Seed Systems Specialist, Easter and Southern Africa at International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

The successful candidate must be committed to strengthening multistakeholder platforms that interconnect certified and “quality declared seed” producers, early-generation seed producers, farmers, grain off-takers, processors, and policymakers.

This position will report to the Partnerships and Seed Systems Lead. The duty post for ESA will be in Kenya.

Specific duties:

• Support decentralized seed production and supply systems to access, multiply and disseminate seeds of publicly bred varieties to farmers
• Develop quality seed production and business skills of small-scale seed entrepreneurs and enhance their access to resources to increase commercialization
• Leverage grain aggregator channels and relationships with farmers to create awareness and increase the adoption of new varieties
• Support emerging women and youth seed enterprises to respond to grain demand (quantity and quality) through demand-led multi-stakeholder engagements
• Conduct an inventory of available, “on-the-shelf” public-bred varieties that have not reached farmers; Compile data substantiating their performance, and design/implement a strategy to validate and link the ‘best’ to seed systems; Carefully validate the concept of ‘best’ varieties in the context of targeted farmers.
• Develop and validate innovative demand-led, context-specific seed systems models; Work with extension and delivery systems to scale-up best models to improve access to seed by ‘hard-to-reach’ farmers who have not benefitted from improved seed; Build informal and formal linkages between ‘excluded’ farmers (outside formal markets) and value chains
• Assist partners in the design and implementation of seed road maps, including technical/infrastructural support to the NARES to develop sustainable production of breeders, pre-basic and basic seed of varieties and hybrids
• Foster partnerships with public and private sector institutions to increase certified seed production, field-based promotional activities, and adoption of improved varieties by the target communities
• Support the development of impactful varieties by generating robust producibility, productivity, and marketability data that support commercialization decisions and feedback to breeders to develop demanded products
• Lead and contribute to resource mobilization – fundraising – to support/expand this work.
• Disseminate knowledge about effective seed systems through scientific writing, reports, and policy briefs.

 Required academic qualifications, skills, and attitudes:

• Ph.D. with at least 5 years or MSc with at least 10 years of experience, in agronomy, plant breeding, seed systems, or related agricultural field with long-term successful experience in the seed sector serving resource-poor, small-holder farmers.
• Demonstrated skills in the facilitation of public-private partnerships.
• Ability to work in multi-stakeholder, multi-cultural, and multi-disciplinary teams.
• Fluency in spoken and written English (and working knowledge of French for West Africa).
• Excellent working knowledge of standard statistical software and electronic communication.
• Aptitude and skills to formulate projects.
• A strong track record of resource mobilization is desirable.
• Willingness to travel internationally and domestically within the target region.
• Experience managing budgets and staff.
• The selected candidate must exhibit the following competencies: Proactivity, Team Leadership, Negotiation, and Conflict Resolution, and Teamwork.