The Director of the CGIAR Advisory Services Shared Secretariat is a highly skilled leader, collaborator and results-oriented professional with a track record of delivering service, change and innovation in a complex partnership-based environment.

S/he is accountable for leadership and management across the following areas:

• Leading the work of the Secretariat, ensuring it is efficiently and effectively delivering on its Terms of Reference and work plan;
• Managing Secretariat finances, staff, planning and budgeting;
• Building and maintaining highly collaborative internal and external relationships, including with the CGIAR’s network of Centers, research and development partners and CGIAR’s governing bodies;
• Representing the Secretariat at meetings and other fora with a focus on enhancing awareness of the Advisory Services function and CGIAR’s mission and role; and
• Monitoring, assessing and continuously improving effective service provision by the Secretariat to its stakeholders and partners.

The role of the Shared Secretariat is to provide operational support for a new CGIAR Independent Science for Development Council (ISDC), CGIAR’s Standing Panel on Impact Assessment (SPIA) and implementation of the CGIAR System’s multi-year evaluation plan. The Director of the Shared Secretariat ensures effective delivery of this support in a highly effective, coordinated and collaborative way.

The position is based in Rome, Italy unless otherwise decided by the CGIAR System Council at a future time.  It will involve regular international travel.

2. Key responsibilities

This is a strategic role to steward the provision of high-quality objective advice to the CGIAR System through robust science advisory, impact assessment and evaluation/review services. Specific responsibilities include:

Advisory Services Leadership

• Oversee and continuously improve the quality and effectiveness of advisory services support provided to the ISDC, SPIA and the CGIAR System Council, so that the respective advisory and governing bodies may deliver efficiently and effectively on their mandates;
• Oversee and continuously improve the quality and effectiveness of support provided for implementation of the CGIAR System’s multi-year evaluation plan, ensuring this plan meets the System’s need for rigorous high-quality independent evaluations/reviews to inform decision-making across the System;
• Lead and build the newly created Shared Secretariat as an effective team, building successful working relationships with internal and external stakeholders;
• Create and implement an integrated planning framework and work plan for the new Secretariat, aligned with the System’s goals, outcomes, business plan and business cycle, under the direction of the ISDC Chair and with input from the SPIA Chair, and in consultation with other agreed stakeholders - described in the Shared Secretariat’s Terms of Reference;
• Oversee and steward the development of meeting papers and other materials as requested by the Chairs of the ISDC and/or SPIA, and the Strategic Impact, Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (‘SIMEC’) or Assurance Oversight Committee (‘AOC’) of the System Council;
• Take part, alongside representatives of the System Management Office, in selected meetings of SIMEC and/or AOC; and
• Represent the Shared Secretariat at senior level, including to the ISDC, SPIA, System Council, System Management Board and other relevant fora.

Operational and Financial Management

• Manage the activities and staff of the Shared Secretariat in line with the operational principles described in its terms of reference:
o Independence of advice
o Improved efficiency
o Improved communication
o Improved and systematic linkage between science and development through innovation and effective partnerships
o Higher ownership and improved coordination of the advice by the System itself
• Prepare and manage the budget of the Shared Secretariat under the oversight of the ISDC and SPIA Chairs and in consultation with the Director, Finance, CGIAR System Organization, ensuring compliance with the CGIAR System’s financial policies and procedures;
• Ensure compliance with the CGIAR System Organization’s operational and administrative policies and governance framework;
• Manage risks and conflicts of interest effectively, in consultation with other CGIAR assurance providers and in accordance with the CGIAR System Risk Management Framework;
• Ensure adequate engagement in and responses to internal and external audit assignments relevant to the operations of the Shared Secretariat.

Human Resource Management and Team Leadership

• Recruit, manage and mentor staff within the Shared Secretariat in consultation with the relevant Unit Director of the CGIAR System Organization with responsibility for people management, ensuring compliance with the CGIAR System Organization’s human resource policies and procedures;
• Ensure the Shared Secretariat is constantly working as a high performing team, providing advisory services of the highest quality to the CGIAR System in an aligned and effective way;
• Develop clear shared priorities for Shared Secretariat staff, so that they have clarity around what is expected of them and how their work contributes to the wider team’s work and System goals;
• Ensure communications within the team are effective and working relationships supportive and productive, whilst also being aligned with the CGIAR System’s broader mission and vision;
• Build a performance culture within the Shared Secretariat, and provide opportunities for people to grow both personally and professionally; and
• Demonstrate leadership by providing inspiration, setting delivery and interpersonal engagement expectations, and establishing an environment that welcomes continuous improvement and alignment with the overall CGIAR mission and vision.

Governance and representation

• Ensure that appropriate governance frameworks and procedures are in place for the Shared Secretariat and monitor and annually assess their effectiveness;
• Ensure that decisions are made in accordance with agreed governance frameworks and procedures and that key stakeholders and other interested parties are kept informed and consulted where appropriate;
• Represent the Shared Secretariat at key meetings, ensuring that stakeholders are aware of Secretariat priorities, progress being made, and value delivered.

The Shared Secretariat will draw on operational support provided through the System Management Office in areas including, but not limited to, procurement, human resources and financial management.

3. Reporting

This role reports to the Chair of the ISDC regarding overall execution of the Secretariat’s work plan and budget. However, both the Chair of the ISDC and the Chair of SPIA must have input to and contribute to (as set out in the Terms of Reference of the Shared Secretariat):

• Secretariat work plans and operational deliverables;
• The Director’s performance assessment.

The Director of the Shared Secretariat has an administrative report to the Executive Director of the System Organization concerning compliance with internal operational and administrative policies arising from the co-location of the Shared Secretariat of the System Organization, whilst at all time acting with operational independence from the System Management Board and management of the System Organization in terms of day to day delivery of the Shared Secretariat’s work plan and budget.

4. Candidate profile

Education and experience

Essential
• Advanced University degree in biophysical or social sciences;
• At least 15 years post-qualification progressively more senior relevant experience, for example in managing research for development programs and projects, business management, foresight activities, impact assessment and/or evaluation;
• Demonstrated experience in providing strategic support and advice to governing bodies and committees;
• Excellent English, both written and spoken.

Desirable
• Qualification in business administration or evaluation;
• Experience of working in an international setting and of managing programs aimed at delivering outcomes for developing countries;
• Working proficiency (spoken and written) of another language is considered an advantage in terms of demonstrating cultural awareness of other cultures.

Skills and traits

Technical skills
• Strong understanding of the branches of science encompassed within the CGIAR System and their integration for impact;
• Commitment to multidisciplinary approaches to scientific work and ways of working;
• Strong understanding of foresight, horizon scanning, evaluation and impact assessment;
• Strong strategic, analytical, planning, budgeting, management and reporting skills;
• Excellent presentation and report writing skills;
• Good proficiency in the use of MS Windows-based software packages including word processing, PowerPoint, spreadsheets and databases.

Personal traits
• Ability to think strategically, and pragmatism to turn strategies into concrete actions;
• Outcome focused, with a strong commitment to ensuring their work contributes to bigger agreed goals;
• Ability to lead, inspire and effectively manage people in a multicultural work environment;
• Performance-orientated working style;
• Excellent diplomatic, communication and decision-making skills;
• Capacity to foster effective, collaborative relationships.

Job Email id: SMO-HR(at)cgiar.org
Download Attachment: Candidate Pack, Director of Shared Secretariat.pdf
Vacancy Announcement, Director of Shared Secretariat.pdf