Senior Market Intelligence Coordinator at International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

CIMMYT is seeking a dynamic and results-oriented researcher (Scientist or Senior Scientist) to join the Cereal Seed Systems Team in its work on market intelligence. The position will support a CIMMYT-led CGIAR effort to deliver market intelligence that informs decisions on how to design future breeding products and prioritize investments in breeding and seed systems programing by CGIAR, NARs, and seed companies. The selected candidate will engage a team of researchers for the design and implementation of agribusiness and marketing research. (S)he will also lead efforts to refine and expand the CGIAR Market Segmentation Database with breeding and social science teams in CGIAR and NARs. The ability to effectively guide the delivery and communication of market intelligence with diverse teams in the CGIAR will be critical for success in this position. The selected candidate will work as a member of CIMMYT’s Sustainable Agri-food Systems (SAS) program in close collaboration with all other relevant CIMMYT programs and units.

The position will be based in CIMMYT’s campus in Texcoco, Mexico or Nairobi, Kenya.

Specific duties:

• Convene market intelligence (MI) research teams across CGIAR and NARS for the design of work streams.
• Design strategies and processes that support decision making by breeding and seed systems teams.
• Lead market intelligence research on the bottlenecks and opportunities for seed-sector growth, product innovation and marketing.
• Design tools and processes to monitor cereal seed system performance across different contexts.
• Ensure that the market intelligence research agenda (cross regions, crops, centers) reflects critical gaps in knowledge for better design of target product profiles.
• Translate market intelligence from across CGIAR into practical R4D priorities and implications for genetic innovations.
• Engage MI teams across CGIAR and NARS for design of work plans, monitoring of progress, delivery of outputs, and engagement in discussions on breeding priorities.
• Lead efforts to mobilize resources for the expansion of market intelligence research.

Required academic qualifications, skills and attitudes:

• Master’s degree in business management, plant breeding, agribusiness, development studies, or similar field with at least ten years of relevant experience, or Ph.D. degree with at least five years of relevant experience.
• Experience in work plan development, performance tracking, and leading the elaboration of technical publications.
• Demonstrated ability to excel in complex multidisciplinary research or development projects.
• Excellent partnership building skills, including ability to interact with funding agencies; deliver effectively; and moderate meetings with local partners.
• A high degree of personal organization and ability to work under pressure.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• The selected candidate must exhibit the following competencies: Critical Thinking, Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, Problem Solving and Decision-making, and Teamwork.