The Deputy Leader acts as right-hand to the leader of TTF in all leadership responsibilities, with a particular emphasis on managing high level relations with government and private entities.
This is a senior position within TTF, and as such shares overall responsibility for delivering the impacts of TTF. These impacts are measured in terms of hectares of farmland using improved TTF technologies, and in terms of increases in individual farm profits. They are also measured in terms of the adaptive agricultural scientific capacity generated for the development of systems that achieve these goals In order to effectively engage at high levels of government and private business, the Deputy must understand these technologies, and the challenges facing farmers in adopting these technologies and using them profitably. TTF is a catalyst for renovating Mexican agriculture; TTF will be successful only to the extent it mobilizes existing public and private sector institutions to meet its goals. With this understanding, the Deputy can assist in developing more effective policies, as well as more effective institutional collaborations. He/she will also be a constant and effective spokesperson and negotiator on behalf of TTF and of MasAgro, presenting plans and results.
The position will be based at CIMMYT headquarters in Texcoco, a one hour commute from the center of Mexico City. Frequent travel (30% to 50%) around Mexico is needed to fill this position effectively.
We are seeking candidates with the following qualifications:
- Experience managing results-oriented projects with a number of collaborators, ideally but not necessarily in the area of agricultural extension or of grassroots mobilization;
- Experience working for or with public and private institutions, ideally with at least some of this experience in Mexico;
- Effectiveness leading and motivating people, many of whom do not directly report to the position, and most of whom are not employees of CIMMYT. The position requires tact and diplomacy, along with a commitment to achieving results;
- Excellent social skills, and skills communicating (orally and in writing) with people of different professions and backgrounds, particularly farmers, government officials, scientists, administrators, and business people;
- Experience leading efficient meetings;
- Ability to give strong and effective presentations, including speeches to audiences of one hundred or more;
- Fluency in English and in Spanish;
- Very high level of work efficiency, including rapid, common-sense decision-making, high degree of personal organization; ability to work under pressure, mastery of communications and computer technologies, and a strong work ethic;
- Commitment to MasAgro and Take It To The Farmer, and to serving farmers;
We are seeking candidates with the following qualifications:
- Excellent education, up to at least master’s degree level.
- Through education and/or experience, a demonstrated eases in understanding new technologies, preferably in the agricultural area.
- Four to twelve years of work experience. At the lower end of this range, candidates will need to prove exceptional aptitude; at the upper end of this range, the majority of the work experience must be relevant to the position.
MasAgro is the Mexican government initiative to revitalize agriculture in Mexico, to make agriculture more productive, profitable, and sustainable. We believe it is one of the most important and exciting initiatives in agriculture worldwide. Take It To The Farmer (TTF) is the component of MasAgro which is responsible for working with farmers -- particularly smallholder farmers -- to increase their productivity and incomes. This is done through the application of better and more sustainable technologies, including conversation agriculture and precision agriculture. Take It To The Farmer is having immediate impact. This impact will broaden and deepen as other components of MasAgro develop new technologies, for delivery in future years. MasAgro is a collaborative effort among existing private and public institutions. It currently has signed collaboration agreements with 10 Mexican states, and formal and informal partnerships with over fifty institutions serving agriculture in Mexico.
CIMMYT, an international agricultural research institute based in Mexico, is a catalyst and organizer of MasAgro and of TTF. CIMMYT has almost fifty years of organizational existence, and is a leader in bringing improved maize and wheat varieties and agronomic practices to developing countries. CIMMYT, particularly its most famous alumnus Dr. Norman Borlaug, was at the forefront of the last Green Revolution, and is now spearheading another. There are 35 employees of CIMMYT dedicated to TTF.
Candidates are invited to visit websites www.cimmyt.org, and http://conservacion.cimmyt.org for more information; website http://masagro.cimmyt.org will be enabled only after July 1st.
CIMMYT is an equal-opportunity employer and strives for staff diversity in gender and nationality.
Please apply online no later than May 27th, 2012.
At www.cimmyt.org, click on “About us – Job Opportunities- Position” 2012-20. All nationalities are encouraged to apply. Please send your CV as well as a cover letter, in either Spanish or English. The cover letter should be no more than one page in length, and should address why you are interested in the position, and why you think you are a suitable candidate for the position
For further information, contact the Human Resources Office, jobs-cimmyt@cgiar.org. Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
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