The Officer - Regional Program position exists to provide leadership and coordination in the management of the three Global Research Programs (GRPs) and ensure that the goals and objectives of each program are aligned with the regional and country-level strategies and that GRP strategies align with the national and regional research and development strategies. The Officer does this by the provision of support to the Director for Africa in managing the programs, including supporting the development of program strategies and development; monitoring multi-year operational plans and budgets; business development strategies, and monitoring and collating program outputs and outcomes. The Officer is responsible for coordinating the development of multi-year program plans and budgets, monitoring the utilization rates of projects, suggesting corrective action when needed, and reporting. The officer is responsible for ensuring the deployment of the institute’s Program Management Framework (PMF) within the program covering all aspects of proposal development and project planning, execution, monitoring & evaluation, and closure.

Duties and responsibilities

Summary of responsibilities

Program Management

• Work with the Director for Africa to develop and implement the Africa program strategy and continually review as required
• Support the development of a multi-year operational plan and monitor its implementation
• Monitor and collate program outputs and outcomes
• Coordinate the development of annual program plans and budgets, including ensuring consistency across programs
• Coordinate the effective management of the program plans and budget, ensuring proper allocation of expenditure, monitoring utilization rates and highlighting any variances, and providing suggestions for corrective action to Project Managers, including working with Finance for resolution
• Support the program management and administrative team (including Finance and Admin Manager, Program Accountants, Admin Officer, Procurement Officer, Communications Staff, Office Assistants, Program Assistants, and Interns) and build their capacity on ICRISAT Program Management Framework to enhance their performance
• Support and review requests for recruiting staff and consultants prior to approval and follow up with Director for Africa and Human Resources (HR) department for execution
• Liaise with the Finance Unit on budget and financial matters
• Ensure the implementation of the institute’s Program Management Framework across the program and contribute to its continued development

Project Planning

• Support the Procurement Office in assessing and planning future procurement needs and creating a detailed procurement plan
• Liaise with the legal unit to draft partner and donor agreements and incorporate the necessary changes
• Work with the project leader/project manager in the development of an exit strategy/sustainability plan for all projects
• Work closely with the project leaders/project managers to define research compliance requirements, undertake a risk assessment and contribute to the development of mitigation strategies
• Lead the development of project work plans by assessing alignment, establishing timelines, and obtaining the necessary approvals.
• Work with the Strategic Marketing and Communication team to develop the communication plan, monitor and guide the communications outputs from the program to ensure their relevance and appropriateness.

Project Execution

• Maintain effective working relationships with partners, beneficiaries, and stakeholders and facilitate the effective flow of information between all partners, team members, and relevant stakeholders in program activities
• Work closely with the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialists to ensure program-level monitoring, data analysis, and reporting to support effective program management
• Oversee Program reporting, identify any areas concerned, and recommend solutions
• Ensure that ICRISAT, and later CGIAR, policies relating to IP, Open Access, HR, and others are being followed at the Program level

Project Closing

• Oversee the closure activities for the projects which include the disposal of physical assets, research materials and staff separation/ reassignment, archiving of documentation, impact assessment in line with the PMF process
• Work with the Project Leader and Communications Staff to ensure knowledge dissemination and capacity development to all relevant stakeholders by mobilizing participation from as many project stakeholders as possible, including project team members, partners, donors, and other key stakeholders

Project Management

• The Regional Program Officer will be expected to act as the Project Manager (as the need arises) for several projects, depending on the size and complexity of the program

Business Development

• Coordinate and participate in the development of concept notes, idea notes, and/or proposal components including completing the relevant documentation on risk assessment, project budget, and project work plan, drafting agreements
• Support the Director for Africa, Country Representatives, and Project Leaders to undertake due diligence activities related to the suitability and capability of Program partners/sub-contractors such as identifying the resource skills of the ICRISAT team, counter-checking prospect partners’ experience, compliance with ICRISAT and donor guidelines, and ensuring the strategy and plans align with PMF
• Manage the program opportunity pipeline to ensure timely delivery, compliance, and adherence to the Program Management Framework process, as the Africa Resource Mobilization Taskforce Secretariat

Education, knowledge and experience

Requirements

• MSc in Agronomy or Plant Breeding with experience or training in Program/Project management or;
• Bachelor’s degree in Biological Science and master’s degree in related Sciences or Business Administration.
• Strong program management ability and interpersonal skills.
• Statistical skills and knowledge of computer applications.
• Fluency in spoken and written English.
• Up to five (5) years of work experience in program management and business development.