Research Program Director

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About the Organization

The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics is an international organisation which conducts agricultural research for rural development, headquartered in Patancheru, Hyderabad, Telangana, India, with several regional centres and research stations.

Job Description

The Global Research Program Director, “Accelerated Crop Improvement” will lead a multi-disciplinary team of scientists working in the area of germplasm conservation, characterization, maintenance and use, development and deployment of genomics/bioinformatics resources, trait engineering, molecular biology,  marker trait association, trait introgression, crop physiology, integrated crop protection, crop breeding,  seed systems and capacity development. The position will report to the Deputy Director General - Research. This position will be hired through a  Globally Competitive Recruitment process on a contract for a period of three years with an attractive compensation and benefits package payable in US dollars.

A new contract may be offered at the end of the present tenure based on the performance of the incumbent, funding availability and the Institute's continuing need for the position. The suitable candidate will need to be able to act fast, engage professionally and build relationships across multiple cultures, besides working closely with the Institute’s Leadership Team and scientists across all our locations in Asia and Africa. The successful candidate will be an exceptional leader who is a passionate, dynamic, and collaborative individual and is highly motivated to achieve excellence supporting smallholders farm and food systems transformation in the drylands.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead the Global Research Program “Accelerated Crop Improvement” across Asia, East and Southern Africa and West and Central Africa in the area of germplasm conservation, characterization, maintenance and use,  development and deployment of genomics/bioinformatics resources, trait engineering, molecular biology,  marker trait association, trait introgression, crop physiology, integrated crop protection, crop breeding, seed systems and capacity development.   
• Provide effective leadership to the research team placed in different research clusters to deliver high quality research for development outcomes from the Program. 
• Inspire and facilitate research teams and individual scientists to deliver high quality scientific outputs.
• Contribute to the ICRISAT efforts for resource mobilization and work with multi-disciplinary teams to develop research proposals and follow-through for successful funding.
• Work with other global research program directors as well as regional directors and demonstrate comprehensive output delivery as a team.
• Manage and provide supervision to the staff from different disciplines of the Global Research Program ‘Accelerated Crop Improvement’ located in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. 

Education Qualification/Required Skills & Experience

The ideal candidate will have most, if not all, of the following skills, knowledge, experience, and personal characteristics:

• A Ph.D. degree in Plant breeding/Genetics/Genomics/Biotechnology/Crop Protection/relevant disciplines of crop improvement.
• Relevant work experience of at least 20 years in the area of agricultural research for development with high quality research outputs including an excellent record of publication in high impact journals. 
• Demonstrated ability to build research networks and partnerships required for research and research for development to enhance productivity in drylands.
• Demonstrated ability to write proposals and resource mobilization in the area of agricultural research for development or similar areas.  
• Well connected with institutions, organization in the relevant areas of research.
• Experience of leading multicultural, multi-disciplinary scientific teams and ability to work across diverse environments and cultures. 
• Exceptional communication skills and the ability to deliver a compelling picture of the ICRISAT mandate across stakeholders. 
• Knowledge of the context of smallholder farmers in the highly vulnerable climates of the drylands and knowledge of the major crops and cropping systems of the South Asian, sub-Saharan African region. 
• Excellent written and oral skills in English. Knowledge of other international languages, especially French, will be an advantage.

Skills and Knowledge

• Demonstrated leadership abilities and strong interpersonal skills.
• A deep understanding of agricultural science in crop breeding, genomics, seed systems, crop physiology, crop protection and its critical role in tackling issues such as, climate change, natural resource management, malnutrition, gender issues and rural poverty across developing countries that impact the UN SDGs. 
• Insights into solutions in agricultural science, ranging from plant breeding technologies to digital solutions and agribusiness. 
• Proactive and achievement oriented.
• Strategic and innovative in business development strategy and execution. 
• Established networks and skills to establish and strengthen industry partnerships. 
• Ability to write impactful pitches and to follow these through personally or with support from others.
• Excellent written and oral skills in English. Knowledge of other international languages, especially French, will be an advantage.

For more information please check the Link

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