly and in terms of salary it really depends on your experiences and qualification. As a CM, I am drawing $3400 basic with $600 allowance and that adds up to about $4000 and I must say is a good package for a 31 yr old.

Furthermore, the progression for a CM is very obvious as you would get to promote to Deputy Constituency Director and Consituency Director in the years down the road.

Good? you sure or not...

$3400 basic for 31 year old is "good"!?!? Are you serious? I'm not talking about banks or what, but even for normal graduate in SME this is considered very low for someone who has worked for 7+ years.

The "progression" in this sort of deadwater stat board is all fake, their Deputy Directors are equal to Assistant Manager and Director is basically a junior Manager in most companies.

Even your current Manager pay is more like Operations or Branch Executive in private companies.

do you know that:

1st class fresh grad(with NS) in ST engineering is getting = ~3.4-3.5k starting?

2nd lower fresh grad(with NS) in DSTA is getting = ~3380 starting?

2nd upper male with NS, grad in 2007 june, will be getting 5.6k by this coming april, age 29-30, in civil service

Yar, that's why very surprise the PA guy seem to really believe PA is paying him very well at $3.4k at 31 yrs old.

I think this general scale is very non-uniform across the various stat boards and ministries.

i was offered a position in 1 stat board in jan 2011, with pay of $3900. I had graduated in 2003, 2nd upper honors.