Associate Program Director: Systems Development and Scaling

About us:

CIMMYT is a cutting edge, non-profit, international organization dedicated to solving tomorrow's problems today. It is entrusted with fostering improved quantity, quality, and dependability of production systems and basic cereals such as maize, wheat, triticale, sorghum, millets, and associated crops through applied agricultural science, particularly in the Global South, through building strong partnerships. This combination enhances the livelihood trajectories and resilience of millions of resource-poor farmers, while working towards a more productive, inclusive, and resilient agrifood system within planetary boundaries.

For more information, visit cimmyt.org.

Job Purpose

Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Systems Development and Scaling

portfolio of SAS, so that tested innovations are adopted at scale and contribute measurably to

CIMMYT 2030 strategy, providing feedback and insights to improve innovation development

within CIMMYT's Discovery portfolios.

Key Accountabilities

• 1. Systems Development and Scaling vision and strategy:
• Define and execute the System
• Development strategy for SAS, aligned with CIMMYT's Excellence in Science and
• Innovation objectives, identifying high impact opportunity innovations, innovation
• combinations, countries and pathways using scaling science tools and approaches
• together with cost-benefit evidence. Strengthen coherence across country and regional
• projects so that investments build lasting institutional capacity and systems change.
• 2. Systems and scaling science:
• Contribute to research in scaling science, aligning outcome
• delivery with tangible and high-value monitoring and learning.
• 3. Delivery pathways:
• Embed innovations in public delivery systems (policy, extension,
• seed systems) and in market and enterprise systems (private distribution, value chains,
• digital platforms). Promote viable delivery models and partner ownership that can
• continue beyond project funding.
• 4. Finance:
• Build the investment case and pipeline to align innovations with government
• programs, development banks, climate finance, and private capital.
• 5. Enabling environment:
• Identify and co-develop opportunities to alleviate policy,
• regulatory, and institutional barriers to innovation adoption, working with national
• partners.
• 6. Partnerships and influence:
• Build equitable, long-term, impact-oriented partnerships
• with national agricultural research systems, universities, private sector players,
• international centers, non-governmental organizations, and international agencies.
• Advocate for CIMMYT's agenda in international forums and promote its outputs.
• 7. Inclusion and safeguards:
• Ensure system development and scaling activities actively
• consider broad inclusion of beneficiaries, document and mitigate barriers to
• participation and benefit sharing, agree safeguards and accountability arrangements
• with partners and relevant institutional functions, and manage legal, and intellectual
• property in partner agreements.
• 8. Funding and results:
• Lead and contribute to fundraising through projects, institutional
• partnerships, donor and private-sector engagement. Set targets and actively monitor
• scaling implementation and impacts.
• 9. Talent and operations:
• Mentor and lead multi-country, transdisciplinary teams; oversee
• budgeting, resource allocation and compliance; manage delivery, financial and
• reputational risk. Set objectives and review performance for direct reports, build
• successor capacity, and work with Program Managers and Finance to monitor
• commitments, partner delivery and cost recovery.
• 10. Interface with Discovery Research:
• Agree readiness criteria with the Discovery project
• leads and wider CIMMYT research programs, and feed field evidence, farmer feedback
• and demand signals back into research priorities.
• 11. Support the SAS Director in program-wide planning.
• Key outputs:
• An annual Systems Development and Scaling workplan and budget; a funded
• portfolio with outcome targets and learning milestones; viable delivery and financing pathways
• with agreed partner responsibilities; evidence of sustained adoption and benefits; and
• documented feedback to Discovery.

Requirements

• • PhD (or master's with exceptional experience) in agricultural or development economics,
• sustainable development, agricultural systems, rural development, agroecology, public
• policy or a related field.
• • At least 10 years of distinguished leadership in agricultural development, scaling or
• program delivery in an international research or development organization, academia or
• industry.
• • Proven interdisciplinary and cross-sector team leadership across multiple countries.
• Demonstrated experience across project design, implementation, performance
• management and evaluation, with evidence of sustained outcomes through public,
• private or civil-society delivery systems.
• • Demonstrated success in securing funding, including public, development and private
• finance, and managing
• large
• The position will be based at a CIMMYT office in Latin America, Asia or Africa.
• Benefits
• The position is for an initial fixed-term for three (3) years, after which further employment is subject to performance and the continued availability of funds. CIMMYT’s internationally competitive salary and benefits include housing allowance, car, comprehensive health and life insurance, assistance for children’s education, paid vacation, annual home travel airfare, contribution to a retirement plan, and generous assistance with relocation shipment.
• Candidates must apply online
• . Applications must include a CV with contact details (telephone and email address) of 3 work-related references
• along with the confirmation that Recruitment can contact them) and a
• cover letter.
• Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.
• Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
• Internal applications could be considered in line with internal eligibility guidance, please contact HR for more information.
• This position will remain open until filled.
• CIMMYT is an equal opportunity employer. It fosters a multicultural work environment that values gender equality, teamwork, and respect for diversity. Women are encouraged to apply.
• At Impactpool we do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
• Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.
• Summary by Impactpool
• CIMMYT is seeking an Associate Program Director for Systems Development and Scaling to provide strategic and operational leadership in agricultural innovation. The role involves defining and executing development strategies, contributing to scaling science research, and embedding innovations in public and market systems. The candidate will also build partnerships, secure funding, and mentor multi-country teams. This position is based in various locations across Latin America, Asia, or Africa.
• Candidate Requirements:
• PhD or master's with exceptional experience in relevant fields
• At least 10 years of leadership in agricultural development
• Proven interdisciplinary team leadership across countries
• Experience in project design, implementation, and evaluation
• Success in securing funding from various sources
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• CIMMYT - International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center
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