Nicaragua: Program Management Officer – Central America

The Position

The Program Management Officer leads research program development, partnership building and resource mobilization. A key responsibility will be coordination of CGIAR Site integration in Nicaragua in alliance with CGIAR centers, CRPs and national partners to make the research for development process more efficient and aligned with the priorities of the Government of Nicaragua. He/she works closely with the regional research team and the team in Headquarters by providing management support to a growing portfolio of research projects in Central America. The position is internationally recruited and based at the CIAT Central America office in Managua, Nicaragua.

Responsibilities:

• Build strong relationships with research and development partners and donors in the region and identify opportunities for collaborative research
• Lead implementation of CGIAR site integration plan in Nicaragua in collaboration with other CGIAR centers and partners
• Work with other CIAT colleagues to ensure the development and maintenance of a strong funding pipeline
• Lead and facilitate team-based research grant writing and project proposal preparation
• Liaise with headquarters to leverage research capacity and ensure that interests of the region are well represented at the Center level
• Foster teamwork and communication among CIAT staff in the region and across organizational boundaries.
• Coordinate work of CIAT in Central America and provide oversight and management of research teams and staff
• Represent CIAT and CGIAR in international, national and regional meetings

Education and Experience

• Masters or PhD in in a discipline related to agriculture/environment/rural development with a minimum of 4-5 years of relevant experience.
• Knowledge of Central America’s agricultural development sector including relevant policies, institutions and stakeholders
• Experience in program planning and development and/or coordination of research
• Excellent communication skills including technical writing and advanced language proficiency in English and Spanish
• Demonstrated capacity to work with interdisciplinary teams in a culturally diverse and inclusive work environment
• Flexibility in work schedule, ability to meet tight deadlines and willingness to travel locally and regionally
• Previous living/working experience in Central America

Terms of employment

This internationally recruited position will be based at CIAT sub-regional office in Managua, Nicaragua. The initial contract will be for up to two (2) years, subject to a probation period of six (6) months, and is renewable depending on performance and availability of resources.

CIAT offers a multicultural, collegial research environment with competitive salary and excellent benefits. CIAT is an equal opportunity employer, and strives for staff diversity in gender and nationality. Candidates from Nicaragua are particularly encouraged to apply.

Applications

Applicants are invited to send a cover letter illustrating their suitability for the above position against the listed qualifications, competencies, skills together with a detailed curriculum vitae, including names and addresses of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. All correspondence should be addressed to the CIAT Human Resources Office to Natasha Marulanda (n.marulanda@cgiar.org ) and should clearly indicate “Program Management Officer – Central America”.