Oversee and execute essential duties, including ensuring compliance with organizational policies while maintaining high standards of performance. Lead and support cross-functional teams to achieve key objectives, fostering collaboration and driving efficiency in daily operations. Develop and implement strategic initiatives to enhance productivity, streamline workflows, and support long-term business growth. Conduct thorough assessments to identify areas for improvement, proposing actionable solutions to optimize processes and resource allocation. Serve as a pivotal point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, facilitating clear communication and alignment with company goals.
The successful candidate will drive the evolution of local innovation ecosystems into dynamic knowledge hubs, engaging closely with youth, private sector representatives, governmental bodies, policymakers, and strategic partners to foster collaborative growth.
Digital and AI-enabled innovations are transforming smallholder systems, enhancing productivity, sustainability, and resilience in agricultural practices. These advancements leverage cutting-edge technologies such as machine learning, data analytics, and automation to optimize resource allocation, improve decision-making, and mitigate risks for small-scale farmers. Key requirements include proficiency in AI tools, data management, and hi-tech solutions, along with a strong understanding of agricultural challenges faced by smallholder communities. Responsibilities involve designing and implementing AI-driven solutions, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring scalable and inclusive deployment to maximize impact on farming communities.
Drive collaborative socio-ecological systems co-design and co-engineering efforts through the integration of precision agriculture, digital solutions, and AI-enabled innovations, engaging smallholder farmers, pastoralists, youth organizations, extension services, government agencies, and private sector partners.
Promote the responsible, inclusive, and ethical deployment of data, AI, and automation while fostering gender equity, youth participation, data sovereignty, and environmental sustainability.
Design and implement cutting-edge solutions leveraging remote sensing, IoT, edge computing, machine learning, and decision-support systems, specifically optimized for farming environments with limited connectivity and constrained resources.
Develop and strengthen collaborations between public and private sectors, digital public infrastructure, and institutional advancements to facilitate sustainable and equitable value generation through digital and AI technologies.
Design, develop, and continuously enhance digital platforms—such as climate information systems, credit and insurance solutions, and market-input-value chain integration tools—that deliver integrated technical and market-based interventions. These services are designed to mitigate risks in agriculture and pastoral systems while fostering dignified, meaningful employment opportunities for young people.
Enhance the strategic importance of digital public infrastructure, open science, accessible data, and collaborative pre-competitive initiatives in advancing agricultural development globally, with a particular emphasis on bolstering support for smallholder-oriented contractual farming systems.
Research dissemination and knowledge sharing involve effectively communicating findings to relevant stakeholders, ensuring accessibility and impact. This includes preparing reports, presentations, and articles tailored to diverse audiences, as well as leveraging digital platforms and social media to maximize reach. Collaboration with cross-functional teams, such as communications and marketing, is essential to align messaging and enhance engagement. Additionally, tracking metrics and gathering feedback help refine strategies to improve future dissemination efforts. Strong writing, analytical, and interpersonal skills are required to convey complex information clearly and persuasively.
Publish scientific papers in respected academic journals to enhance INRI’s knowledge base on digital innovation and machine-augmented intelligence in agriculture and livestock.
At conferences, workshops, and training sessions, you will represent INRI to disseminate research findings, champion its mission, and solidify its standing as a leading authority in the field.
Craft compelling blogs, communication materials, and policy briefs that advocate for the ethical and responsible advancement of digital innovations and machine-augmented intelligence.
Skilled at cultivating and sustaining strategic alliances to drive mutual growth and innovation is essential. Experience in negotiating and structuring partnerships that align with business objectives while leveraging shared resources is required. Demonstrated ability to identify high-potential collaborators, assess partnership feasibility, and execute agreements that create value for all parties is necessary. Responsibilities include managing ongoing relationships, ensuring compliance with partnership terms, and measuring success through predefined KPIs to optimize future collaborations. Strong interpersonal skills, strategic thinking, and a results-oriented mindset are critical for success in this role.
Forge strategic collaborations with adtech and fintech firms, youth organizations, financial and academic institutions, mobile network operators, policymakers, fellow CGIAR centers, NGOs, and investors to design, develop, and deploy digital innovations and machine-augmented intelligence solutions tailored for smallholder agriculture and livestock systems.
Harness strategic partnerships spanning South-South and North-South collaborations, while cultivating robust connections with esteemed institutions to deploy artificial intelligence’s transformative potential in addressing persistent development obstacles within intricate smallholder systems.
Act as a knowledge intermediary, fostering essential connections and facilitating strategic partnerships within the innovation ecosystem.
We spearhead or assist in initiatives pertaining to the formulation of project plans, cost analyses, business cases, and other documentation aimed at enhancing the development, improvement, and upkeep of new digital tools.
You will play a key role in advancing INRI and CGIAR objectives by securing funding for initiatives focused on precision agriculture, digital innovations, and machine-augmented intelligence, with a strong emphasis on attracting private capital investments.
We are seeking to enhance organizational capabilities and foster leadership development through structured capacity-building initiatives and mentorship programs. This involves designing and implementing strategies to strengthen skills, competencies, and performance among team members, as well as pairing less experienced employees with seasoned professionals for guided growth and knowledge transfer.
In collaboration with diverse stakeholders, devise and implement training and capacity-building initiatives aimed at enhancing the development and maintenance of digital platforms in designated countries.
We provide guidance and support to PhD and M.Sc. students, overseeing their research progress in pertinent subject areas.
Provide guidance and assistance to research technicians engaged in collecting field data, analyzing results, and sharing findings with stakeholders.
As a candidate for this role, you will possess a minimum of five years of relevant experience in a comparable position and hold a bachelor’s degree in a related field. Proficiency in industry-standard software and tools, along with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, is essential. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, coupled with the capacity to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment, are required. Demonstrated leadership qualities and a track record of meeting deadlines are additional prerequisites.
A PhD in agriculture, environmental sciences, computer science, or geospatial sciences, complemented by more than seven years of hands-on experience in technical project and program management, as well as leadership in developing solution architectures for large-scale, distributed systems.
Experience in technical management positions is preferred, alongside a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
Demonstrates a strong track record in designing, developing, and implementing digital innovations and machine-augmented intelligence solutions tailored for crop-livestock and pastoral systems. Familiarity with Generative AI and computational social sciences is considered beneficial.
Demonstrated expertise in authoring and disseminating scientific publications, alongside developing and presenting materials for conferences, workshops, and stakeholder interactions.
Skilled in developing communication materials—including research briefs and policy analyses—that assess both the opportunities and challenges arising from the digital transformation of agriculture and livestock systems.
Proven expertise in grant and proposal writing, donor and stakeholder engagement, and resource mobilization, all aimed at advancing INRI’s strategic objectives.
Skilled in effectively collaborating with and presenting findings to cross-disciplinary research teams, including experts in climate science, livestock productivity, crop and soil management, socioeconomic, and gender studies.
With a proven track record in mentoring, you will provide guidance to both students and research technicians overseeing their contributions to data collection, field studies, and analytical processes.
Proven expertise in resource-constrained, smallholder agricultural systems across developing nations, especially in semi-arid and tropical environments, with an emphasis on climate adaptation and resilience-building strategies.
Seeking candidates with prior professional experience in Africa and/or Asia, along with a proven comprehension of the agricultural and environmental landscapes in these regions.
Demonstrated experience in actively collaborating with or previously working in private sector organizations, along with a solid grasp of their business models and operational approaches, is highly advantageous.
Fluent in both English and French, with proficiency in additional African languages considered advantageous.
Qualifications
PhD/Fellowship
Experience Required
7 years
