IRRI:
The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) focuses on reducing poverty, hunger, and environmental challenges through rice science. Established in 1960, IRRI operates in 17 rice-growing nations, developing resilient rice varieties to combat pests, diseases, and climate change impacts. IRRI
1. Job Position: Research Director – Rice Breeding Innovations.
This position will be based at the IRRI Headquarters, Los Baños, Philippines, and is open for international applications.
Purpose:
The Research Director will lead strategic initiatives in rice breeding innovation, focusing on unfavorable/favorable environments, genetics, and delivery systems. The role emphasizes global leadership, targeted breeding pipelines, and partnerships to enhance IRRI’s impact in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa.
Roles and Responsibilities:
- Lead multidisciplinary and cross-functional groups to ensure that the Department and Research Unit goals and priorities are aligned with IRRI’s overall strategy, priorities, target goals, and values
- Contribute collaboratively to the Institute-wide research management team reporting to the Deputy Director General for Research in order to ensure cross-disciplinary, cross site, and cross functional collaboration across all of IRRI
- Ensure accountability of Research Unit Leaders to deliver research outcomes in compliance with donor requirements and IRRI’s policies and procedures
- Work as part of a team to bring in new resources to support IRRI’s research for development objectives
- Facilitate the identification of research priorities and optimum usage of IRRI’s resources
- Promote, sustain and develop new strategic partnerships and alliances with public and private stakeholders to cultivate collaborative research programs
- Act as a catalyst and champion of IRRI-wide changes to achieve IRRI’s mission and goals
- Coordinate with IRRI’s Leadership Team, through the DDG-R, in the execution of the Department and Research Unit goals and priorities
- Represent IRRI in research fora, local and international conferences to sustain and develop working relationship with new target investors, donors, government partners, communities and private institutions
- Advocate IRRI’s research for development in international research fora to enhance the IRRI’s brand across different regions
- Engage with IRRI’s national and regional partners to understand their needs and objectives and to provide complementary research for development capacity and programs fulfilling their identified needs
- Facilitate the development, alignment and integration of Research Units operational plans, objectives and key performance indicators
- Lead and facilitate the completion and delivery of research for development outcomes and ensure compliance to funder requirements within agreed timeframes
- Harness the synergy and nurture the creativity of individual staff, multidisciplinary and cross functional research teams to generate innovative research programs and secure new sources of funding
- Ensure high performance research for development delivery from the department in order to achieve maximum success with investors, donors, partners, and users
- Manage, develop and monitor the performance of Research Unit Leaders to ensure the quality and continuous growth of human resources and to build high performing teams
Qualifications:
- PhD degree and subsequent experience in plant breeding
- Recognized as an innovative international leader in a relevant science field
- Significant multicultural and multidisciplinary management experience
Skills Required:
Mandatory
- Understand research for development challenges and opportunities
- Excellent people management skills
- Excellent advocacy, presentation, influencing and entrepreneurial skills
- Excellent project management skills
- Proven ability to establish high level of cooperation and alliances
Preferred:
- Work experience in Asia or Africa
Applications:
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 and Organizational Development Office, Ms. Anna Junsay (a.junsay@irri.org) with cc to Workforce Resourcing (workforceresourcing@irri.org) with a subject: Application – Research Director, RBI – your full name.
Application Closing Date: 15-Feb-2025
2. Job Position: Regional Director, IRRI in Africa.
This position will be based at the IRRI Regional Office in Nairobi, Kenya and is open for international applications.
Purpose:
The Regional Director for Africa will lead IRRI’s strategy and operations across the continent, focusing on addressing rural poverty, sustainability, nutrition, and economic advancement. Responsibilities include developing Africa-wide and country-specific strategies, building partnerships, fostering resource mobilization, and representing IRRI with governments, donors, and partners. The role also involves advising IRRI leadership on regional developments, fundraising opportunities, and collaboration with CGIAR and other global organizations. The Director will be a key spokesperson for IRRI and ensure impactful agriculture and food system solutions in Africa.
Roles and Responsibilities
- To position IRRI and its reputation as a major contributor to critical issues in Africa
- To significantly grow IRRI in Africa to better achieve our mission to impact on rural poverty, climate resilience, the environmental sustainability and nutrition/health
- Lead the development and implementation of an overall Africa strategy as well as country strategies for IRRI’s research needs, outreach, capacity strengthening, partnerships and resource mobilization. This will include identification and development of project opportunities, focusing on key contributions IRRI can make to develop the agriculture and food system in target countries in the region
- Provide strategic leadership and enable effective governance and management of IRRI’s major research and development programs in Africa by ensuring coherence and synergy between various research programs, projects and activities. This includes oversight of robust financial administrative and human resource systems
- Represent IRRI’s interests before high government entities in Africa and liaise closely with relevant government offices and agencies, and local and regional research and education institutions
- Act as the chief spokesperson for IRRI in the region and at international forums with interest in research and development in Africa
- Interact with national and international partners and donors to seek new opportunities for research and partnerships, including fundraising, coordination and engagement with both public and private sector
- Build and maintain a strong and healthy working relation for IRRI with other CGIAR centers, international organizations and development agencies operating in the region
- Create and sustain positive relationships with traditional and non-traditional donors, local missions and development agencies to ensure continued support of IRRI’s research and outreach activities in the region
- Coordinate regional and national projects in a manner aligned with IRRI’s strategic plan and embedded in IRRI’s research areas to ensure synergy and coherence
- Identify and prioritize opportunities to develop IRRI’s programs and activities in Africa
- Provide necessary advice for IRRI management and scientists on regional and national developments, emerging issues for research, new opportunities for funding and appropriate policies and procedures necessary for current and future strategic work in Africa
- Coordinate efforts and resources to build the funding and partnership base to grow IRRI in Africa
- In coordination with the HQ, oversee the management of IRRI offices, finances and human resources in the region
Qualifications
- PhD in agricultural sciences, rural sociology, development economics or related field
- Over 15 years of relevant experience in research, leadership and outreach activities
Skills Required
- Experience in developing large research for development projects
- Demonstrated ability to work in multicultural and multidisciplinary team
- Track record of managing multi-country research for development programs
- Record of high-quality publications
- Prior experience of leadership, partnerships, mentoring and team building
Applications
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 and Organizational Development Office, Ms. Anna Junsay (a.junsay@irri.org) with cc to Workforce Resourcing (workforceresourcing@irri.org) with a subject: Application – Regional Director, IRRI in Africa – your full name.
Application Closing Date: 08-Feb-2025
3. Job Position: Research Director, Sustainable Impact through Rice-based Systems.
This position will be based at the IRRI Headquarters, Los Baños, Philippines and is open for international applications.
Purpose:
The position leads key areas of IRRI’s Strategic Plan, including soil, climate, water, pest ecology, mechanization, nutrition, and livelihoods. It focuses on delivering rice-agrifood system outcomes, leveraging IRRI’s scientific expertise and partnerships. The role involves inspirational leadership of Research Unit Leaders, strategic guidance on research innovation, and shaping IRRI’s research agenda by integrating cross-functional teams. The successful candidate must be an internationally recognized expert and provide leadership to ensure IRRI’s research and development goals are met effectively.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Lead multidisciplinary and cross-functional groups to ensure that the Department and Research Unit goals and priorities are aligned with IRRI’s overall strategy, priorities,target goals, and values
- Contribute collaboratively to the Institute-wide research management team reporting to the Deputy Director General for Research in order to ensure cross-disciplinary, crosssite, and cross functional collaboration across all of IRRI
- Ensure accountability of Research Unit Leaders to deliver research outcomes in compliance with donor requirements and IRRI’s policies and procedures
- Work as part of a team to bring in new resources to support IRRI’s research for development objectives
- Facilitate the identification of research priorities and optimum usage of IRRI’s resources
- Promote, sustain and develop new strategic partnerships and alliances with public and private stakeholders to cultivate collaborative research programs
- Act as a catalyst and champion of IRRI-wide changes to achieve IRRI’s mission and goals
- Coordinate with IRRI’s Leadership Team, through the DDG-R, in the execution of the Department and Research Unit goals and priorities
- Represent IRRI in research fora, local and international conferences to sustain and develop working relationship with new target investors, donors, government partners, communities and private institutions
- Advocate IRRI’s research for development in international research fora to enhance the IRRI’s brand across different regions
- Engage with IRRI’s national and regional partners to understand their needs and objectives and to provide complementary research for development capacity and programs fulfilling their identified needs
- Facilitate the development, alignment and integration of Research Units operational plans, objectives and key performance indicators
- Lead and facilitate the completion and delivery of research for development outcomes and ensure compliance to funder requirements within agreed timeframes
- Harness the synergy and nurture the creativity of individual staff, multidisciplinary and cross functional research teams to generate innovative research programs and secure new sources of funding
- Ensure high performance research for development delivery from the department in order to achieve maximum success with investors, donors, partners, and users
- Manage, develop and monitor the performance of Research Unit Leaders to ensure the quality and continuous growth of human resources and to build high performing teams
Qualifications
- PhD degree in one of the following areas: soil, climate and water, pest ecology, integrated crop management, mechanization and post-harvest, crop modeling and technology targeting, remote sensing, adoption, nutrition, or livelihoods, gender and youth issues in agrifood systems
- Recognized international leader in a relevant science field
- Significant multicultural and multidisciplinary management experience
Skills Required
Mandatory
- Understand research for development challenges and opportunities
- Excellent people management skills
- Excellent advocacy, presentation, influencing and entrepreneurial skills
- Excellent project management skills
- Proven ability to establish high level of cooperation and alliances
Preferred
- Work experience in Asia or Africa
Applications
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 and Organizational Development Office, Ms. Anna Junsay (a.junsay@irri.org) with cc to Workforce Resourcing (workforceresourcing@irri.org) with a subject: Application – Regional Director, IRRI in Africa – your full name.
Application Closing Date: 15-Feb-2025
Don’t miss your second chance to join IRRI! We have reopened this position. If you applied before, no need to reapply – we’ve kept your application on file. Only qualified candidates will be contacted.