( RFP301502) – PROJECT LEAD , KIGALI, RWANDA

PROJECT LEAD- INTERNAL ADVERT

THE ORGANIZATION

The Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT 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.

The Alliance works with local, national and multinational partners across Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa, and with the public and private sectors. The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future, dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The SERVIR Global Collaborative (SGC) is a global partnership that strengthens resilience through Earth observation information and related technologies and innovations, working with six regional hubs with organizational support from the Spatial Informatics Group – Natural Assets Laboratory (SIG-NAL). The SERVIR East & Southern Africa (ESA) Hub, implemented by the Alliance under a Master Implementation Agreement with SIG-NAL, integrates Earth observation, geospatial AI (GeoAI) and predictive modeling into sub-national decision-support services for food security and agricultural monitoring, water resources and hydrological forecasting, climate services, and disaster risk and early warning. The hub leads the development of GeoAI AgriNexus, the SGC’s food security intelligence platform.

To guide the Hub's strategic development, strengthen regional partnerships and ensure effective delivery of its portfolio, the Alliance is seeking a Project Lead to provide overall strategic and operational leadership. The Project Lead will oversee program performance, partner coordination, resource mobilization and compliance, serving as the primary point of contact for SIG-NAL and leading the Hub's multidisciplinary team.

The position is split 70% leading the hub and 30% leading Alliance projects in Climate Information Services for Agriculture.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership and Program Delivery

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the SERVIR ESA Hub, setting and adapting program priorities, initiatives and approaches in alignment with the SERVIR GeoAI Strategy (2026–2030), the SGC mandate, organizational priorities and stakeholder needs.
  
• Lead the design, coordination and implementation of the Hub's multi-country portfolio across Eastern and Southern Africa, including Kenya, Zambia, Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia, ensuring timely, high-quality delivery within agreed scope, budgets and impact targets.
  
• Oversee needs assessments, service design and the development of the Hub's platforms and products, including GeoAI AgriNexus, working closely with the Science and Data Lead to ensure scientific quality, relevance and responsiveness to user needs.
  

Program Management, Compliance and Team Leadership

• Serve as the primary point of contact for SIG-NAL, overseeing Hub performance, contractual compliance, reporting and coordination with the Prime Consultant.
  
• Lead the preparation and implementation of annual workplans, budgets and staffing plans, ensuring timely submission of annual narrative reports and quarterly progress and financial reports in accordance with FFST and donor requirements.
  
• Oversee monitoring, evaluation and impact reporting across the portfolio, working with relevant colleagues to establish theories of change, performance indicators and mechanisms for tracking results.
  
• Line-manage the Science and Data Lead and all Hub staff supported by the Prime Consultant, including performance management, staff development and team capacity building. Identify technical expertise needs and support capacity development among national and regional partners.
  

Partnerships, Stakeholder Engagement and Resource Mobilization

• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with government agencies, regional and international organizations and implementing partners. Lead institutional engagement, including the negotiation of formal agreements with meteorological, agricultural and environmental agencies, and ensure partner accountability for agreed results and deliverables.
  
• Represent the Hub and the Alliance in national, regional and international forums, promoting the uptake of Hub services and products. Work closely with SIG-NAL and other SERVIR hubs to align priorities, share knowledge and facilitate the replication of successful products and approaches across the network.
  
• Lead resource mobilization and the development of successful funding proposals, expanding the Hub's bilateral funding pipeline and cultivating donor relationships, including opportunities related to climate adaptation and climate finance.
  

Alliance Research and Program Contributions

• Lead the design, coordination and implementation of Alliance projects in Climate Information Services for Agriculture, including serving as Principal Investigator where relevant.
  
• Contribute to scientific and knowledge outputs, including datasets, data papers and technical reports, supporting the Hub, the Alliance and the CGIAR Climate Action Program.
  
• Perform other duties as required.
  

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• PhD, or a Master's degree with equivalent professional experience, in Earth science, geospatial science or a related field.
  
• A minimum of eight years of relevant professional experience, including program or portfolio management and coordination of multi-partner, multi-country initiatives.
  
• Demonstrated knowledge of the SERVIR model and program, including its Earth observation, geospatial technologies and decision-support service approach.
  
• Proven experience working with and collaboration network with national, regional and international space and Earth observation agencies, including established institutional relationships and collaborative networks.
  
• Demonstrated experience in strategic program design, implementation and adaptation, with the ability to manage complex portfolios and respond to evolving priorities and stakeholder needs.
  
• Proven track record of developing and leading successful proposals funded by a range of national, regional and international funding agencies, including experience in donor engagement and resource mobilization.
  
• Proven experience in stakeholder engagement, partnership development and negotiation of institutional agreements with government agencies and other partner organizations.
  
• Experience in weather and climate information services, including digital agricultural advisory services, is highly desirable.
  
• A record of relevant scientific research and knowledge outputs is highly desirable.
  
• Professional-level proficiency in spoken and written English.
  

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

This position is an Internationally Recruited Position based in Kigali, Rwanda, with regular travel across Eastern and Southern Africa, including to the hub team in Nairobi, and internationally. The initial contract will be for two years, subject to a probation period of Six (6) months and is renewable depending on performance and availability of resources. This position is graded at BG10 level in a scale of BG01 to BG14 (BG14 being the highest level according to the Alliance job classification framework policy). We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits including but not limited to insurance, retirement plan, staff training and development, paid time off and flexible working arrangements.

The Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT is committed to fair, safe, and inclusive workplaces. We believe that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority. We encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability statuses, sexual orientations, marital status, and gender identities. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

APPLICATIONS

Applicants are invited to visit  https://www.bioversityinternational.org/jobs/ to get full details of the position and to submit their applications. Applications MUST include reference ( RFP301502) – PROJECT LEAD  as the position applied for. Application and CV should be saved as one document using the candidate’s last name and first name for ease of sorting.

Note: The Alliance does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing or training). The Alliance also does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.

Applications closing date: 20^th 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