Regional Researcher - Innovation Scaling and Partnership
The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center is seeking a scaling expert to join its office in Accra, Ghana as a Regional Researcher - Innovation Scaling and Partnership.
This is a regionally recruited position; therefore, individuals with experience in the African region and relevant abilities, from diverse locations around the world are encouraged to apply.
Innovation scaling research and its application in the agricultural sector have been an emerging area within the CGIAR, gaining vast interest from donors, International Financing Institutions, and other investors. Over the past seven years, IWMI, throughout its portfolio, has been developing suitable approaches and processes to accelerate the scaling of water innovations across the agricultural, energy, and environmental sectors. These projects use action research approaches and mixed and interdisciplinary methods while strengthening scaling partnerships, enhancing public and private institutional and individual capacity, and fostering multi-stakeholder dialogue and learning.
The Regional Researcher - Innovation Scaling and Partnership will be accountable for leading adaptive innovation scaling research of water solutions across the food, energy, environment, and climate sectors, mobilizing public and private sector investments and interventions to support food, land, and water transformation in Africa.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead action research on innovation scaling across the food-water-environment and energy sectors in different geographies and market systems.
- Design conceptual frameworks that allow for the co-design, implementation, and monitoring of scaling activities and processes with public and private sector actors.
- Design innovative methods to be used to assess and develop incentives for private and public sector actors to align roles and responsibilities and facilitate collective action.
- Lead, coordinate, and implement innovation scaling research projects/components/activities with partners across Africa.
- Use innovative methods to collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative datasets relevant to systems science and innovation scaling research.
- Monitor and evaluate the sustainability and equitability of scaling pathways and partnerships.
- Communicate research findings to scientific (e.g., journal publications, technical reports) and non-scientific audiences (blogs, policy briefs).
- Contribute to expanding IWMI’s innovation scaling research portfolio with partners.
- Explore and facilitate partnerships for accelerating public and private investments and interventions in scalable innovation (bundles).
- Build and maintain innovation scaling dialogues/platforms with national and regional stakeholders and research partners, including the private sector.
- Develop and manage sub-agreements with partners and work closely with IWMI’s HR, Finance, and project management units.
Requirements
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:
Essential,
- PhD degree in human geography, political science, sociology, development economics, business, or a closely related field relevant to water resources management, agricultural development, and agricultural innovation systems and scaling, coupled with 3 years of relevant post-doctoral experience OR;
- Master's degree in the aforementioned fields coupled with a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience.
- Demonstrated experience in scaling agricultural innovation, value chain development, financial ecosystem, or agriculture market systems.
- Proven track record in effectively combining qualitative and quantitative methods to design and conduct research in a range of areas, such as,
- agricultural value chain analysis and market study,
- innovation scaling partnership, pathway, and process,
- gender and social inclusion in value chain and innovation scaling
- business model and financial modality
- enabling environments
innovation systems
Experience in advising and engaging with the private sector, governments, and individuals on the topics of agricultural development intervention, innovations, and businesses.
- Proven track record of leading successful grant applications
- Experience in developing scientific and non-scientific knowledge products (papers, reports, blogs, etc.) and outreach (workshops, multi-stakeholder platforms)
Desirable,
- Experience conducting research with private sector actors and agricultural financial investors.
- Experience in managing research for development projects with multiple partners in complex political and social environments.
- Experience in qualitative data analysis and using analytical software, such as NVivo or Atlas.
- Experience in raising funds and interacting with international partners and the donor community.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:
Essential,
- Excellent in applying technical, economic, institutional, and innovation system theories.
- Strong ability to develop and use analytical frameworks to design and analyze innovation scaling from a systemic perspective.
- Ability to facilitate and maintain strong multi-stakeholder partnerships, dialogues, and platforms in agricultural water management, agri-business, and finance.
- Ability to effectively establish priorities and plan, organize, implement, and monitor work activities with limited supervision.
- Ability to work collaboratively and effectively with academic and non-academic stakeholders, and work in a multidisciplinary, multi-institutional, and multicultural environment.
- Highly motivated with a strong proactive drive for results and responsiveness, taking personal ownership and accountability to meet deadlines.
- Effective listening, excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, with the ability to explain complex issues clearly.
Desirable,
- Prior knowledge of water management, agriculture, or climate change with international organizations is preferred.
- A deep understanding of challenges and opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa and other low-income countries and emerging economies relating to water, land, and agricultural development and innovation scaling for transforming food and water systems.
- Fluent written and verbal communication skills in French are beneficial.
Benefits
This is a regionally recruited position with a competitive salary, an attractive retirement plan, comprehensive international health insurance, life insurance accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, and long-term disability coverage. Regionally recruited staff who are employed at a duty station outside of their home base/country of nationality will also receive relocation assistance, a housing allowance, home-leave plane tickets for self and eligible dependents and education assistance for eligible dependents. The duration of the contract will initially be for a period of three years.
HOW TO APPLY: Apply for the position by following the application instructions at www.iwmi.org/jobs. We will be accepting applications through 24:00 (IST) on August 18, 2024 (applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis). Your application must include a CV, cover letter, and three (3) references, which may be contacted if you are shortlisted. Receipt of all applications will be acknowledged, but only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
IWMI believes that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. We offer a multi-cultural, multi-color, multi-generational and multi-disciplinary working environment. We are consciously creating an inclusive organization that reflects our global character and our commitment to gender equity. We, therefore, encourage applicants from all cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, and gender identities.
Added 6 hours ago
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Updated 6 hours ago
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Source:
cgiar.org
