Associate Officer - Science Engagement & Resource Mobilization

ASSOCIATE OFFICER-SCIENCE ENGAGEMENT & RESOURCE MOBILIZATION-

(EXTERNAL CALL )

THE ORGANIZATION

The Alliance of Bioversity

International (

www.bioversityinternational.org

) and the International Center for Tropical

Agriculture (CIAT) (

www.ciat.cgiar.org

) delivers research-based solutions that harness

agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve

people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition,

climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.

With

novel partnerships, the Alliance generates evidence and mainstreams innovations

to transform food systems and landscapes so that they sustain the planet, drive

prosperity, and nourish people in a climate crisis.

The

Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure

future.

About the

position

The Proposal and Pipeline Management

Unit (PPMU), under the Strategic Partnerships, Engagement and Communication

(SPEC) department is seeking an

Associate Officer

with proven experience in resource

mobilization and proposal development and writing, particularly for large,

complex proposals worth over US$2 million. These positions are integral to the

Resource Mobilization team and will directly support Alliance researchers in

achieving their fundraising objectives.

The Associate

Officer will report directly to

the Manager of PPMU and will be assigned to support up to 3 Research Areas The primary responsibilities include managing

all aspects of the proposal development process on behalf of Researchers, such

as identifying and pursuing high-priority, high-likelihood fundraising

opportunities, coordinating pre-award services from various support units,

ensuring compliance with internal proposal development procedures, and

providing procedural guidance throughout the process.

In this role, the

Associate Officer will handle

all process management, coordination, administration, inter-unit collaboration,

and timeline planning activities related to large, priority proposals. This will

allow the Researchers to focus solely on the scientific content of their

proposals, knowing that all other aspects of proposal preparation are being

expertly managed. In addition, the Associate Officers will support Research

Areas in identifying fundraising needs and provide advice on funding opportunities.

S/He will work closely with all relevant units involved in the Alliance’s

Proposal Development Process (PDP) to ensure seamless and efficient proposal

development.

Main

Key Accountabilities

• Proposal
• Management and Coordination
• : Lead the management and coordination of all
• aspects of the proposal development process for large, complex proposals (≥US$2
• million) on behalf of Researchers. This includes timeline planning, ensuring
• adherence to compliance requirements, and managing contributions from various research
• areas, support units and stakeholders.
• Pre-Award
• Services and Process Coordination
• : Act as the central point of contact
• for coordinating all pre-award support services involved in proposal
• development, ensuring alignment across Finance, Legal, PLANS, the OPD Proposal
• Enhancement team, Lever Program Management Officers (PMOs), and Regional
• Partnerships Officers. Oversee the end-to-end proposal process by managing
• timelines, facilitating the flow of information among stakeholders, and
• ensuring that all administrative, financial, and legal requirements are met in
• a timely and coordinated manner.
• Opportunity
• Analysis and Decision Support
• : Provide strategic and procedural guidance
• to Researchers by conducting opportunity analysis, helping them make informed
• go/no-go decisions regarding funding opportunities. This involves evaluating
• the alignment with organizational goals, the likelihood of success, and the
• availability of resources.
• Concept Note and
• Proposal Ideation Support
• : Support researchers in consolidating initial
• thoughts and frameworks for concept notes and proposals. Facilitate project
• ideation sessions, ensuring scientific ideas are translated into fundable,
• donor-aligned narratives from the earliest stages of development.
• Consortium
• Partner Identification and Engagement:
• Facilitate the
• identification and engagement of potential consortium partners. Support
• positioning of the Alliance within consortia and ensuring partner roles,
• capacities, and commitments are clearly defined in proposals.
• Resource Mobilization Planning Support
• :
• Support research areas and teams in prioritizing and planning their resource
• mobilization initiatives, helping them develop structured annual RM plans
• aligned with organizational strategies and donor landscapes. Participating in
• their routine planning and review meetings; and supporting in providing the
• needed donor intelligence.
• Learning and Improvement
• :
• Collaborate with the Manager of Proposals and Pipeline Management Unit (PPMU),
• PIs, and other contributing scientists to systematize lessons learned from both
• successful and unsuccessful proposals, aiming to enhance future proposal
• development processes; identify the researchers’ learning needs and jointly
• plan the required capacity building sessions.
• Systems, Processes, and Knowledge Management:
• Ensure
• accurate and timely capturing of funders, pipeline, and proposal data in
• institutional systems; Support the effective use of tools, templates, and
• dashboards by the scientists to improve quality and consistency in proposal
• development. Lead on the development of capacity statements needed to outreach
• Funders or to qualify for specific calls.
• Engagement
• Cross-Functional
• Coordination
• :
• Facilitate effective communication and collaboration between PIs, Lever
• Directors, and all relevant support units, ensuring alignment throughout the
• proposal development process.
• Stakeholder
• Interaction
• : Engage
• with Finance, OPD, Legal, and other key stakeholders to ensure all
• administrative, budgetary, and legal aspects are seamlessly integrated into the
• proposal preparation and submission process; Coordinate consortium partner interaction
• and communication during proposal development.
• Decision
• Support
• : Provide
• opportunity analysis insights to assist PIs in making informed go/no-go
• decisions, ensuring that their expressions of interests align with
• organizational goals and have a high likelihood of success.
• Delivery
• Proposal
• Drafting and Coordination
• :
• Produce and refine initial drafts of large, complex proposals, ensuring timely
• input from all contributors and adherence to submission deadlines.
• Guidance
• Documentation
• : Develop
• and document call guidance notes for high-value funding calls (≥$1 million),
• ensuring consistency and alignment with organizational priorities.
• Process
• Management
• : Oversee the
• end-to-end management of proposal timelines and deliverables, ensuring all
• steps are completed efficiently and on schedule.
• Knowledge
• material
• : Lead on the
• development of capacity statements in close collaboration with Research Areas
• and Teams.
• Learning
• Integration
• :
• Contribute to post-proposal evaluations and integrate lessons learned into
• future proposal processes for continuous improvement. Contribute to the
• delivery of capacity building and knowledge sharing activities.
• Education
• qualifications and experience
• Education
• Master’s
• degree
• in
• agricultural, environmental, or biological sciences, international development,
• business administration, science communications, or related fields.
• Fluency
• in English at C2 level
• according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
• (CEFR), with proven high-level verbal and written communication skills.
• Advanced
• knowledge of French
• is desirable.
• At
• least
• 5 years of relevant experience
• in resource mobilization and
• research proposal development, particularly in agriculture, environment, rural
• development, and/or natural or social sciences.
• Proven
• in
• managing the development and writing of large, complex, technical proposals
• (≥US$2 million) in collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams in international
• settings.
• in preparing call analyses, guidance notes
• , or educational materials to support proposal
• development.
• Demonstrated
• ability to work effectively in
• multi-cultural and interdisciplinary
• environments
• .
• Technical

Knowledge and Skills

• Strong
• analytical and problem-solving skills
• : Ability to assess complex proposals and provide
• strategic input to enhance success rates.
• Excellent
• organizational skills
• : Capable of managing multiple priorities and ensuring timely delivery
• of high-quality proposals.
• Attention
• to detail
• : High
• standards of accuracy in preparing and reviewing proposal documents.
• Effective
• communication skills
• : Proficiency in articulating complex ideas clearly in both written
• and verbal forms, tailored to diverse audiences including scientists and
• funders.
• Collaboration
• and teamwork
• :
• Proven ability to work within multi-disciplinary teams and engage with various
• stakeholders across different functions.
• Autonomy
• and initiative
• :
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, demonstrating a
• proactive approach in managing proposal processes.
• Proficiency
• in virtual tools and applications
• : Advanced skills in using the Microsoft Office suite and other
• relevant software for document preparation, communication, and project
• management.
• Terms of employment
• This is a nationally
• recruited position based in Nairobi, Kenya. The initial contract will be for up
• to one (1) year, subject to a probation period according to local legislation, and is
• renewable depending on the performance and availability of resources. This position is at BG08 level, in a scale of 14 levels, with
• level 14 being the highest.
• The Alliance Bioversity-CIAT offers a multicultural,
• collegial research environment with competitive salaries and excellent
• benefits. We are an equal opportunity employer and strive for gender,
• diversity, and inclusion in our staff, without regard to race, color, religion,
• gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age,
• disability, marital status, or any other characteristic.
• At Impactpool we do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
• Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.
• Summary by Impactpool
• The Associate Officer for Science Engagement & Resource Mobilization will support the Proposal and Pipeline Management Unit in managing large, complex proposals worth over US$2 million. This role involves coordinating the proposal development process, ensuring compliance with internal procedures, and providing strategic guidance to researchers. The Associate Officer will also facilitate communication among various stakeholders and assist in identifying fundraising opportunities. The position requires strong organizational skills and the ability to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary environment.
• Candidate Requirements:
• Master’s degree in relevant fields
• Fluency in English (C2 level)
• At least 5 years of experience in resource mobilization
• Experience in managing large proposal development
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent organizational skills
• Attention to detail
• Effective communication skills
• Ability to work in multi-cultural environments
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and relevant software
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• ASSOCIATE OFFICER - SCIENCE ENGAGEMENT
• UNIRMCT - United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals
• Nairobi
• BG08 level
• Speaks English, French
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