Job Description
ASSOCIATE OFFICER-SCIENCE ENGAGEMENT & RESOURCE MOBILIZATION-
(EXTERNAL CALL )
THE ORGANIZATION
The Alliance of Bioversity
International (www.bioversityinternational.org) and the International Center for Tropical
Agriculture (CIAT) (www.ciat.cgiar.org) delivers research-based solutions that harness
agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve
people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition,
climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.
With
novel partnerships, the Alliance generates evidence and mainstreams innovations
to transform food systems and landscapes so that they sustain the planet, drive
prosperity, and nourish people in a climate crisis.
The
Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure
future.
About the
position
The Proposal and Pipeline Management
Unit (PPMU), under the Strategic Partnerships, Engagement and Communication
(SPEC) department is seeking an Associate Officer with proven experience in resource
mobilization and proposal development and writing, particularly for large,
complex proposals worth over US$2 million. These positions are integral to the
Resource Mobilization team and will directly support Alliance researchers in
achieving their fundraising objectives.
The Associate
Officer will report directly to
the Manager of PPMU and will be assigned to support up to 3 Research Areas The primary responsibilities include managing
all aspects of the proposal development process on behalf of Researchers, such
as identifying and pursuing high-priority, high-likelihood fundraising
opportunities, coordinating pre-award services from various support units,
ensuring compliance with internal proposal development procedures, and
providing procedural guidance throughout the process.
In this role, the
Associate Officer will handle
all process management, coordination, administration, inter-unit collaboration,
and timeline planning activities related to large, priority proposals. This will
allow the Researchers to focus solely on the scientific content of their
proposals, knowing that all other aspects of proposal preparation are being
expertly managed. In addition, the Associate Officers will support Research
Areas in identifying fundraising needs and provide advice on funding opportunities.
S/He will work closely with all relevant units involved in the Alliance’s
Proposal Development Process (PDP) to ensure seamless and efficient proposal
development.
Main
responsibilities
Proposal
Management and Coordination: Lead the management and coordination of all
aspects of the proposal development process for large, complex proposals (≥US$2
million) on behalf of Researchers. This includes timeline planning, ensuring
adherence to compliance requirements, and managing contributions from various research
areas, support units and stakeholders.Pre-Award
Services and Process Coordination: Act as the central point of contact
for coordinating all pre-award support services involved in proposal
development, ensuring alignment across Finance, Legal, PLANS, the OPD Proposal
Enhancement team, Lever Program Management Officers (PMOs), and Regional
Partnerships Officers. Oversee the end-to-end proposal process by managing
timelines, facilitating the flow of information among stakeholders, and
ensuring that all administrative, financial, and legal requirements are met in
a timely and coordinated manner.Opportunity
Analysis and Decision Support: Provide strategic and procedural guidance
to Researchers by conducting opportunity analysis, helping them make informed
go/no-go decisions regarding funding opportunities. This involves evaluating
the alignment with organizational goals, the likelihood of success, and the
availability of resources.Concept Note and
Proposal Ideation Support: Support researchers in consolidating initial
thoughts and frameworks for concept notes and proposals. Facilitate project
ideation sessions, ensuring scientific ideas are translated into fundable,
donor-aligned narratives from the earliest stages of development.Consortium
Partner Identification and Engagement: Facilitate the
identification and engagement of potential consortium partners. Support
positioning of the Alliance within consortia and ensuring partner roles,
capacities, and commitments are clearly defined in proposals.Resource Mobilization Planning Support:
Support research areas and teams in prioritizing and planning their resource
mobilization initiatives, helping them develop structured annual RM plans
aligned with organizational strategies and donor landscapes. Participating in
their routine planning and review meetings; and supporting in providing the
needed donor intelligence.Learning and Improvement:
Collaborate with the Manager of Proposals and Pipeline Management Unit (PPMU),
PIs, and other contributing scientists to systematize lessons learned from both
successful and unsuccessful proposals, aiming to enhance future proposal
development processes; identify the researchers’ learning needs and jointly
plan the required capacity building sessions.Systems, Processes, and Knowledge Management: Ensure
accurate and timely capturing of funders, pipeline, and proposal data in
institutional systems; Support the effective use of tools, templates, and
dashboards by the scientists to improve quality and consistency in proposal
development. Lead on the development of capacity statements needed to outreach
Funders or to qualify for specific calls.
Engagement
responsibilities
Cross-Functional
Coordination:
Facilitate effective communication and collaboration between PIs, Lever
Directors, and all relevant support units, ensuring alignment throughout the
proposal development process.Stakeholder
Interaction: Engage
with Finance, OPD, Legal, and other key stakeholders to ensure all
administrative, budgetary, and legal aspects are seamlessly integrated into the
proposal preparation and submission process; Coordinate consortium partner interaction
and communication during proposal development.Decision
Support: Provide
opportunity analysis insights to assist PIs in making informed go/no-go
decisions, ensuring that their expressions of interests align with
organizational goals and have a high likelihood of success.
Delivery
responsibilities
Proposal
Drafting and Coordination:
Produce and refine initial drafts of large, complex proposals, ensuring timely
input from all contributors and adherence to submission deadlines.Guidance
Documentation: Develop
and document call guidance notes for high-value funding calls (≥$1 million),
ensuring consistency and alignment with organizational priorities.Process
Management: Oversee the
end-to-end management of proposal timelines and deliverables, ensuring all
steps are completed efficiently and on schedule.Knowledge
material: Lead on the
development of capacity statements in close collaboration with Research Areas
and Teams.Learning
Integration:
Contribute to post-proposal evaluations and integrate lessons learned into
future proposal processes for continuous improvement. Contribute to the
delivery of capacity building and knowledge sharing activities.
Education
qualifications and experience
Education
Master’s
degree in
agricultural, environmental, or biological sciences, international development,
business administration, science communications, or related fields.Fluency
in English at C2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
(CEFR), with proven high-level verbal and written communication skills.Advanced
knowledge of French is desirable.
Experience
At
least 5 years of relevant experience in resource mobilization and
research proposal development, particularly in agriculture, environment, rural
development, and/or natural or social sciences.Proven
experience in
managing the development and writing of large, complex, technical proposals
(≥US$2 million) in collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams in international
settings.Experience
in preparing call analyses, guidance notes, or educational materials to support proposal
development.Demonstrated
ability to work effectively in multi-cultural and interdisciplinary
environments.
Technical
Competencies
Strong
analytical and problem-solving skills: Ability to assess complex proposals and provide
strategic input to enhance success rates.Excellent
organizational skills: Capable of managing multiple priorities and ensuring timely delivery
of high-quality proposals.Attention
to detail: High
standards of accuracy in preparing and reviewing proposal documents.Effective
communication skills: Proficiency in articulating complex ideas clearly in both written
and verbal forms, tailored to diverse audiences including scientists and
funders.Collaboration
and teamwork:
Proven ability to work within multi-disciplinary teams and engage with various
stakeholders across different functions.Autonomy
and initiative:
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, demonstrating a
proactive approach in managing proposal processes.Proficiency
in virtual tools and applications: Advanced skills in using the Microsoft Office suite and other
relevant software for document preparation, communication, and project
management.
Terms of employment
This is a nationally
recruited position based in Nairobi, Kenya. The initial contract will be for up
to one (1) year, subject to a probation period according to local legislation, and is
renewable depending on the performance and availability of resources. This position is at BG08 level, in a scale of 14 levels, with
level 14 being the highest.
The Alliance Bioversity-CIAT offers a multicultural,
collegial research environment with competitive salaries and excellent
benefits. We are an equal opportunity employer and strive for gender,
diversity, and inclusion in our staff, without regard to race, color, religion,
gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age,
disability, marital status, or any other characteristic.