Associate Program Director, Discovery Research

Job Posting Organization:
CIMMYT is a cutting-edge, non-profit, international organization dedicated to solving tomorrow's problems today. Established to improve the quantity, quality, and dependability of production systems and basic cereals such as maize, wheat, triticale, sorghum, millets, and associated crops, CIMMYT focuses on applied agricultural science, particularly in the Global South. The organization builds strong partnerships to enhance the livelihood trajectories and resilience of millions of resource-poor farmers, working towards a more productive, inclusive, and resilient agrifood system within planetary boundaries. CIMMYT operates in multiple countries and employs a diverse workforce committed to agricultural innovation and sustainability. For more information, visit cimmyt.org.

Job Overview:
The Associate Program Director for SAS Discovery Research plays a crucial role in shaping the coherence and design of projects within the program. This position involves reviewing the implementation of scientific initiatives and guiding team and partnership development to support the innovation development agenda of SAS. The role requires setting a bold research vision that aligns with CIMMYT's objectives of excellence in science and innovation, advancing systems and scaling science through transdisciplinary teams that bridge various perspectives, including biological, environmental, economic, policy, and social aspects. The post holder is expected to be a scientific leader with a strong record in scientific excellence, transdisciplinary project design and implementation, and cross-disciplinary team leadership. The purpose of this role is to drive the implementation of science projects and contribute to scientific leadership and strategic direction for the Discovery portfolio, focusing on rigorous, transdisciplinary research that enhances the productivity, inclusivity, climate resilience, and sustainability of agrifood systems within planetary boundaries.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Scientific Vision: Contribute to defining and overseeing the execution of the SAS Discovery research strategy, using country, farmer, market, and policy priorities to guide portfolio choices and identify gaps, duplication, and opportunities across projects.
• Systems Research and Transdisciplinarity: Lead and support research in systems and scaling science, integrating agronomy, soil and environmental science, climate, economics, social science, and nutrition, alongside maize, wheat, dryland crops, and genetic innovation programs.
• New Science and Technologies: Integrate advances in technology, data science, gender and inclusion research, and real-time feedback monitoring into research design and learning.
• Co-creation: Ensure that farmers, national agricultural research systems, universities, and the private sector help shape research questions, trials, and tools through participatory and design-thinking approaches.
• Scientific Quality and Compliance: Drive excellence in science, ensuring compliance with standards for research design, implementation, and dissemination of outputs. Ensure appropriate peer review, research ethics, data integrity, reproducibility, and responsible open science.
• Project Lifecycle Management: Lead, coordinate, and contribute to the development of competitive proposals, including scientific donor engagement. Oversee project execution, contributing to oversight of donor reporting and sound fiscal management. Support the SAS Director in program-wide planning, budgeting, and compliance. Monitor portfolio commitments, staff capacity, and budget performance with project leaders, Program Managers, and Finance; recommend corrective action and identify funding and cost recovery gaps.
• Talent: Contribute to the recruitment, development, and mentoring of transdisciplinary teams, building a high-performance culture that supports scientific excellence, scientific equity, and professional growth. Set clear objectives and provide performance feedback for direct reports; develop succession plans and future scientific leaders.
• Partnerships and Influence: Build collaborations with national agricultural research systems, universities, the private sector, and international centers. Represent CIMMYT's research at international forums and promote its scientific outputs.
• Interface with CIMMYT Systems Development Actions: Co-manage the handover of validated innovations to the Systems Development and Scaling APD, agreeing on readiness criteria and feedback loops. Key outputs include an annual Discovery workplan and budget, a research portfolio with milestones and indicators, peer-reviewed publications and open datasets, funded proposals, donor reports, and a pipeline of innovations rated for scaling readiness.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a PhD in crop science, agronomy, soil science, agroecology, environmental or climate science, agricultural or development economics, sustainable development, or a related field. Additionally, at least 10 years of distinguished research leadership experience in an international research organization, academia, or industry is required, including leading multidisciplinary teams. Proven interdisciplinary science leadership that bridges biological, environmental, economic, policy, and systems perspectives is essential, along with a strong record of peer-reviewed publications and scientific contributions relevant to sustainable agrifood systems. Evidence of developing scientific talent is also necessary. Candidates should demonstrate success in securing funding and managing large research budgets and multi-partner projects, as well as possess strong international and developing-country experience, with a commitment to security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security through systems approaches. Expertise in managing research within international legal frameworks and intellectual property agreements is required, along with exceptional relationship-management, communication, and advocacy skills. A results-driven, agile, collaborative, and humble leadership style is also expected.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a PhD in relevant fields such as crop science, agronomy, soil science, agroecology, environmental or climate science, agricultural or development economics, sustainable development, or a related discipline. This advanced degree is essential for understanding the complexities of agrifood systems and leading innovative research initiatives.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 10 years of distinguished research leadership experience in an international research organization, academia, or industry. Candidates should have a proven track record of leading multidisciplinary teams and managing large research budgets and multi-partner projects. Strong international and developing-country experience is also necessary, along with a commitment to food security through systems approaches.

Languages:
While the job description does not specify mandatory languages, proficiency in English is likely essential given the international nature of the organization. Additional languages relevant to the regions of operation, such as Spanish or French, may be advantageous and considered a plus for candidates.

Additional Notes:
The position is initially fixed-term for three (3) years, with the possibility of extension subject to performance and the continued availability of funds. CIMMYT offers an internationally competitive salary and benefits package, which includes a housing allowance, car, comprehensive health and life insurance, assistance for children’s education, paid vacation, annual home travel airfare, contributions to a retirement plan, and generous assistance with relocation shipment. Candidates must apply online, and applications should include a CV with contact details of three work-related references, along with a cover letter. Incomplete applications will not be considered, and only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Internal applications may be considered in line with internal eligibility guidance. CIMMYT is an equal opportunity employer that fosters a multicultural work environment valuing gender equality, teamwork, and respect for diversity, encouraging women to apply.