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Position Title:Research & Development Specialist
Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
Organisation: International Potato Center (CIP)
Ref.: 15-08 RDS/IRS/SSA
Employment Type:Full Time Permanent
Reports to: Program Leader
Application Deadline:25th February 2015
Organizational Profile:
The International Potato Center (CIP) is a not-for-profit international
agricultural research-for-development organization with a focus on potato,
sweetpotato, and Andean roots and tubers. Its vision is of roots and tubers
improving the lives of the poor. CIP is dedicated to achieving food security,
improved well-being, and gender equity for poor people in root and tuber
farming and food systems of the developing world. CIP works with partners to
contribute high quality science, technology, and capacity strengthening for
sustainable science-based solutions. CIP is headquartered in Lima, Peru, with
staff and activities in over 30 locations across Asia, Africa, and Latin
America. CIP is a member of the Consultative Group for International
Agricultural Research, a network of 15 research centers mostly located in the
developing world and supported by more than 50 donor members.
The Strategic Program:
The Strategic Program on Resilient, Nutritious Sweetpotato seeks to combat
micronutrient deficiency and improve nutrition and livelihoods amongst 15
million food insecure households in Africa and Asia. The Program currently
comprises a dynamic portfolio of over 30 research and development projects in
16 countries. We pay specific attention to gender and poverty aspects of our
work and monitor these closely. The Program seeks to further strengthen
strategic partnerships for upstream research as well as for development
delivery.
Job Summary:
The International Potato Center (CIP) Research and Development Specialist
for Scaling-up will technically support the management and further development
of CIP’s Strategic Program on Resilient, Nutritious Sweetpotato. The R&D
Specialist will work closely with project managers, scientists, and M&E
specialists to ensure that promising technologies and practices will be
scaled-up in new contexts. The position demands both R&D expertise and an
understanding of scaling-up approaches in agriculture and/or nutrition, as well
as competencies in program management, M&E, research publications, and
partnership management.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Program Development for scaling-up:
·
Assist the Program Leader in
coordinating implementation and further development of the Strategic Program
with a specific emphasis on strengthening and documenting lessons from
scaling-up projects. Focus countries and projects within the current portfolio
will be agreed with the Program Leader.
·
Work closely with project
managers to ensure project-level research and development activities and
partnerships support going-to-scale to achieve broader program goals, generate
high-quality outputs, and identify additional publication opportunities. Review
technical reports to technically support project managers at critical stages of
implementation, such as during project start-up, major reviews and evaluations,
and closeout.
·
Actively contribute to proposal
writing and other resource mobilization efforts and work with the Program
Leader and CIP Regional Leaders to pursue longer-term opportunities to support
strategic program growth.
·
Contribute to regular program
reviews, planning, and reporting, including updating the rolling 3-year Program
Business Plan.
2. Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL):
·
Work in liaison with project
M&E specialists to ensure alignment of project-level MEAL systems with CIP
and CGIAR requirements, particularly on scaling-up, outcome and impact related
results.
·
Coordinate collation of essential
data across the program portfolio and generate regular updates on key output
and outcome indicators.
·
Support learning across the
portfolio by initiating and contributing to syntheses of results in relation to
scaling up approaches, and by facilitating review meetings with partners.
Research on scaling-up
·
Contribute to research on
scalability and scaling-up options for the Strategic Program, including
innovation pathways, partnerships, and policy context. Produce scientific
publications from this research.
·
Actively participate in
CGIAR-wide research initiatives to strengthen scaling-up approaches.
3. Communications:
Contribute to internal communications within the Strategic Program as well
as to external communications on specific technical and regional components,
using a range of communication platforms.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
·
The ideal candidate should hold a
PhD in relevant discipline, including agricultural, biological, or social
sciences. An MSc degree with particularly strong R&D experience in food
security and rural development may be considered.
·
A minimum of ten years of
research experience in international agricultural research and/for development
projects, of which at least five years include senior responsibilities in
project or program management.
·
Excellent knowledge of the
agriculture-nutrition nexus and its gender and poverty dimensions. Good
knowledge and understanding of biofortification and other food-based approaches
to nutrition security.
·
Excellent knowledge of scaling-up
approaches in agricultural development and of up-to-date research methodologies
in this area.
·
Excellent knowledge of
development, agriculture, and nutrition agenda in Africa and Asia and of
CGIAR’s role in international agricultural research. Direct work experience in
sub-Saharan Africa is a strong advantage.
·
Strong command of M&E
approaches and methodologies, including participatory and quantitative methods,
support to learning processes, and use of ICT-based methodologies.
·
Proven research abilities and
publication record in relevant area of work.
·
Teambuilding and team management
experience, including direct experience of staff supervision in international
teams.
·
Excellent technical and report
writing skills and proven track record of proposal writing.
·
Excellent English written and
verbal communication skills are essential. Working proficiency in French is a
strong advantage.
·
Possess the ability and
willingness to travel extensively, and at times at short notice, to project locations
in Africa and occasionally to other regions.
Mode of application:
All candidates should apply by
email, sending a letter of motivation, a full C.V., and the names and contact
information of three references that are knowledgeable of the candidate’s
professional qualifications and work experience to:
CIP-Recruitment@cgiar.org.
The reference name of the position should be clearly marked in the subject
line of the email message.
NB: CIP is an equal opportunity employer.
Qualified women and professionals from developing countries are
particularly encouraged to apply.
Deadline: 25th February 2015
