SINGAPORE — UOB will offer 200 jobs in Singapore specially catered to the needs of women who require more flexibility at work due to familial responsibilities.

These include mothers of newborns, women who have to shoulder responsibilities of caring for the elderly at home and those who want to gradually return to full-time work after an extended career break.

Singapore’s third-largest bank said on Wednesday that its new Gig+U Women programme will offer full- and part-time jobs and gig work in UOB’s various business units.

The initiative is a collaboration with career portal Mums@Work, which pairs women looking for flexible work arrangements with potential employers.

Those hired under Gig+U Women will receive equal pay and enjoy the same benefits such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage as their peers with similar roles in the bank, subject to their employment status.

New hires will also embark on a programme with Mums@Work that prepares them for their return to work before they join the bank. This will ensure that they are well supported when they start their careers with UOB, said the bank, which has 25,000 staff across its various markets.

Positions under Gig+U Women have a flexi-hour component built in, where working hours can be adjusted based on needs. This means that women can take up permanent half-day work arrangements, work full- or part-time based on hours of their choice, or do project-based gig work.

Those who are interested in applying for positions under the programme can visit this site to view the full list of job openings.

The initiative is an extension of the bank’s Gig+U gig employment programme, which it launched in November 2021 to provide flexible work opportunities for its retired employees.

Mr Dean Tong, head of group human resources at UOB, said women should be encouraged, and not penalised, for supporting the needs of their families while pursuing their careers.

“UOB is proud to partner our female colleagues in their journey to achieve balance between their careers and personal lives, and excelling on both fronts,” he added.

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, who was the guest of honour at UOB’s annual Better U Festival where the initiatives were launched, said Singaporean families face pressures in various areas.

“Many are giving their best at work, but it can be difficult to balance this and other responsibilities at home, whether it is caring for children or elderly parents... A big part of the solution lies in the workplace,” he said.

Companies must ensure the physical and mental well-being of their workers, and provide space for them to pursue their interests and tend to their responsibilities, he added.

Ms Sara Tiew, head of workforce transformation and analytics at UOB, said the roles on offer under Gig+U Women include those in branch operations and in emerging areas such as anti-money laundering and compliance.

These roles will also help women rejoin the workforce and in areas where they can grow their careers in the financial services sector in the long run, said Ms Tiew, who is a caregiver to her 80-year-old father.

UOB on Wednesday also launched a group technology and operations academy to help upskill and certify its 5,000-strong technology and operations workforce.

Fresh graduates and professionals can also apply for internship opportunities, programmes involving structured classroom sessions and on-the-job training.

These programmes include the Technology Development Programme, which offers structured training over 12 months to participants in areas such as cyber security, software and information technology infrastructure.

The programme – which is open to both science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) graduates and non-Stem majors from universities, polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education – allows participants to receive industry-recognised certifications in their areas of expertise upon completing it. Seventy-five participants have joined UOB’s group technology and operations workforce under the programme, which started this year.

The group technology and operations academy has also partnered the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) to grow its technology and operations talents via SIT’s work-study programme and capstone projects. Both parties will jointly set up an accelerator to support fintech education and innovation.

UOB also inked three other memorandums of understanding with the Singapore Institute of Management, the National University of Singapore and the Institute of Banking and Finance to further develop employees’ capabilities in technical expertise and soft skills.