About us:CIMMYT is a cutting edge, non-profit, international organization dedicated to solving tomorrow's problems today. It is entrusted with fostering improved quantity, quality, and dependability of production systems and basic cereals such as maize, wheat, triticale, sorghum, millets, and associated crops through applied agricultural science, particularly in the General South, through building strong partnerships. This combination enhances the livelihood trajectories and resilience of millions of resource-poor farmers, while working towards a more productive, inclusive, and resilient agrifood system within planetary boundaries.For more information, visit cimmyt.org.Purpose: Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Systems Development and Scalingportfolio of SAS, so that tested innovations are adopted at scale and contribute measurably toCIMMYT 2030 strategy, providing feedback and insights to improve innovation developmentwithin CIMMYT's Discovery portfolios.Key accountabilities1. Systems Development and Scaling vision and strategy: Define and execute the SystemDevelopment strategy for SAS, aligned with CIMMYT's Excellence in Science andInnovation objectives, identifying high impact opportunity innovations, innovationcombinations, countries and pathways using scaling science tools and approachestogether with cost-benefit evidence. Strengthen coherence across country and regionalprojects so that investments build lasting institutional capacity and systems change.2. Systems and scaling science: Contribute to research in scaling science, aligning outcomedelivery with tangible and high-value monitoring and learning.3. Delivery pathways: Embed innovations in public delivery systems (policy, extension,seed systems) and in market and enterprise systems (private distribution, value chains,digital platforms). Promote viable delivery models and partner ownership that cancontinue beyond project funding.4. Finance: Build the investment case and pipeline to align innovations with governmentprograms, development banks, climate finance, and private capital.5. Enabling environment: Identify and co-develop opportunities to alleviate policy,regulatory,



and institutional barriers to innovation adoption, working with nationalpartners.6. Partnerships and influence: Build equitable, long-term, impact-oriented partnershipswith national agricultural research systems, universities, private sector players,international centers, non-governmental organizations, and international agencies.Advocate for CIMMYT's agenda in international forums and promote its outputs.7. Inclusion and safeguards: Ensure system development and scaling activities activelyconsider broad inclusion of beneficiaries, document and mitigate barriers toparticipation and benefit sharing, agree safeguards and accountability arrangementswith partners and relevant institutional functions, and manage legal, and intellectualproperty in partner agreements.8. Funding and results: Lead and contribute to fundraising through projects, institutionalpartnerships, donor and private-sector engagement. Set targets and actively monitorscaling implementation and impacts.9. Talent and operations: Mentor and lead multi-country, transdisciplinary teams; overseebudgeting, resource allocation and compliance; manage delivery, financial andreputational risk. Set objectives and review performance for direct reports, buildsuccessor capacity, and work with Program Managers and Finance to monitorcommitments, partner delivery and cost recovery.10. Interface with Discovery Research: Agree readiness criteria with the Discovery projectleads and wider CIMMYT research programs, and feed field evidence, farmer feedbackand demand signals back into research priorities.11. Support the SAS Director in program-wide planning.Key outputs:



An annual Systems Development and Scaling workplan and budget; a fundedportfolio with outcome targets and learning milestones; viable delivery and financing pathwayswith agreed partner responsibilities; evidence of sustained adoption and benefits; anddocumented feedback to Discovery.Requirements• PhD (or master's with exceptional experience) in agricultural or development economics,sustainable development, agricultural systems, rural development, agroecology, publicpolicy or a related field.• At least 10 years of distinguished leadership in agricultural development, scaling orprogram delivery in an international research or development organization, academia orindustry.• Proven interdisciplinary and cross-sector team leadership across multiple countries.Demonstrated experience across project design, implementation, performancemanagement and evaluation, with evidence of sustained outcomes through public,private or civil-society delivery systems.• Demonstrated success in securing funding, including public, development and privatefinance, and managing largeThe position will be based at a CIMMYT office in Latin America, Asia or Africa.BenefitsThe 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 home travel airfare, contribution to a retirement plan, and generous assistance with relocation shipment.Candidates must apply online. Applications must include a CV with contact details (telephone and email address) of 3 work-related references along with the confirmation that Recruitment can contact them) and a cover letter. Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.Internal applications could be considered in line with internal eligibility guidance, please contact HR for more information.This position will remain open until filled.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.

📌 Associate Program Director: Systems Development and Scaling (Texcoco)
🏢 Cimmyt
📍 Texcoco