CIFOR-ICRAF Chief Executive Officer at World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)

Key Responsibilities

Connection of Research to Purpose

• Combining the institutional strengths on forestry and agroforestry provides a powerful platform, and opportunities to further develop full landscape understandings. The CEO should enable CIFOR-ICRAF as a unique contributor to the most consequential topic of the coming years.
• The CEO should leverage the combined staff, resources, knowledge, assets, and operations of CIFOR-ICRAF in service of this missio

Advocacy, Engagement, and Resource Mobilization

• The CEO should be an authentic, compelling communicator, capable of positioning CIFOR-ICRAF at the center of global research, policy and practice on forestry, agroforestry, natural resource management, full landscape approaches, and the broader conversation on Net Zero, climate change, and sustainable livelihoods. They should be visible in global fora on these agendas.
• The CEO should strategically identify new sources of funding, connected with the organizational strategy and scientific agenda. With traditional sources of development or climate finance constrained, the CEO should diversify the donor base. A focus on unrestricted funding sources would be helpful for the institution’s operational security.

Development of the Institution

• Complete the integration: develop shared culture and goals, deliver upon the potential of the combined institutional strengths.
• Develop the strategy and positioning: leverage existing assets and research, while ensuring alignment of the strategy with donors and partners.
• Develop talent: promote and encourage the professional development and progression of researchers; create leadership succession plans.
• Ensure operational effectiveness: leading through the operational leadership team, ensure the effective management of corporate and strategic risk, and effective management of finances, resources, and processes.

Candidate Profile

• Knowledge, Skills & Experience

Essential

• Demonstrable expertise and experience in natural resource management and forestry.
• An established track record for leading research-focused organisations; deep experience of leading researchers; guiding scientific research and strategy.
• Substantial senior executive experience, including a track record for developing strategy, significant fiduciary responsibility, and enhancing the international engagement of an organisation with external stakeholders.
• An excellent resource mobilisation track record, including experience of diversifying an organisation’s donor base. Experience attracting unrestricted resources would be an advantage.
• A demonstrable track record of leading large, complex, highly distributed organisations in LMICs.
• A track record for successfully delivering complex organisational transformation.
• Experience of enhancing organisational efficiency and effectiveness, culture, strategic coherence, and talent development.
• Substantial engagement in relevant international fora.
• Considerable experience living and working in LMICs.

Preferred

• A doctoral degree in a relevant field.
• Personal experience as a research scientist in a relevant field may prove advantageous.