IRS23134 Seed Systems Specialist at International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

Specific duties:

• Lead an ambitious and innovative research-for-development (R4D) agenda focused on the challenges for cereal seed sector in Eastern Africa related to:
• Increased relevance and scale of informal cereal seed systems
• Demand-led strategies for the development of formal cereal seed systems
• End-user preferences for foods derived from maize, wheat, millet, ground nut and sorghum systems.
• Influence of gender relations on access to and preferences for cereal varieties
• Private sector capacity to deliver and distribute (market) quality seed products.
• Increased effectiveness of seed aid programs by governments and NGOs
• Provide strategic leadership for the implementation and growth of a high-impact social science research agenda on cereal seed systems.
• Support the capacity development of CIMMYT’s partners in the region, including seed companies, extension programs, and national agricultural research centers, in themes related to cereal seed systems development.
• Engage local stakeholders (NARS, seed companies, CGIAR breeding teams, NGOs) on strategies, policies, and research needed to address bottlenecks in cereal systems in East Africa and beyond through workshops, briefs, and periodic one-on-one engagements.
• Engage staff from CIMMYT, NARS, NGOs, and seed companies in the region to understand plant breeding, seed production, and seed distribution, as input for designing a stronger client orientation by social science in its seed systems agenda.
• Support regional efforts to mobilize resources to expand R4D agenda on seed systems and related areas of work.

Requirements

• PhD. in agricultural economics, development economics, natural resource management, gender studies or similar field, with at least twelve years of relevant experience in a developing country context. Private sector experience will be viewed favorably.
• Strong quantitative research skills and experience
• Track record of publications in high-level peer reviewed journals.
• Demonstrated ability to excel in complex multidisciplinary research or development projects.
• Good partnership building skills, including the ability to interact with funding agencies and local partners.
• A high degree of personal organization and ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to work with different nationalities and disciplines as a member of a diverse work team.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• The selected candidate should exhibit the following competencies: Team Leadership, Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, Critical Thinking, Teamwork, Problem Solving, and Communication.