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The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking a dynamic and ambitious Agronomy and Seed Systems Manager I to contribute to the implementation of the Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative – USAID Great Lakes (AID-I) Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. AID-I project will be implemented through a consortium of partners and aims to improve food and nutrition security in the Great Lakes region through the rapid adoption at scale of proven technologies and innovations developed mainly by CGIAR and partners.
About CIP
CIP is a not-for-profit international agricultural research organization with a global mandate to conduct research on potatoes, sweetpotatoes, Andean root and tuber crops, and sustainable management of natural resources. CIP’s vision is to contribute from its areas of expertise to the fulfillment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), in particular those goals that relate to poverty, hunger, child and maternal mortality, and sustainable development. CIP has its headquarters in Lima, Peru with staff and activities in locations across Africa, Asia and Latin America. CIP, a member of the One CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future. One CGIAR science is dedicated to transforming food, land and water systems in a climate crisis, and it is carried out by 13 CGIAR Centers/Alliances in close collaboration with hundreds of partners, including national and regional research institutes, civil society organizations, academia, development organizations and the private sector.
About the role
The Agronomy and Seed Systems Manager I will provide expertise in the direct implementation and reporting of Orange-fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP) and potato seed system for ADI-I primarily in Burundi but with backstopping visits to DRC and Rwanda. He/she will work with scaling partners to lead efforts to ensure and assure affordable, accessible and quality sweetpotato and potato planting material needed to scale up AID-I in the target districts. The Associate Scientist will be based in Burundi working closely with the project team, project scaling partners, and with the CIP country and regional teams.
Key Responsibilities:
- Contribute to the design and direct the implementation of a sustainable sweetpotato seed systems strategy for ADI-I Burundi, DRC, and Rwanda that will assure quality and accessibility of sweetpotato planting material for household production and for quality potato seed in Rwanda.
- Work with scaling partner to design and implement a working, cost-effective and timely planting material dissemination approaches to enhance OFSP production among households both for food and nutrition security
- Participate in the development, planning and delivery of appropriate training of trainer (ToT) modules in priority topics such as production, agronomy, post-harvesting management etc. targeting sweetpotato value chain actors including farmers, extension agents, partner staff and other relevant beneficiaries.
- In collaboration with the CIP food technologist based in Rwanda, support the private commercial partners to acquire the desired quality and quantity of raw materials for the successful OFSP puree processing business and make quality processed products.
- Participate and support relevant country stakeholder and policy engagement initiatives.
- Contribute to project reporting by facilitating timely, accurate and routine data collection required for project reports.
- Where appropriate contribute to regional program development efforts including resource mobilization and expanding CIP’s networks for future collaboration.
Requirements
- MSC degree in Economics, Agricultural economics, agronomy, breeding, crop science or a related field.
- Minimum of 8 years of experience working with public and/or private organizations in seed systems or agronomy.
- Ability to organize and facilitate training workshops
- Experimental design, Implementation, data collection, analysis and writing of scientific papers.
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Strategic & critical thinking
- Leadership & management skills.
- Ability to work with strict deadlines and in multi-disciplinary teams.
- Experience in sweetpotato and/or potato seed system management preferred
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and deliver quality products.
- Advanced written and oral communication skills in English.
- Fluent in French
- Knowledge of Kirundi or Kinyarwanda preferred.
Benefits
- Excellent working environment.
- Competitive compensation package commensurate with experience.
- Fixed term contract until Dec 2023.
- Work in an equal and diverse workplace.
