Reports to: Chief of Party & Country Manager (COP)

Location: Uzbekistan

Main purpose of position

The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking a dynamic Operations Supervisor to provide managerial and technical support to the Chief of Party & Country Manager (COP) in overall project management activities in alignment with the approved Annual Implementation and performance plan.

The incumbent will work under the overall guidance of CIP but will be employed directly by CIP’s organizational host, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Area (ICARDA).

The employer of record will be ICARDA and employment policies, compensation, and benefits of ICARDA will apply to this position.

About ICARDA

The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is a treaty-based international non-profit research organization supported by CGIAR. ICARDA’s mission is to reduce poverty, enhance food, water, and nutritional security, as well as environmental health in the face of global challenges including climate change. We do this through innovative science, strategic partnerships, linking research to development and capacity development that take into account gender equality and the role of youth in transforming the dry areas. ICARDA works in partnership with governments, universities, civil society, national agricultural research organization, other CGIAR Research Centers, and the private sector. With its Headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, ICARDA operates in regional and country offices across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. For more information: www.icarda.org

About CIP

The International Potato Center (CIP) was founded in 1971 as a research-for-development organization with a focus on potato, sweetpotato and Andean roots and tubers. It delivers innovative science-based solutions to enhance access to affordable nutritious food, foster inclusive sustainable business and employment growth, and drive the climate resilience of root and tuber agri-food systems. Headquartered in Lima, Peru, CIP has a research presence in more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

CIP is a CGIAR research center, a global research partnership for a food-secure future. For more information: www.cgiar.org

All CGIAR Centers are currently engaged into a reform process (“One CGIAR’”) that will help ICARDA and CGIAR achieve better impact through more strategically integrated research, unified governance, an integrated structure, and new research modalities across participating Research Centers. This transformation is supported by CGIAR donors who have committed to increased funding as a result of these reforms.

Main responsibilities

Project Management

• Support the COP with the design, implementation, and monitoring of project implementation, while ensuring progress against approved workplans, and delivery and responsiveness to communities and partners, in alignment with CIP principles, values, policies and procedures.
• Oversee the technical implementation and monitoring of field activities, as required.
• Support the COP in the identification of project implementation risks, obstacles, and potential changes to approved workplan and budget. As appropriate, support the formalization of changes in coordination with the Project Management Unit (PMU) and through the Grants and Contracts unit.
• Facilitate coordination between CIP project staff and project partners and monitor project partner activities and reporting.
• Timely identification of procurement needs to enable adequate procurement processes in accordance with CIP policies.
• Support the COP in coordinating with PMU, Project, Budget, and Compliance (PBC) and local finance and administration staff to ensure operational systems are in place to support field activities.

Staff Management, Professional Development and Team Building

• Support office work atmosphere conducive to professional growth and development of professional skills at all levels.
• Support the COP in working with People and Organizational Development (POD) in HQ to ensure that all staff members are effectively using the performance planning and management system.
• Support POD with project team-building efforts and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.

Communications with HQ

• Support the COP in enabling fluid communications between project operations and HQ.
• Support the COP with timely and responsive updates and communications with donor, partners, and stakeholder

Requirements

Education, qualifications, and experience

Essential qualifications and competencies

• Master’s degree in Agronomy, biology, plant sciences or related field
• Strong experience of at least 4-7 years in project implementation, preferably within a challenging international development context.
• Proven skill in recruiting, developing, and leading teams, especially multiple partners in consortium and culturally diverse teams, including the private sector.
• Good to excellent knowledge in Agriculture management; preference (bonus) vegetable propagable crops.
• Experience with agricultural marketing and/or food security issues an advantage
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format
• Strong communication, conflict resolution and interpersonal skills.
• Advanced level of MS Office
• Advanced knowledge of database work
• Advanced written and oral communication skills in English
• Willingness to travel frequently and work under field conditions.

Benefits

Terms of appointment, salary, and benefits

This is a nationally recruited position for which ICARDA offers an attractive compensation package including a competitive salary, medical insurance, 30 days of annual leave, five months’ maternity leave, 15 days’ paternity leave. The successful candidate will be offered an initial contract of 1 year, renewable subject to continued need for the position and satisfactory performance. The first six months will be a probationary period.

ICARDA is committed to increasing women representation in its workforce and strongly encourages applications from women.

All applications will be acknowledged, but only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.