Research Team Leader, Brains Project at Bioversity International

About the position

• The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT is seeking to recruit a qualified person to fill the position of Research Team Leader who will be responsible for the overall coordination, management, implementation and reporting of the project activities in conjunction with the Alliance Bean Program Leader and PABRA Director, who is also the Principal Investigator (PI) of the project with the Co-PI from icipe. The candidate will also be responsible for coordinating, establishing, and maintaining partnerships to deliver project outputs.

Key duties & responsibilities

• Provide technical guidance on the design, planning and execution of the project work.
• Sustain relationships with stakeholders, and internal partners on project issues, provide leadership, monitor progress, and ensure stakeholder expectations are managed for project deliverables.
• Strengthen and support partnerships for scientific research with colleagues and professionals from various disciplines and partners organizations to enhance women participation in the project.
• Oversee project management, coordinating activities between partners in the project areas.
• Ensure project teams' coherence in delivering outputs and mainstreaming climate and gender outcomes in the project.
• Provide technical guidance to project research teams and project partners and advise them on outcomes that feed into the wider knowledge base of the Centres.
• Coordinate project documentation and knowledge sharing.
• Oversee implementation activities to deploy solutions in practice.
• Coordinate the project annual work-plans and budget.
• Prepare project activities annual and semi-annual reports and ensure adherence to the timelines as guided by the project aimed at increasing resilience through beans and insect innovations. 
• Participate in PABRA-wide activities in the project and beyond.
• Enhance collaboration with NARS (PABRA members), icipe and partners from private and public sector and beyond.
• Contribute to and generate scientific publications responsible for fulfilling a work plan for the project and for wide knowledge sharing.
• Contribute to the preparation of research proposals and related fundraising activities.
• Perform other tasks as determined by the project leader and PABRA Director.

Requirements

Required qualifications and experience.

• PhD degree in agricultural sciences, climate and gender, sustainable finance/entrepreneurship, agricultural economics, or closely related areas
• Demonstrated experiences in demand-led technology development and delivery for wider and inclusive economic growth and enterprise development.
• Demonstrated experiences in climate responsive work and gender equality.
• Knowledge of working with the private sector and establishing linkages between producers and other the private sector actors
• Knowledge of digital tools for extension and communication platforms
• Proficiency in relevant software packages (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint) including statistical packages.
• Excellent communication skills in English and French, both written and spoken, including scientific communication and report writing – Swahili language will be desirable.
• Experience in authoring scientific publications, having published at least 5 ISI peer-reviewed articles.
• Excellent project management and leadership skills
• Demonstrated experience and record in working with government and public and development sector institutions.
• Excellent skills in teamwork, negotiation, communication, and diplomacy, with the ability to interact courteously and effectively with people at all levels in a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary environment, including external stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel within Africa and beyond.
• Experience working with CGIAR or other international organizations, experience working in Sub-Sahara Africa.