Position Title: Global Research Theme Leader – Resilient Livestock, Rangelands and Agrosilvopastoral Systems
(Leader, Strategic Research Priority 3: Create Resilient Livestock and Rangeland Systems for Livelihoods and Environmental Health)
Reports to: Deputy Director General – Research
Location: Rabat, Morocco, preferred; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia may be considered, with frequent international travel across ICARDA’s global portfolio
Purpose of the position
For more than four decades, ICARDA has worked on small ruminants, animal genetic resources, forages, rangelands and pastoral systems in the world's drylands. We are looking for a scientist to lead this work into its next phase. That means connecting breeding, animal health, forage and rangeland science with climate adaptation, restoration, markets and policy, and showing measurable results for pastoralists and farmers.
The selected candidate will lead SRP3, one of the four priorities of ICARDA's 2030 Research and Innovation Strategy, and sit on the Center's Research Leadership Team. You will be accountable not only for the scientific performance of the portfolio, but also for its strategic coherence, institutional positioning, growth, visibility and contribution to ICARDA’s overall research agenda. The selected candidate doesn’t need to be an expert in every discipline the portfolio covers. He/she do need to know where the strongest science is and bring the right partners in. Also need to make sure what you deliver works in dryland conditions, at a cost people can afford.
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 temporary Headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, ICARDA operates in regional and country offices across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. For more information: .
Main responsibilities
· Set the scientific and strategic direction for SRP3 and translate the ICARDA 2030 Strategy into a coherent, internationally competitive portfolio with clear scientific, development, environmental and policy outcomes, while strengthening SRP3’s contribution to ICARDA’s overall institutional strategy.
· Run the portfolio well: scientific quality, budgets, staff, monitoring and learning, changing course when the evidence says so.
· Convene and build integrated research that links livestock and rangelands with crops, water, soils, biodiversity, landscapes, markets and livelihoods, working across ICARDA’s research priorities to develop system-level solutions rather than parallel disciplinary activities.
· Identify, access, adapt and deploy advances from leading partner institutions and translate them into practical solutions for smallholder, pastoral and agropastoral systems. Examples include genomics, digital phenotyping, precision livestock tools, remote sensing, AI and climate modelling. Partners include universities, CGIAR Centers, advanced research institutes and technology companies.
· Represent ICARDA internationally and help shape global research and policy agendas on resilient livestock systems, rangelands, pastoralism, climate adaptation, biodiversity and dryland transformation, while building high-value strategic alliances with:
1. national research systems
2. FAO, IFAD and UNEP
3. development banks and foundations
4. climate-finance bodies
5. the private sector and producer organizations
· Build a financially sustainable and investable SRP3 portfolio by designing major multi-country initiatives and mobilizing significant funding from bilateral and multilateral partners, philanthropic organizations, development banks, climate and biodiversity finance mechanisms and the private sector.
· Lead, inspire and develop a geographically distributed multidisciplinary team. Recruit outstanding talent, mentor emerging scientific leaders, strengthen succession and career development, and establish clear standards of scientific quality, collaboration, accountability and delivery.