Theme Leader – Sustainable Value Chains and Investments (Value Chains) (Global) at World Agroforestry (ICRAF), Yaounde, Cameroon

As the Theme Leader, you will lead the development and implementation of a strategy and project portfolio that delivers impact at scale for socio-economic development based on sustainable natural resource management.

Duties and responsibilities

Leadership in R&D on sustainable value chains and investments:

Formulate ground-breaking research for development on sustainable value chains and investments, influencing policy and driving development impact.
Define and achieve medium-term KPIs and annual goals, contributing to institutional targets and adjusting strategies for impact at scale.
Cultivate transformative partnerships with research, donors, policy, and development organizations, driving collaborative efforts for thematic and institutional goals.
Identify and prioritize areas for the theme, potentially modifying current focus areas.
Ensure career and capacity development opportunities for staff, including mentoring scientists and PhD students.

Develop and lead fundraising strategy:

Lead the strategic development of project proposals and donor relationships, creating a robust project portfolio.
Oversee project sequencing, content, and implementation for sustainable funding, staff development, and policy contribution.

Oversight of analytical and methodological approaches:

Provide scientific and strategic guidance, ensuring research aligns with evidence-based development approaches.
Support progress along impact pathways, making research relevant to policy, private sector, and practitioner communities.

Generation of robust evidence and scientific outputs:

Lead the publication of high-impact scientific articles, ensuring accessibility and quality.
Safeguard evidence integrity and align scientific outputs with staffing and funding levels.
Convey scientific evidence to stakeholders through user-friendly products and engagement activities.

Deliver impact at scale:

Develop and implement scaling strategies, identifying critical points in impact pathways for socio-economic development.
Oversee business and investment case development in collaboration with CIFOR-ICRAF’s Resilient Landscapes.
Foster integration of evidence-based scaling research and document achieved impact.
Work closely with relevant units to deliver, monitor, and document research outcomes and impacts at scale.

Education, knowledge and experience

• Subject matter authority for tropical commodities value chains.
• Ph.D. and/or MBA in a relevant disciplinary field.
• At least 15 years of proven experience if lacking degrees in the relevant field.
• Expertise in forest products, tree crops, or agri-food value chains.

Personal attributes and competencies

• Thought leadership on value chains in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
• Proven track record in research and development initiatives.
• Documented leadership and management experience.
• Strong track record in business development and resource mobilization.
• Experience in negotiating with executives, managers, and sustainability directors.