Head of Partnerships and Communications

We are seeking a dynamic professional to lead our Partnerships and Communications efforts. This is a senior position that leads a large team of people focusing on Resource Mobilization, Contracts Management and External Communications. Our global research contributes to several of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and cuts across four key themes: big data, climate-smart agriculture, ecosystem action, and sustainable food systems. The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (www.ciat.cgiar.org) works in collaboration with hundreds of partners to help developing countries make farming more competitive, profitable, and resilient through smarter, more sustainable natural resource management. We help policymakers, scientists, and farmers respond to some of the most pressing challenges of our time, including food insecurity and malnutrition, climate-smart agriculture, ecosystem action, big data and sustainable food systems. CIAT global team includes 400+ professionals (250 agricultural researchers) based in three major hubs: Hanoi, Nairobi and Cali. A key position

As a member of the Senior Management Team and reporting to the Director General, the Head of Partnerships and Communications works in the intersection between science and business for the improvement of food and nutrition security, and the livelihoods of people across the world. Leading CIAT’s responsibility to donors and investors for the advancement agricultural research for development impact, the Partnerships and Communications team seeks to increase collaborations with governments, foundations, civil society organizations and the business community to scale impact.

Fundamental functions of the position include:

 Oversee, update and implement the institution’s fund raising strategy

 Cultivate, develop and implement strategic partnerships and donor agreements

 Oversee the development and management of contracts with partners

 Develop and implement an external communication strategy

Skills required

 Master Degree in Economics, International development, Business, Communications, Agriculture or related fields

 Ten years of demonstrable international experience on related positions with a track record in negotiating and securing major grants through work that brings together proposal development teams, staff, and volunteers

 Full English proficiency and Spanish ( at least basic )

 Willing to travel

Leadership Competencies

 Strong relationship, business, and project management skills

 Exceptional strategic planning abilities, attention to detail and delivery

 Excellent communications skills, oral and written

 Risk based decision making towards value-added results

 Team and people development

Terms of employment

The position is internationally recruited and based at CIAT Headquarters in Cali, Colombia. The initial contract will be for three (3) years, subject to a probation period of six (6) months, and is renewable depending on performance and availability of resources. CIAT offers a multicultural, collegial research environment with competitive salary and excellent benefits; we believe that the diversity of our staff contributes to excellence. CIAT is an equal opportunity employer, and strives for staff diversity in gender and nationality.

Applicants are invited to send a cover letter illustrating their suitability for the above position against the listed qualifications, competencies, skills together with a detailed curriculum vitae, including names and addresses of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. All correspondence should be addressed to Natasha Marulanda (n.marulanda@cgiar.org) and should clearly indicate "Head of Partnership and Communication".

We invite you to learn more about us at: http://www.ciat.cgiar.org