Director, Climate-Resilient Food Systems

About IDRC

As part of Canada’s foreign affairs and development efforts, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) champions and funds research and innovation within and alongside developing regions to drive global change.

We invest in high-quality research in developing countries, share knowledge with researchers and policymakers for greater uptake and use, and mobilize our global alliances to build a more sustainable and inclusive world.

Our head office is located in Ottawa, Canada, while five regional offices keep us close to the researchers and projects we fund. The regional offices are located in Montevideo, Uruguay; Nairobi, Kenya; Dakar, Senegal; Amman, Jordan; and New Delhi, India.

IDRC is governed by a board of up to 14 governors, whose chairperson reports to Parliament through the Minister of International Development. IDRC was established by an Act of Canada’s Parliament in 1970 with a mandate “to initiate, encourage, support, and conduct research into the problems of the developing regions of the world and into the means for applying and adapting scientific, technical, and other knowledge to the economic and social advancement of those regions.”

Role Summary

As the Director, you will be working from IDRC headquarters in Ottawa, Canada and reporting directly to the Vice-President, Programs and Partnership. You will provide strategic leadership in the development, execution and evaluation of the Climate-Resilient Food Systems Program, working towards the achievement of IDRC’s vision and strategic objectives. This includes leading a team of 40 to 45 professionals based in Ottawa and in IDRC’s Regional offices directly and/or through Program and Team Leaders reporting directly to this position.

You will also play a leading role in identifying new opportunities for research development expansion by partnering, designing and implementing the IDRC’s resource expansion for the program. As a member of the Senior Management team, you work closely with other Program Directors and colleagues across the Centre to promote collaboration.

The Director has wide-ranging strategic, divisional and operational accountabilities for the Climate-Resilient Food Systems Program. You will be focused internally and externally, nationally and internationally, providing intellectual leadership for the Program and will have significant impact on IDRC performance, image and credibility. The Director has extensive latitude to oversee the development and implementation of programming and partnerships.

Corporate Leadership (15%)

• Contributes to corporate policy development, planning, management and evaluation of programs and administrative activity.
• Contributes, as a member of the Program Management team, and the Centre Management Committee (CMC), to developing the IDRC’s Annual Priorities, Plans and Budget, including the allocation of the Centre’s total budget, and directs the effective deployment of human and financial resources within the Program.
• Identifies and builds synergies within and across Programs and with Research and Development partners in the North (with special reference to Canada) and the South.
• Serves, along with other Program Directors, as the Vice-President’s designate on Steering Committees attributed to the Program and acts as the President’s representative at national and international fora, upon request.
• Actively leads, promotes and supports activities that increase the awareness, understanding and ownership of research outputs by a range of decision makers and society in general which enhance the influence of the work IDRC supports.
• Reports and keeps the IDRC Board of Governors informed of Program Development, progress and future opportunities.

Program Management (25%)

• Sets the strategic direction for the Program and leads the development and execution of its implementation plan. Provides intellectual and scientific leadership in research for development within the Program.
• Remains up to date with Global Development trends and identifies needs, gaps and translates these into opportunities for collaboration with the Program management team and the Programs Branch.
• Obtains, synthesizes and communicates strategic and program intelligence and promotes its effective utilization in the design and execution of program initiatives within the Program and IDRC’s Strategic Plan.
• Identifies innovative research areas for Centre support within the Program.
• Interacts regularly with Regional Directors and colleagues in the Programs and Partnership Branch and the Policy and Evaluation Division to strengthen the coherence of IDRC’s overall programming and ensures that IDRC’s matrix management structure operates efficiently and effectively.
• Manages and facilitates the interactions of the Programs and Partnership Branch with other units in the President’s Office and Resources Branch as they relate to the Program.
• Monitors and reports on the Program performance and the achievement of the strategic objectives and makes presentations to various audiences on the performance and results including to the Board of Governors. Develops and implements action plans to address any issues in this matter.
• Oversees functioning of Steering Committees (when applicable) and discusses and addresses any issues with the responsible employees.

Talent, Resources and Financial Management (25%)

• Creates a stimulating work environment and ensures collaboration and synergy with and between Programs including the Regional offices.
• Engages Program employees in working towards achieving the Program and Branch’s objectives as outlined in the implementation plan in support of IDRC’s strategic plan.
• Manages, motivates and leads a team of professionals in a manner consistent with IDRC’s mandate and values and provides leadership, guidance, support and oversight in an environment characterized by mutual respect and clear and open communications.
• Directly oversees, leads and directs the work of the professional staff in the Program, both in Ottawa and in the Regional Offices, and assumes and/or delegates responsibility for recruitment and selection, onboarding, performance management and developing talent in consultation with other Program management and Regional Directors.
• Oversees annual work plans for the Program.
• Manages and allocates the Program’s travel budget and ensures it properly supports the annual work plans. Also, manages the resources allocated to the Program.
• Serves as a member of the Performance Review Committee, chaired by the Vice-President.

Partnerships (25%)

• Identifies new opportunities for strategic donor partnerships and resource expansion in collaboration with other Program Directors, Regional Directors, Program Leaders, Team Leaders and Senior Program Specialist.
• Contributes to the design and implementation of the Centre’s resource expansion plans.
• Provides strategic advice to Senior Program Specialists, Program Leaders and Team leaders on partnering strategies, partnership management, and donor relationships.
• Ensures the integration of strategic and donor partnerships with the Centre’s Corporate Strategic and Program Framework.
• Signs and approves on behalf of IDRC all the contribution agreements with donor partners, as well as other collaborative arrangements with other institutions, such as Memoranda of Understanding (MOU)s.
• Provides direction for developing sound negotiation strategies and preparing high-quality project proposals to external funders of IDRC.
• Ensures the quality of budgets for donors with adequate indirect cost recovery, in accordance with the Centre’s policy, and in collaboration with the Finance team.

Risk Management (10%)

• Provides assistance to the Policy and Evaluation Division and Program management in the planning of evaluation activities which maximize corporate learning and ensures implementation and follow-up on their results.
• Provides leadership to evaluate better program management practices and promotes them within IDRC.

You are an open manager and a confident leader of people and programs with the ability to inspire a team of experts. In addition to the technical skills, you bring strong partnership and representation skills. You are passionate about applied research and bring a culture of learning agility to your team and colleagues.

Education

A PhD or equivalent in a field directly related to the issues encompassed by the Climate- Resilient Food Systems Program.

• Agriculture
• Climate Change
• Food Security
• Rural Development
• Life Sciences
• Agriculture or Environmental Economics

Experience

A minimum of 10 years of professional work-related experience in research and research management:

• developing, planning, implementing, and managing research programs including technical and financial aspects, and the monitoring and evaluation of research performance
• a creative and innovative manager capable of leading and engaging highly skilled individuals
• providing strategic direction and maintaining and expanding partnerships with Canadian and international development organizations
• an articulate spokesperson representing organizations in various research for development fora
• working in a Canadian and/or international development research organization

Skills

Research and Leadership:

• Proven track record in research and program management in climate resilience or food systems.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams to achieve research objectives, including setting clear goals and managing resources effectively.

Problem-Solving and Innovation:

• Demonstrated ability to develop creative solutions to complex issues in System Transformation.
• Examples of innovative program design or policy development that have been successfully implemented.

Knowledge of International CRFS trends:

• In-depth understanding of the policies and programs of entities such as the IPCC, CFS, FAO, or CGIAR.
• Experience collaborating with international organizations to align program goals with global standards and practices.

Representation:

• Strong ability to advocate for IDRC’s mission and effectively engage with senior management of global entities.
• Proven experience in negotiating and securing partnerships or funding from international organizations.

Interpersonal Skills and Teamwork:

• Demonstrated ability to foster a collaborative work environment and resolve conflicts within a team setting.
• Experience in mentoring team members and facilitating professional development opportunities.

Communication and Cultural Sensitivity:

• Proficient in communicating complex concepts to diverse audiences, both orally and in writing.
• Proven experience implementing communication strategies in cross-cultural settings.

Performance Under Pressure:

• History of delivering high-quality work within tight deadlines, despite resource limitations.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and maintain productivity in high-stress situations.

Language:

• French-English bilingualism

Apply Online

Name*

Email*

A valid email address is required.

Phone*

A valid phone number is required.

Cover Letter*

Attach Resume*

Submit

By applying with us, you agree to Oxford HR’s Privacy Policy

Open Modal Open Modal Open Modal