AICCRA Project Coordinator

Organization
• Bioversity International

Posted
6 Oct 2021

Closing date
1 Nov 2021

BACKGROUND
The Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa project (AICCRA) is administered by the Alliance of Biodiversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) (“Alliance”), the lead center for the CGIAR Program on Climate Change Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS).
AICCRA is funded by the International Development Association (IDA). CCAFS brings together some of the world’s best researchers in agricultural, climate and earth science to deliver innovative research-based solutions that catalyze positive change towards low-carbon and climate resilient food systems.
AICCRA will help make the products of cutting-edge CGIAR-led science available throughout Africa.
AICCRA can play a vital catalytic role in strengthening the agriculture research architecture in Africa.
Activities financed under AICCRA will be implemented by a broad coalition of CCAFS partners working at regional, sub-regional, and national level.
AICCRA investments will be concentrated in six anchor countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Senegal, and Zambia, but spill-over benefits are expected in other countries as AICCRA will also work with Africa’s regional economic communities (RECs) and their associated regional agricultural research and climate change networks.
The project runs from 2021 to 2023.

The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to strengthen the capacity of targeted CCAFS partners and stakeholders, and to enhance access to climate information services and validated climate-smart agriculture technologies in IDA-eligible countries in Africa.

The project has four components:
(a) knowledge generation and sharing;
(b) strengthening partnerships for delivery;
(c) validating climate-smart agriculture innovations through piloting; and
(d) project management

The Alliance is seeking to recruit a Project Coordinator, who will take over the project from the out-going Coordinator.
The Project Coordinator will be based at one of the African offices of the participating CGIAR Centers or at the headquarters of the Alliance and CGIAR in Rome.

SCOPE OF WORK
The Project Coordinator will provide overall leadership to AICCRA and be responsible for ensuring the successful implementation of AICCRA.
The duties and responsibilities of the Project Coordinator will include, among others:
• Provide scientific leadership for planning, implementing, monitoring and reporting of the Project’s agenda including designing activities and the continual improvement of collaborative mechanisms for implementation.
• Catalyze and coordinate the project activities among Project participants and their respective partners to further the implementation of strategies and priorities.
• Support and facilitate the oversight function of the Independent Steering Committee (ISC).
• Provide oversight of the project’s activity portfolio, including annual work plans, budgets and fund distribution, project implementation, and ensuring that reporting requirements are met.
• Develop and implement a communications strategy for the Project.
• Facilitate and promote communications and linkages across Project participants and the Project’s ISC as well as the donor’s designated control committee to support the implementation of activities and delivery of outcomes and impacts.
• Any other task derived from the above or that naturally belongs to them.
• Be the primary contact person for the World Bank

REPORTING LINE/COMMUNICATION
a) The Project Coordinator shall report to the Director General of the Alliance and the Chair of the Independent Steering Committee.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
a) A PhD degree, in a discipline relevant to AICCRA from either the agricultural, social, or natural sciences.
b) At least 12 years’ experience in agricultural research for development in areas relevant to AICCRA (e.g. climate smart agriculture, climate information services, scaling agricultural innovations, enabling conditions for agricultural development)
c) Experience in working in Africa
d) Good knowledge of the relevant regulations/directives and operations of multilateral development organizations and executing agencies.
e) Minimum 8 years working experience at international organizations.
f) Proven experience and skills in managing projects and partnerships.
g) Proven capacity to work across multiple stakeholders, including government entities, civil society organizations (CSOs), local communities, and the private sector.
h) Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
Written and oral communication in French an added advantage.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES
• Leadership skills – understands how to motivate teams and partners and manage for results.
• Knowledge and experience in international development - understands policy making process; distils operationally relevant recommendations/lessons for clients.
• Policy Dialogue Skills - Identifies and assesses policy issues and plays an active role in the dialogue with the government and/or other stakeholders.
• Integrative Skills - Working to develop an integrated view across all facets of current sector.
• Client Orientation - Takes personal responsibility and accountability for timely response to client queries, requests or needs, working to remove obstacles that may impede execution or overall success.
• Drive for Results - Takes personal ownership and accountability to meet deadlines and achieve agreed-upon results and has the personal organization to do so.
• Teamwork (collaboration) and inclusion - Collaborates with other team members and contributes productively to the team's work and output, demonstrating respect for different points of view.
• Knowledge, Learning and Communication - Actively seeks knowledge needed to complete assignments and shares knowledge with others, communicating and presenting information in a clear and organized manner.
• Business Judgment and Analytical Decision Making - Analyse facts and data to support sound, logical decisions regarding own and others' work.

How to apply
Applicants are invited to send a cover letter illustrating their suitability for the above position against the qualifications, competencies, skills together with a detailed curriculum vitae, including names and addresses of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience.
All correspondence should be addressed to the Human Resources Office, and should clearly indicate “Application: AICCRA Project Coordinator”.