Research Fellow - Climate Action at Bioversity International

Background of the position

• We are seeking a Research Fellow to support climate-smart agriculture scaling as part of the Accelerating the Impact of CGIAR Research for Africa (AICCRA) project funded by the World Bank. This position will provide support in facilitating scaling efforts within the AICCRA Theme 2 “Climate-Smart Technologies and Practices”. It will be instrumental in coordinating scaling activities with AICCRA Country and Thematic Clusters, in an inclusive manner, building capacity of project staff and partners, fostering partnerships, and advancing the project's objectives while concurrently engaging in rigorous academic research as well as monitoring and evaluation aligned with and boosting/enhancing the AICCRA project's goals. The ideal candidate will provide technical guidance to advance the science and practice of scaling within AICCRA and more broadly across the Climate Action lever of the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT. The ideal candidate will also play a crucial role in project management and reporting for AICCRA and contribute to fundraising on an as need basis.

Key duties & responsibilities

Scaling Coordination:

• Co-develop and support implementation of a new scaling strategy/framework to scale project interventions across diverse geographical regions in Africa, placing particular emphasis on ‘responsible’ dimensions such as social inclusion and accounting for environmental trade-offs while also supporting adherence to the World Bank’s ‘Environmental and Social Safeguards’.
• Coordinate with project stakeholders and partners, including researchers, policymakers, NGOs, and communities, to contribute to the effectiveness of scaling activities and through knowledge exchange, facilitate the sharing of lessons learned to maximize impact and sustainability.
• Support monitoring and evaluation of scaling initiatives, gathering feedback and insights for continuous improvement, particularly in relation to the new framework.

Research:

• Conduct independent research aligned with and advancing the overarching goals of the AICCRA project, i.e. on participatory, community-led innovation methods.
• Design and execute research as well as M&E methodologies, including data collection, analysis, and interpretation that can contribute to AICCRA’s repository of approaches in the “Learning Zone”.Publish findings in peer-reviewed journals and present at relevant conferences, contributing to the academic discourse on climate change research in Africa.
• Support project teams in the integration of research findings into scaling strategies and programmatic activities.
• Stay up to date with the latest developments in climate policy and science, including emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities, and integrate this knowledge into research projects and initiatives.

Project Management:

• Assist in project planning and reporting related to scaling activities.
• Track progress against milestones and deliverables, ensuring alignment with project timelines and objectives and suggest adjustments as relevant.
• Support cross-functional teams in coordinating activities and addressing challenges related to scaling and research integration.

Outreach and Capacity Strengthening:

• Lead and work with a team to organize and conduct capacity strengthening of African institutions, policy makers, students in fostering climate policy and investment action. This includes developing training materials, developing university/student curricula, organizing, and leading training events, and evaluating the effectiveness of capacity strengthening activities.
• Communicate research findings through various channels, including blogs, policy briefs, discussion papers, social media, popular media, among others.

Requirements

• A master's degree in a relevant field such as environmental science, climate change, development studies, or a related discipline. A Ph.D. candidate or holder is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in project coordination, preferably in the context of climate change research or development projects in Africa.
• Strong research background with experience in quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.
• Proven experience in working with gender and inclusion research tools and methodologies
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, multicultural environment.
• Familiarity with the theory and application of monitoring and evaluation frameworks and tools is an asset.
• Proven commitment to advancing climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts in Africa.
• Strong English and at least intermediate French language skills are an asset.