(RFP 301481) Research Specialist-Scientific & Donor Relationships Coordinator

The Organization  

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) deliver 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. 

The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future. 

About the position 

The Research Specialist-Scientific & Donor Relationships Coordinator will provide overall scientific and technical leadership to the Land-Use Monitoring component, ensuring the quality, credibility, and timeliness of monitoring frameworks, technical assessments, and deliverables. Given the central role of Italian institutional and donor engagement in the project, the position will also serve as the project's Donor Relationships Coordinator, ensuring effective communication, compliance, and reporting vis-à-vis AICS and the Italian Cooperation system, and supporting the broader institutional relations function across government, community, and private sector stakeholders.

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, in partnership with the Botanic Garden – Museum Network of Sapienza University of Rome, is implementing the project “Restoring the Biodiversity of Degraded Ecosystems and Reducing Deforestation in the Northwestern and Copperbelt Regions along the Lobito Corridor, while Promoting Sustainable Development”, funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) under the Partnership Arrangement for AID 013387/01/0. The 36-month initiative (September 2026 – September 2029) works in Zambia's Northwestern and Copperbelt Provinces to restore degraded Miombo woodland landscapes, strengthen institutional and community capacity for land and forest monitoring, and promote sustainable, gender-equitable livelihoods, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment (MoGEE), the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), and other national and provincial partners.

Component 1 focuses on strengthening monitoring and reporting capacities for sustainable land and forest management, including institutional and community-based monitoring systems, a geo-platform integrating satellite and community-sourced data, and capacity building for government, community, and forest ranger stakeholders. Component 1 is technically led by the Botanic Garden – Museum Network, Sapienza University of Rome, working in close coordination with the project's Alliance-hosted Project Management Unit (PMU).

The position will be based in Lusaka, Zambia, with regular travel to project sites in the Northwestern and Copperbelt Provinces and missions to Rome, Italy

Key Responsibilities 

 Scientific Coordination Component 1

• Lead the overall scientific strategy and technical design of forest restoration, land monitoring, and biodiversity conservation activities.
  
• Establish scientific methodologies and monitoring frameworks to assess landscape health, biodiversity recovery, and deforestation rates.
  
• Supervise technical assessments on soil quality, vegetation cover, and ecosystem health in mining-affected zones.
  
• Draft, review, and ensure the quality of scientific reports, technical briefs, and project deliverables submitted to donor agencies and partners.
  
• Lead the design and technical development of the project's geo-platform, monitoring indicators, and data-quality protocols under Component 1, in coordination with the MRV and Land-Use-Change Experts.
  
• Ensure that Component 1 monitoring tools and outputs are designed as decision-support instruments that feed into district and national planning processes and Components 2–4.
  

Donor Relationships & Financial/Technical Narrative Reporting

• Serve as the project's liaison officer for contacts with AICS and the Italian Embassy in Lusaka and Rome on matters relating to overall project scientific quality, in close coordination with the Principal Investigator and Project Manager.
  
• Ensure project implementation and reporting comply with the provisions of the Partnership Arrangement for AID 013387/01/0 and applicable AICS guidelines and procedures.
  
• Preparation and consolidation of quarterly and annual technical and financial reports to AICS, in line with agreed templates, formats, and deadlines, and in coordination with the PI, project coordinator, Alliance’s finance team and
  
• Support instalment requests, budget realignments, and no-cost extension processes with AICS, as required.
  
• Ensure donor visibility requirements are respected across project communications, publications, and events.
  
• Support the organization of, and reporting to, the Project Steering Committee (PSC), including preparation of technical materials for AICS and Embassy representatives.
  

Institutional Relations & Stakeholder Engagement

• Maintain strategic alignment and ongoing communication with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and relevant Italian diplomatic missions.
  
• Facilitate inter-institutional working groups and multi-stakeholder dialogues to ensure policy integration, local ownership, and long-term sustainability.
  
• Support the development of fund-raising efforts in Africa, including the development of project proposals.
  

Programmatic & Operational Support

• Provide scientific guidance for field team activities on component 1 across the Northwestern and Copperbelt provinces.
  
• Implement technical and filed work activities as agreed with supervisor.
  
• Oversee the technical integration of community-led land management plans with national policy frameworks.
  
• Help organize technical workshops, capacity-building seminars, and stakeholder consultation meetings.
  
• Contribute to the preparation of Annual Operating Plans and budget estimates, in coordination with the PMU and the M&E Focal Point.
  
• Participate actively in PMU coordination meetings, prepare meetings minutes and contribute to overall project risk management and adaptive management processes.
  
  

Requirements

Qualifications and requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. degree in Forestry, Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management, Ecology, Conservation Biology, or a related discipline.
  
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience managing technical, scientific, or research-driven projects in environmental management, biodiversity conservation, forestry, or land restoration.
  
• Proven experience in field-based ecosystem monitoring and hands-on coordination of scientific field teams.
  
• Proven track record of high-level engagement with international development agencies.
  
• Direct experience working on donor-funded international development programs (experience with AICS procedures and guidelines is highly advantageous).
  
• Field experience in Sub-Saharan Africa, specifically in Southern Africa, is required.
  
• Prior experience liaising with or reporting to institutional donors on financial and narrative reporting matters is an asset.
  
• In-depth understanding of land degradation assessment, sustainable forest management, and biodiversity conservation.
  
• Knowledge of African context and in particular of Zambian environmental legislation, forestry policies, and local governance structures is advantageous.
  
• Practical knowledge and applied experience in Remote Sensing, GIS applications, and Earth Observation tools for environmental monitoring and landscape health assessment.
  
• Proven track record of technical and scientific production, including a demonstrated ability to author, review, and publish scientific articles, research papers and technical reports.
  
• Familiarity with donor compliance frameworks and financial/narrative reporting cycles for institutional development cooperation programs is an asset.
  

Languages & Communication

• English: Professional fluency required (written and spoken).
  
• Italian: Professional proficiency required (to facilitate seamless coordination with AICS and donor stakeholders).
  
• Spanish: Beneficial
  

Competences 

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a team with people in a multi-cultural and multidisciplinary environment, including with external stakeholders.
  
• Flexibility and adaptability to change.
  
• Organization and planning skills
  
• Effective communication skills
  
• Attention to detail.
  
  

Benefits

Terms of employment  

This is an Internationally recruited position based in Lusaka, Zambia. The initial contract will be for one year, subject to a probation period of three months and is renewable depending on performance and availability of resources.

The position is placed at BG08, in a scale of 14 levels, with level 14 being the highest. The Alliance of Bioversity International - CIAT offers a multicultural and academic research environment, with competitive salaries and excellent benefits.

We are an institution that believes diversity contributes to excellence, advocates for equal employment opportunities, and therefore does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, identity, sexual orientation, nationality, ethnicity, age, marital status, or any other personal characteristic of its employees or candidates for a position.

Applications

Applicants are invited to visit https://alliancebioversityciat.org/careers to get full details of the position and to submit their applications. Applications MUST include reference number (RFP301481) – Research Specialist the position applied for. Cover letter and CV should be saved as one document using the candidate’s last name, first name for ease of sorting. The Alliance collects and process personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

Applications closing date: 18th November 2026

Please note that email applications will not be considered.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

We invite you to learn more about us at:

http://alliancebioversityciat.org