icipe Director of Research and Partnerships Job in Nairobi Kenya

icipe, African Insect Science for Food and Health is an intergovernmental organisation funded by governmental aid agencies, UN organisations and private foundations to carry out research and training in environmentally sound and sustainable management of arthropods for improving health and agricultural productivity in the tropics.

icipe has 400 staff to support its research and capacity building programmes located at various sites in Kenya and Ethiopia.

icipe wishes to urgently recruit a suitable person to fill the position ofDirector of Research and Partnerships. 

Ref. No. IRS/55/042014

This is an international appointment.

The position is tenable in Nairobi, Kenya at the icipe Duduville campus. 

This is a three-year contract, with a possibility of extension after successfully completing a six-month probation period of the first contract. 

An attractive and competitive compensation package, which includes housing allowance, transport allowance, education allowances, medical insurance, an offshore retirement package, all payable in US Dollars, will be offered to the right candidate.
 

Scope: The Director of Research and Partnerships (DRP) provides intellectual and strategic scientific leadership to the Centre. 

Together with the Director General and other senior members of the Centre, the DRP works to facilitate research excellence while enabling management processes and systems best suited for a vibrant and effective research environment.
 

Overall purpose of the job: Reporting to the Director General (DG), he/she is one of icipe’s three senior managers and acts as the DG in the latter’s absence. He/she is expected to provide leadership, guidance, co-ordination and a new partnership paradigm to research divisions and departments.

Specific Duties:

• Develop strategies for and management of icipe’s R&D and capacity building programmes;
• Provide scientific leadership and planning to implement and monitor a coherent research agenda consistent with the Centre’s vision and strategy;
• Supervise the Centre’s senior scientists;
• Take the lead in monitoring the quality and relevance of science at icipe;
• Spearhead discussions on icipe’s key foci of upstream and downstream research and oversee the development of a strategic framework that can guide the Centre’s research, capacity building and resource mobilisation activities;
• Develop and oversee mechanisms for evaluating the potential of research products for intellectual property rights (IPR) protection and/or commercial development, and facilitate the evolution of relevant partnerships with the private sector within icipe’s techno-park;
• Take the lead in forging of partnerships and cooperation with international, regional and national institutions, including host country institutions and the private sector;
• Contribute significantly to resource mobilisation, including building good donor relations, identifying funding needs and gaps and supervising the development of project proposals;
• Prepare programme report to the icipe Governing Council; and
• Provide support to the Director General.

Requirements/Qualifications:

• PhD in agricultural/health/environmental or related sciences, preferably with expertise in human or animal health;
• At least 10 years of experience in areas directly relevant to agricultural/health/environmental or related sciences such as animal or human health, and administrative responsibilities at a senior level;
• Excellent scientific credentials, including a substantive history of scientific publication in peer-reviewed journals;
• Strong research management skills;
• Ability to mobilise resources, and foster and manage interdisciplinary and multi-cultural research teams;
• Experience in managing research in organisations going through key transition and restructuring;
• Excellent command of the English language, both written and verbal;
• Strong oral communication skills, including Microsoft PowerPoint presentation skills; and
• Willingness to do extensive travelling to other countries and regions.

Disposition: Excellent interpersonal skills required, including ability to interact effectively with staff at all levels as well as colleagues; donors and funders, IGO, NGO, UN Agency personnel; and individuals with diversified backgrounds and nationalities.
 

Supervision: This position supervises Principal Scientists and Senior Scientists. The selected candidate should be available to start as soon as possible.

How to Apply 

The position is available immediately. 

All applications must arrive via email on or before the 20th of May 2014. 

Please quote the job reference number IRS/55/042014 on the email subject line. 

Interested applicants should submit: 

(a) a confidential cover letter, 

(b) detailed CV with names and addresses of 3 referees (including e-mail addresses, fax numbers), and 

(c) a one-page write-up on how you consider yourself suitable for the job, 

to: drp.applications@icipe.org

icipe is an equal opportunity employer and women are particularly encouraged to apply