AN EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN A CGIAR CROSS-COMMODITY PLATFORM THAT AIMS TO MODERNIZE BREEDING PROGRAMS, TARGETING THE DEVELOPING WORLD FOR GREATER IMPACT ON FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY, CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION, AND DEVELOPMENT
The CGIAR Excellence in Breeding Platform (EiB) (www.excellenceinbreeding.org) is a cross-commodity platform that supports the modernization of breeding programs targeting Africa, Asia, and Latin America for greater impact on food and nutrition security, climate change adaptation, and development.
The Platform is part of the new CGIAR portfolio of research programs and platforms (https://www.cgiar.org/how-we-work/strategy/) and is led by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, known by its Spanish acronym, CIMMYT®, a not-for-profit research, and training organization with partners in over 100 countries (www.cimmyt.org).
Senior IT Project Manager
The CGIAR Excellence in Breeding Platform (www.excellenceinbreeding.org) is recruiting a Senior IT Project Manager. EiB supports breeding programs targeting Africa, Asia, and Latin America to adopt best practices and technologies to improve rates of genetic gain and variety turnover, for impact on food and nutrition security, livelihoods, and climate change adaptation.
The location of this position will be at the CIMMYT headquarters in Texcoco, Mexico. The position may begin remotely from your home base or current location if organizational approval for the relocation to Mexico is delayed due to COVID 19.
Specific duties:
- Responsible for the planning, resourcing, and scheduling of Enterprise Breeding System (EBS) development cycles (sprints)
- Responsible for preparing budgets and managing expenditures for the EBS project
- Coordinate the EBS IT leads in executing the development sprints
- Coordinate the EBS IT leads in evaluating EBS outcomes; identifying problems; evaluating trends and anticipating requirements.
- Coordinate the EBS IT leads in communicating job expectations; monitoring and appraising job results, and monitoring compliance with policies, and procedures.
- Coordinate the EBS IT leads in recruiting, selecting, and training the best
- Coordinate the EBS IT leads maintaining a safe and secure work environment; providing coaching, and providing professional growth opportunities.
- Be an active member of the EBS leadership team
- Be an active participant in the governance of core breeding domain software development to EBS design and technical standards
- Be an active participant in the definition and preparation of the EBS project’s high-level development roadmap
- Maintains professional and technical knowledge by reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; benchmarking state-of-the-art practices; participating in professional societies.
- Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.
Required academic qualifications, skills, and perspectives:
- Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree in Business Management, Computer Science, Information Sciences, Software Engineering.
- 10 years of experience in designing and developing software systems.
- Experience in IT systems tailored to the needs of plant breeding highly desired.
- Key Performance Indicators:
- Effectively formulating and executing enterprise DevOps software development and deployment methodologies
- Meeting development road map releases on time, to specification, and on budget.
- Appropriately and agilely adjusting to changing needs or circumstances to deliver quality results in an agreed-upon time frame, to specification, and on budget.
- Effectively understanding, integrating, and responding to the needs of the EBS software team and project stakeholders.
- Skills and Knowledge:
- Strategic Planning; IT project management; Understanding of IT technologies; IT staffing; Developing budgets; Project quality management.
- Project Management Professional (PMP) and/or IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) certification required.
- Agile Scrum Master or comparable certification preferred (CSM)
- The selected candidate must exhibit the following competencies: Critical Thinking, Communication, Teamwork, and Problem Solving and Decision Making.
- Strong execution skills as demonstrated by successful experience overcoming project obstacles, implementing risk mitigation and contingencies, building strong project teams, and project delivery.
- Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, and interpersonal skills are required to effectively communicate with stakeholders, guide and lead others, and provide direction.
- Excellent attention to detail and possesses the ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions to manage a project. A high level of analytical and problem-solving skills is required. The ability to handle complex issues including communicating them appropriately to all levels of the organization is essential. Demonstrated skills in project tracking and management projects are required.
The position is for an initial fixed-term for three (3) years, after which further employment is subject to performance and the continued availability of funds. CIMMYT’s internationally competitive salary and benefits include housing allowance, car, comprehensive health and life insurance, assistance for children’s education, paid vacation, annual airfare, contribution to a retirement plan, and generous assistance with relocation shipment.
CIMMYT is an equal opportunity employer. It fosters a multicultural work environment that values gender equality, teamwork, and respect for diversity. Women are encouraged to apply.
Applications must include a cover letter which should address how the candidate’s background/experience relates to the specific duties of the position applied for, curriculum vitae, names, and addresses of three professional referees (which must include either the Head of the applicant’s current or previous organization or applicant’s direct Supervisor/Superior at his/her present or former place of work). The application should be addressed to Ms. Auree de Carbon by email at adecarbon@carrhure.com no later than the 20th of January 2021 at 18:00 CET. Please indicate in the ‘Subject’ of the email the title ‘application for the post of ‘Senior IT Project Manager’.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.
