Dear colleagues,
The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) has the following job opportunity open and may be of interest
to you and your networks: Director of Research.
Please share this opportunity with anyone in your network.
More
details are below and at:
Kind regards,
Willingthon Pavan
--
|
|
Willingthon Pavan
Scientist - Programmer P.O. Box 2040 Muscle Shoals, Alabama, 35662, USA office: +1.256.381.6600 ext. 282 |
Director of Research
Muscle Shoals, AL
Full-Time/Regular
The Organization
IFDC is an independent non-profit organization that combines innovative research, market systems development, and strategic partnerships to identify and
scale sustainable soil solutions for improved food security and livelihoods around the world.
DIRECTOR of RESEARCH (HEADQUARTERS)
BACKGROUND
The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is a non-profit, public international soil fertility and agricultural development center. As a center
of excellence with expertise in fertilizers, IFDC has a global mandate focusing on the development of fertilizers and nutrient management technologies that improve use efficiency and increase food production while reducing negative environmental impact. The
Director of Research is a research leader and manager responsible for coordinating research projects at IFDC’s headquarters in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. He/she will take the lead in project procurement, implementation, and reporting. The Director of Research
(HQ) reports directly to the Vice President of Research.
DUTIES
This position provides leadership to staff in accomplishing the goals and activities of HQ Research. Duties include:
-
Research Coordination: Working in close coordination with the Directors of SOILS Consortium and Field Research, and the Head of Pilot Plant to coordinate research activities. Establishing
research links with industry, universities, advanced research institutions, and public-sector partners.
-
Strategic Goal: Leading the efforts towards achieving IFDC’s strategic objective on developing better technologies. Lead evidence-based research on next generation of fertilizers
with respect to soil fertility, soil health, plant nutrition, improved use efficiency, and reduced environmental impact.
-
Planning and Directing: Supervising and coordinating the HQ Research division activities with the assistance of unit and project managers.
-
Rearranging work schedules to overcome challenges that might prevent meeting deadlines set in contracts based on available staff, budget constraints, and travel requirements; and
-
Guiding project implementation to meet contractual obligations, donor requirements as well as policies, and procedures internal to IFDC.
-
Fundraising: Lead proactive business development for public- and private sector-funded research programs in nutrient use efficiency, soil health, soil fertility, and adaptation
to environmental changes. Increase awareness of IFDC's role in fertilizer-value chain, soil fertility, and soil health research by organizing, attending, and presenting at conferences, symposiums and workshops and establishing and cultivating relations with
universities, relevant research institutions and project-specific donors, grantees, and public and private sector partners.
- Setting Standards: Establish quality standards and deadlines for work products (e.g., controlling quality of reports and articles for publication, making assignments based on staff qualifications, explaining standards to be met, working with staff in outlining work steps so that standards may be achieved).
- Appraising Performance: Ensuring that subordinates are productive through review of work and accomplishment of goals (goals are reviewed on an on-going basis and yearly)
- Budgeting: Preparing a formal annual budget for supervisory review (e.g., obtaining budget information from program managers, approving, or disapproving subordinate inputs on the budget based on guidelines established by the incumbent's supervisor or funding available, justifying the budget to the supervisor). Monitoring research division performance against the budget.
- Research Visibility: Lead in developing research project proposals and concept notes and/or reviewing proposals and concept notes, reports, and publications for high quality and to promote the image of IFDC. Motivate research staff to publish research results.
JOB REQUIREMENTS AND DIFFICULTY OF WORK
This position requires communication skills to review and manage the research work product, to effectively communicate results and benefits from that work
product, and to generate new business. This position may involve the following:
-
Demonstrate extensive knowledge of the fertilizer sector including environmental implications and the international market (e.g., providing technical advice to staff and industry
partners, identifying advantages and disadvantages of recommended alternatives, writing and reviewing reports and publications, and giving presentations).
-
Possess proven business development skills to identify research opportunities, write compelling concept notes and proposals to raise public and private funds for research programs.
-
Maintain ability to motivate subordinate staff to complete work in a timely manner while sustaining quality (e.g., providing staff with achievable goals, reviewing their progress
against goals and objectives, and responding to needs for equipment, supplies, and information).
-
Maintain ability to make decisions in meeting project objectives (e.g., analyzing a problem in order to provide guidance to achieve goals, asking the right questions, and convincing
staff/donors of the right decision).
-
Possess experience in managing and controlling research budgets and implementing actions if research costs are outside of established budgets.
-
Earned a Doctorate in Soil Science, Environmental Science, Biogeochemistry (or a related soil and plant science field), with a minimum of 10 years relevant work experience.
RESPONSIBILITY
This position is responsible for fulfilling one of the major strategic objectives of IFDC in making fertilizers and nutrient management technologies smarter
and safer while achieving food security and environmental sustainability. It also requires making daily operating decisions (e.g., reassigning staff to meet project objectives, making recommendations on a project approach, and responding to inquiries).
PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
Most of the time, this position requires working in a normal office environment with no unusual demands or exposure to hazardous situations. When traveling to developing countries, the risks inherently associated with that country’s environments.