Project Manager - International Potato Center

Ref.: 11-17/PM/IRS/SSA

The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking to recruit an accomplished project manager with excellent skills in planning, human resource management, and resource mobilization for a new 3 year effort focused on capacity strengthening of African advocates and resource mobilization for massive investment in the dissemination of pro-vitamin A rich orange-fleshed sweetpotato in 5 target countries.

The Center: CIP is a not-for-profit international agricultural research-for-development organization with a focus on potato, sweetpotato, and Andean roots and tubers.

The position:

The Sweetpotato for Profit and Health Initiative, launched by CIP and over 26 partners in October 2009, has an ambitious goal of improving the lives of at least 10 million African households by 2020 through the effective production and expanded use of sweetpotato.

Evidence has clearly demonstrated that orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties are an excellent source of pro-vitamin A -- an essential vitamin for health.

Building a cadre of trained African champions for utilizing orange-fleshed sweetpotato as an entry point for tackling widespread vitamin A deficiency and a cadre of trained development agents to successfully promote and disseminate these materials is at the core of this effort.

The project manager is expected to provide the leadership, administrative and key resource mobilization skills to ensure that significant funds are raised and appropriate country specific strategies are in place for this to happen in Tanzania, Mozambique, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Ghana.

Duties and Accountabilities:

* Provide overall vision and direction for the 3 year program including the regional and country level teams
* Build, support and maintain active networks and links with relevant African institutions, leaders and donors engaged in agriculture, nutrition and social policy.
* Manage the program day-to-day, including sub-grants and partnerships, to support capacity strengthening, fundraising and advocacy.
* Actively support training, gender, and advocacy specialists to develop strategies that will engage partners and strengthen technical capacity, build focused resource mobilization and advocacy skills in promoting orange-fleshed sweetpotato projects within national nutrition and/or income enhancement goals.
* Backstop country level teams in resource mobilization
* Promote the integration of orange-fleshed sweetpotato into national and regional programs, projects, and data collection systems at various fora and in the media
* Assure timely reporting and milestone compliance

The position will be based at CIP’s Regional Office in Nairobi, Kenya, with frequent travel within Sub-Saharan Africa

Selection Criteria:

* PhD in agricultural sciences, social sciences, or nutrition with at least 10 years of experience in project management;
* Experience in managing multi-disciplinary teams and partnerships;
* Demonstrated success in policy development, resource mobilization and partnership building
* Strong communication and writing skills and ability to develop a close and effective working relationship with a variety of stakeholders such as policy makers, NGOs, researchers, regional networks, and farmer organizations
* Prior experience with and engagement in agriculture and or nutrition policy development in the SSA region
* Fluency in English is required and knowledge of French or Portuguese and Kiswahili is desired
* Must be a citizen of a Sub-Saharan African country
* Willingness to travel extensively

Conditions: The position will be based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Employment contract will be for a three-year term with a three month probation period.

Salary will be regionally competitive, paid in US dollars, and commensurate with experience.

CIP provides additional benefits, including employer paid medical, life and disability insurance.

CIP prides itself on its collegial and supportive working environment, which allows space for personal and professional growth.

Applications: Applicants should apply by email, sending a letter of motivation, a full C.V., and the names and contact information of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience to Rosario Marcovich at CIP-Recruitment@cgiar.org.

The reference name of the position should be clearly marked on the subject line of the email message. Screening of applications will begin on 18 June 2011 and will continue until the post is filled.

All applications will be acknowledged, only short listed candidates will be contacted.

Learn more about CIP by accessing our web site at www.cipotato.org.

CIP is an equal opportunity employer.

Qualified women and professionals from developing countries are particularly encouraged to apply