Research Director - Rice Breeding Innovations

Job Purpose

This position will lead the established department/s in order to deliver on key priority areas of the Strategic Plan in the areas of: breeding for unfavorable environments, breeding for favorable environments, quantitative genetics and biometrics (related to plant breeding), seed and delivery systems, and germplasm evaluation, host plant resistance, and including market access and nutrition traits and abiotic stress tolerance. The position will have a key role in strengthening the Institute’s role as a key provider of dynamic and innovative pre-breeding and breeding research outcomes leveraging IRRI’s scientific expertise, international convening role, trusted advisor status, and extensive partnerships network. This position provides the overall leadership for accelerating the development of new rice varieties and hybrids in all major rice-growing environments, with a particular emphasis on targeted product development pipelines that, based on clear product profiles, utilize molecular breeding approaches and distributed germplasm evaluation networks to maximize genetic gains. New breeding systems and tools have been put in place in the Rice Breeding Innovation department, however further innovative and cost-effective tools and breeding systems will need to be identified, developed and implemented to achieve the goals of making the IRRI breeding program the pre-eminent public sector cereal breeding program globally.

The Rice Breeding Innovations Research Director is responsible for assuring success in a global context, while focusing on South Asia, Southeast Asia and Eastern and Southern Africa. The position also requires an understanding of breeding information management systems, intellectual property, and an ability to work with the private sector with the assistance of business development specialists. In addition to being a recognized international expert in the field, the successful applicant will have the leadership and change management experience, standing and personal qualities required to provide inspirational leadership to a group of Research Unit Leaders, and provide strategic guidance in research innovations, partnerships and delivery of programs and projects. Department Leaders have a critical role in shaping IRRI’s research for development agenda by bringing together discipline based teams organized through Research units with cross-institutional functions, in order to ensure both the research and delivery imperatives of IRRI are met.

This position will be based at the IRRI Headquarters, Los Baños, Philippines and is open for international applications.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary and cross-functional groups to ensure that the Department and Research Unit goals and priorities are aligned with IRRI’s overall strategy, priorities, target goals, and values
• Contribute collaboratively to the Institute-wide research management team reporting to the Deputy Director General for Research in order to ensure cross-disciplinary, cross site, and cross functional collaboration across all of IRRI
• Ensure accountability of Research Unit Leaders to deliver research outcomes in compliance with donor requirements and IRRI’s policies and procedures
• Work as part of a team to bring in new resources to support IRRI’s research for development objectives
• Facilitate the identification of research priorities and optimum usage of IRRI’s resources
• Promote, sustain and develop new strategic partnerships and alliances with public and private stakeholders to cultivate collaborative research programs
• Act as a catalyst and champion of IRRI-wide changes to achieve IRRI’s mission and goals
• Coordinate with IRRI’s Leadership Team, through the DDG-R, in the execution of the Department and Research Unit goals and priorities
• Represent IRRI in research fora, local and international conferences to sustain and develop working relationship with new target investors, donors, government partners, communities and private institutions
• Advocate IRRI’s research for development in international research fora to enhance the IRRI’s brand across different regions
• Engage with IRRI’s national and regional partners to understand their needs and objectives and to provide complementary research for development capacity and programs fulfilling their identified needs
• Facilitate the development, alignment and integration of Research Units operational plans, objectives and key performance indicators 
• Lead and facilitate the completion and delivery of research for development outcomes and ensure compliance to funder requirements within agreed timeframes
• Harness the synergy and nurture the creativity of individual staff, multidisciplinary and cross functional research teams to generate innovative research programs and secure new sources of funding
• Ensure high performance research for development delivery from the department in order to achieve maximum success with investors, donors, partners, and users
• Manage, develop and monitor the performance of Research Unit Leaders to ensure the quality and continuous growth of human resources and to build high performing teams

Qualifications

• PhD degree and subsequent experience in plant breeding
• Recognized as an innovative international leader in a relevant science field
• Significant multicultural and multidisciplinary management experience

Skills Required

Mandatory

• Understand research for development challenges and opportunities
• Excellent people management skills
• Excellent advocacy, presentation, influencing and entrepreneurial skills
• Excellent project management skills
• Proven ability to establish high level of cooperation and alliances

Preferred

• Work experience in Asia or Africa

Applications

Applicants are invited to send a cover letter illustrating their suitability for the above position against the qualifications, competencies, skills together with a detailed curriculum vitae, including names and addresses of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. All correspondence should be addressed to the Human Resources and Organizational Development Office, Ms. Anna Junsay with a subject: Application – Research Director, RBI - your full name.

The position is urgent and will be filled as soon as suitable candidate is found. Only qualified applicants with relevant skills and experience will be contacted. We recommend applying as soon as possible and not later than 4 December 2024.