AN EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON HAVING A HEALTHY, INCLUSIVE AND RESILIENT WORLD THROUGH SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, INNOVATION, AND CAPACITY STRENGTHENING
We have been retained by the International Potato Center (https://cipotato.org/) to fill the Technical Lead: Consumer Insights and Market Development Position. Currently, we are contacting market researchers and development specialists to help us locate a person who is qualified and ready for this position.
CIP, a global CGIAR research center, works to improve diets and incomes of poor people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America through scientific research, innovation, and capacity strengthening. CIP is working closely with research partners, governments, private sector and civil society in more than 20 countries. Focusing on potato and sweet potato as the entry point, CIP’s programs seek to strengthen broader agri-food systems to generate economic, social and nutritional benefits for farmers, enterprises, and consumers emphasizing the priorities of women and youth in particular. Harnessing the power of markets to reach low-income consumers is a key part of our strategy. Entrusted with renewed support from globally leading funders, including the UK government and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CIP is looking for fresh and ambitious technical leadership that will strengthen its ability to engage with markets for connecting with the lives of poor people at a large scale.
The position is based in Nairobi, Kenya.
Technical Lead: Consumer Insights and Market Development
The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking a dynamic and ambitious market researcher and development specialist to upgrade and lead organization-wide efforts for consumer research and market development. This is a great opportunity to contribute to sustainable and nutritious food systems for some of the world’s poorest people by joining a leading international agricultural research center.
The Technical Lead: Consumer Insights and Market Development will lead CIP’s engagement with food market systems in Africa and South Asia, with an initial focus on biofortified sweet potato where demand for collaboration from commercial partners has grown strongly. The overall purpose of this new position is to improve the market orientation of CIP’s technology development and delivery programs and partnerships focusing on low-income consumers in rural and urban markets. The Technical Lead will be able to apply the latest approaches and methodologies for consumer research, market system analysis, supply chain development, and demand creation. S/he will link CIP with leading consumer and market research partners and relevant food system and agri-business networks in Africa, South Asia and globally. The position will contribute to wider CGIAR research programs on markets and nutrition. S/he will report to CIP’s global sweet potato program leader.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide research and technical leadership to CIP’s program portfolio in the area of consumer research, market system analysis, and market development, including during program design, work planning, advanced training, operational research, and reviews and evaluations.
- Lead the design and implementation of consumer insights, market system strengthening and demand creation components in current programs to scale up the utilization of biofortified sweet potato to improve nutrition among low-income consumers in rural and urban markets.
- Initiate and implement targeted research activities to further the understanding of consumer behavior, market systems constraints, and the effectiveness of market systems strengthening options focused on low-income rural and urban consumers and capturing social inclusion, gender and youth considerations. This research will combine up-to-date qualitative and quantitative methodologies and make use of targeted surveys, ethnographic studies, and the use of syndicated data.
- Lead the design and oversee implementation of a new demand creation strategy for CIP, starting with the sweet potato program.
- Lead the production of scientific and technical publications based on this research work and contribute to dissemination through international conferences and similar forums.
- Develop and manage new partnerships with leading consumer and market research institutes and food industry and agri-business networks with a view of strengthening the contributions of sweet potato and potato to food systems of importance to the poor.
- Contribute to strengthening the capacity of CIP and partner teams for implementing consumer and market analysis and demand creation.
- Contribute to global knowledge sharing and collaborative research through multi-crop CGIAR research programs on markets, nutrition, and agri-food systems.
Candidate Profile
We are looking for goal-oriented and creative team players with a Master’s Degree (MSc, MBA) in a field related to market research, business development or social sciences, preferably PhD in social or behavioral science and/or training in agri-food sector and a minimum of 6 to 8 years of experience in a similar position.
He or she must have strong hands-on experience of working or partnering with the commercial private sector in the agriculture or food sector, and direct experience applying market analysis and demand creation approaches in the context of international development programs, preferably within Africa or Asia.
Candidates should also possess:
- Excellent command of qualitative and quantitative methodologies relevant to consumer and market systems research.
- Up-to-date understanding of international food security, nutrition and social development context and familiarity with main research approaches in these areas.
- Proven track record of excellent project management and reporting skills.
- Strong track record of original research and publications in relevant areas.
- Excellent leadership skills to promote effective collaboration within the team and across partner organizations.
- Willingness and ability to travel and work in resource-poor, rural areas.
- Strong written and oral communication skills in English
This is an internationally recruited position for which CIP offers:
- Exciting career opportunities in an international organization.
- Internationally competitive salary paid in US dollars, and commensurate with experience.
- Comprehensive international insurance coverage.
- Attractive retirement plan.
- Three-year term contracts with the possibility of renewal.
- Work in an equal and diverse workplace.
CIP is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified women and professionals from developing countries are particularly encouraged to apply.
Applicants should send their an up-to-date CV and a cover letter illustrating their suitability for the above position against the listed qualifications, competencies, and skills with copies of the highest diploma/degree, training certificates related to the position, and names and email addresses of 3 professional referees to Ms. Auree de Carbon by email at: adecarbon@carrhure.com no later than Sept. 12, 2019 at 18.00 CET. Please indicate in the ‘Subject’ of the email the title ‘Application for the post of ‘Technical Lead: Consumer Insights and Market Development’.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.
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