Location: ICRISAT’s Headquarters, Hyderabad India. 

Expiry: Open until ideal candidate is identified

The Global Head of Breeding will have line responsibility for ICRISAT’s crop Breeding Programs based in India and Sub-Saharan Africa. This position will manage the technical components of Breeding Programs with expectations of strengthening ICRISATs breeding capacity through fostering the introduction of processes and guidelines for effective product development.

ICRISAT is a non-profit, non-political organization that conducts agricultural research for development in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa with a wide array of partners throughout the world. ICRISAT and its partners help empower those living in the semi-arid tropics, especially smallholder farmers, to overcome poverty, hunger, malnutrition and a degraded environment through more efficient and profitable agriculture.

ICRISAT is headquartered in Patancheru near Hyderabad, India, with two regional hubs and five country offices in Sub-Saharan Africa. ICRISAT, established in 1972, is a member of the CGIAR Consortium. For more details, please visit www.icrisat.org.

Job Responsibilities: 

• Lead the development of ICRISAT Breeding program strategy to enhance genetic gains for dryland cereals and legumes
• Oversee Breeding program operations across all breeding zones and guide regional breeding leads for implementation of systems, procedures and guidelines for effective product development
• Working with subject matter experts to provide guidance to modernize Breeding programs in areas such as breeding methodology, phenotyping, application of molecular tools, mechanization, and automation of operations, testing strategy and data analysis and interpretation
• Lead ICRISAT Breeding program integration effort across all support functions
• Ensure breeding pipelines are properly aligned with product concepts and the target population of the environment (TPE)
• Develop and utilize methods to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of Breeding programs of ICRISAT
• Support development interventions to upgrade skills of scientists and related support personnel
• Develop proposals to fund operations and breeding program modernization at ICRISAT and at national programs level
• Coordinate closely with CGIAR initiatives, CRPs and platforms, such as the Excellence in Breeding Platform 

Qualifications and Experience:

• PhD in Plant Breeding or related fields with a minimum of 10 years of Post-doctoral experience
• In-depth understanding of practical breeding applications and logistical constraints relevant to breeding programs targeting the developing world including those from the CGIAR, national systems and the private sector
• Excellent understanding of new and established tools that pragmatically support modern breeding application and capacity development approaches that will accelerate their use in breeding programs targeting the developing world

• Experience in:
  1. Leading multi-institutional programs or projects.
  2. Developing strategies and results-based management frameworks (workplans, budgets, monitoring plans, reports).
  3. Building consensus among diverse needs of clients.
  4. Service provision and capacity development in areas relevant to ICRISAT Programs.
  5. Fund-raising.
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary and multi-cultural environment
• Demonstrated ability to work and lead teams and support collaboration
• Excellent oral, written, and communication skills in English. French will be an advantage 

Desirable criteria:

• Experience in the private sector within Africa would be an advantage
• Demonstrated championing the critical areas of gender, youth, nutrition, knowledge sharing and innovation
• Demonstration of an entrepreneurial spirit with aptitude for innovation

General:

This is an Internationally Recruited Staff (IRS) position with an attractive salary and benefits package payable in US dollars. The position is initially for three years and renewable depending on performance of the incumbent, funding availability and the Institute’s continuing need for the position.

How to apply:

Applicants should apply on or before 20th December 2020, with latest Curriculum Vitae, and the names and contact information of three references that are knowledgeable about your professional qualifications and work experience. All applications will be acknowledged; however only short listed candidates will be contacted.

Please CLICK HERE to submit your application.

Applications will be screened starting 21st December 2020 and will continue to be accepted until the position is filled.