An Important Leadership Role for the Global Breeding Community CTI Executive Search has been retained to identify candidates for a leadership role in the field of plant breeding; it is the Leader for the newly established Excellence in Breeding Platform (EiB) of the CGIAR. We seek a superior breeder and leader, a plant scientist whose experience has included the planning and development of breeding pipelines, with a focus on modern methodology to produce new varieties in, desirably, several crops. The person will need to bring along leadership skills built on a solid professional understanding of breeding and management concepts, be able to create and pursue a strong vision for this new Platform, and be able to motivate and work collaboratively with CGIAR Centers, and the wider range of contributors and users from the public and private sector.

The job will be located on the campus of CIMMYT, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, located in Texcoco, Mexico (approximately 45 km Northeast of Mexico City).

The CGIAR helps realize their founding mission by targeting low-and-middle-income countries for greater impact on food and nutrition security, climate change adaptation, and development. After 40-50 years of CGIAR breeding programs being executed quite independently by centers, this Platform is a new initiative to support and elevate the standards of breeding programs across CGIAR centers and beyond, including national breeding programs in the developing world. The Excellence in Breeding platform will draw from innovations in the 15 worldwide CG centers as well as partner research institutes and the private sector to provide breeding programs in the developing world with access to cutting-edge tools, services and best practices, application-oriented training as well as practical advice. As any breeder knows, there’s nothing more important to a breeding program than ensuring genetic gains. It is for this reason that the CGIAR has established this cross-center, worldwide platform. With its impact-oriented agenda, it is to rapidly move technologies developed across the world of breeding into the capabilities and standard operating practices of each of its centers and associated national breeding programs. Our company will help identify this respected breeder, a leader who will make a big difference in the world of development agriculture and grow this from a concept into a significant entity that will cross the public/private divide.

Here are the five modules. Each of these will have a Module leader who works with the Platform Leader to drive this platform ahead:

1. Breeding program excellence Defining and promoting a standard breeding program performance management system that helps these breeding centers monitor their success; this aspect will highlight the investment needs for these breeding programs targeting the developing world.
2. Trait discovery and breeding tools and services EIB will provide a common platform to share tools, information and training modules on how to successfully incorporate new approaches into the breeding process, from trait discovery to cultivar development.
3. Genotyping and sequencing The platform will help broker access to genotyping services at reduced cost, assess the latest advances and support breeding programs to optimize the use of genotyping in their work. This is access to programs that breeding centers in the developing world have found cost-prohibitive, but with a shared process can be affordable.
4. Phenotyping The platform leader and his or her module leader will adapt cutting edge phenotyping approaches for routine use in breeding programs, as well as broker access to phenotyping capacities and expertise in order to share and improve infrastructure.
5. Bioinformatics and data management Here, the power of the genotype, phenotype and other data by can be applied to developing world breeding programs, in order to provide access to integrated bioinformatics tools and biometrics support.

Platform Leader Responsibilities Include:

Strategy:

• Develop and implement a strategy that grows the EIB membership and builds their engagement towards the shared vision.
• Along with the Platform Steering Committee and CGIAR centers, build the strategic thinking and planning behind the agenda of the EIB platform.
• Develop and implement the Platform’s strategy and results-based management framework.
• Provide input to the strategic direction and technology base of all breeding programs operating within the CGIAR. Implementation:
• Build the Platform as an inclusive, service-oriented, member-driven community of practice.
• Providing leadership to team members (staff, consultants) and the wider CGIAR breeding community contributing the Platform
• Effectively engage internal and external stakeholders
• Conceptualize and lead the Platform’s web interface which links contributors and users
• Develop and execute a capacity development strategy targeted at CGIAR members and the CGIAR’s national partners as part of the platform’s global mandate.
• Analyze and ensure the implementation of gender responsive strategies.
• Work closely with project partners and build relationships with other stakeholders to ensure platform outputs are transferred effectively.
• Develop cross-functional and cross-organizational research proposals while leading resource mobilization for the platform. Provide professional advice to donors and partners in the area of breeding.
• Design strategies that widen in-kind support and the contributions of members, consultants, and service providers, while staying tuned to opportunities arising from emerging innovations.
• Lead negotiations with external partners in both advanced research institutions as well as private companies for funding, partnerships and lower costs purchasing options.
• Represent the EIB platform to a wide audience by presenting at international conferences/meetings.

Selection criteria:

• A PhD in Plant Breeding, Quantitative Genetics or a related field with at least 10 years of post-PhD experience
• The proven ability to perform in a multidisciplinary and multicultural environment
• An in-depth understanding of practical breeding applications and logistical constraints relevant to breeding programs targeting the developing world including those from the CGIAR, national systems, and the local private sector
• Strategic thinking skills with excellent communication, organizational and analytic abilities, and exposure to results-based management frameworks (work plans, budgets, monitoring plans, reports)
• A consensus builder with the ability to engage and empower others; the ability to recognize team efforts and foster an enabling environment; a leader who demonstrates knowledge sharing and seeks continuous improvement

If you are interested in this role or can provide suggested contacts for CTI on this search, please contact us in confidence.

Dave Jensen
Managing Director
www.CareerTrax.com
(928) 282-5366 Office
(928) 274-2266 Cell (Preferred)
davejensen@careertrax.com
Skype: daveproactive