VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
The Global Crop Diversity Trust is an independent international organization whose mission is to ensure the conservation and availability of crop diversity for food security worldwide. The Trust is building an endowment fund in order to provide secure financial support for key collections of crop diversity, in perpetuity.
The Global Crop Diversity Trust oversees a large program of activities to advance an efficient and sustainable global system of ex situ conservation. The Trust works in partnership with implementing agencies worldwide and has a particularly close relationship with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Bioversity International and the other Centers of the CGIAR.
For further information about the Trust, please visit: http://www.croptrust.org
The Global Crop Diversity Trust is now seeking well qualified candidates for the position of:
Assistant Executive Director
The primary role and responsibility of the Assistant Executive Director is to support the work of the Executive Director. Working closely with the Executive Director, as well as with other staff, the Assistant Executive Director will assume primary responsibility for the Trust’s Long-term grant making, and will have responsibility for overall Trust managerial, governance and administrative undertakings to ensure the organization remains effective, dynamic and fully functional. In particular, the Assistant Executive Director will:
· Contribute to the strategic management of the Trust. In particular, work closely with the Executive Director in strategy formulation and in developing and overseeing the Trust’s corporate management and governance.
· Develop and manage the Trust’s relationship with a wide range of partners.
· Take responsibility for the development and management of the Trust’s long-term grant-making, including overseeing monitoring and evaluation.
· Have overall responsibility for Trust administration, including Headquarters operations, ICT and Human Resource policy and systems.
· Coordinate organizational information compilation and reporting, including the evaluation of impact and effectiveness in meeting the Trust’s mission.
· Represent the Trust to partners and donors, and in international fora.
· Manage all Executive Board business as Secretary to the Board.
· Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the Executive Director.
The successful incumbent will be an inspiring and thoughtful leader as well as an excellent manager. He/she will report to the Executive Director.
Competencies and Qualifications:
Mandatory Competencies and Qualifications
• Advanced degree in agricultural, biological or social science, or equivalent qualification. Preference will be for competencies related to plant genetic diversity and development;
• Minimum 10 years of experience (preferably including with institutions maintaining crop diversity collections) taking on progressively more managerial responsibility at international senior level;
• In-depth knowledge and understanding of the critical roles of agricultural biodiversity, and genetic resources in particular, for food security and climate change adaptation;
• A distinguished record of achievement and innovation;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and ability to build consensus and manage conflict;
• Proven ability to establish, nurture and oversee multi-cultural, gender-sensitive multidisciplinary teams;
• Demonstrated competency in managing people and projects across different regions;
• Excellent verbal and written English; highly effective presentation skills to represent the Trust in international fora;
• Willingness to travel;
• High standard of personal integrity.
Desirable competencies and qualifications
• Knowledge of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, the FAO Global Plan of Action, the CGIAR, national/regional genebanks and plant breeding efforts;
• Knowledge of additional languages.
Terms and conditions: This is an internationally recruited position for which the Global Crop Diversity Trust offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive salary, retirement plan contributions, medical insurance and leave provisions. All benefits are denominated and paid in US Dollars. The successful candidate will be contracted by Bioversity International and the initial contract, which is renewable, will be for a period of three years, subject to a probationary period of one year.
The Global Crop Diversity Trust is currently located in Rome, Italy, but will establish its permanent Headquarters in Bonn, Germany in mid-2012. The successful candidate must be willing to assume the post in
Rome and subsequently move with the Trust to Bonn.
Applications: Please apply online through Bioversity International Job Opportunities web page ( http://www.bioversityinternational.org/about_us/job_opportunities.html ) by clicking the “Apply” button, completing the online application and attaching the required information, no later than 22 August, 2011.
Please note that in the application you are required to provide the contact details (address, telephone number and e-mail address) of at least three referees, which will be contacted for short listed applicants.
The Global Crop Diversity Trust is an equal opportunity employer and strives for staff diversity.
Women and candidates from developing countries are encouraged to apply.
All received applications will be acknowledged, but only short listed applicants will be further contacted.
