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Opportunities

Junior Professional Officer - Genetic Resources and Food Security Policy Specialist, based in Nairobi, Kenya

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Title : IRS_AE, Genetic Resources & Food Security Policy Specialist, Nairobi
   
Description : Bioversity International (“Bioversity” for short) is the world’s largest organization undertaking research on agricultural biodiversity, dedicated to addressing global issues related to food security, poverty, climate change and environmental degradation. We are a nonprofit organization, active in over 100 countries worldwide, with more than 350 staff working from some 16 country offices. We are one of 15 centres of the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centres (CGIAR).
   
Process Status :  
   
Position Description : Click Here
   
Job Description : The Genetic Resources and Food Security Policy Specialist will provide scientific support to the Netherlands-financed project “Strengthening national capacities to implement the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources Project: Genetic Resources Policy Initiative (GRPI) Phase II”. The GRPI II project supports efforts in a number of countries, including Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, with complementary subregional level activities at the East African level, to implement the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources, with particular emphasis on the Treaty’s multilateral system of access of benefit sharing. The project dedicates particular attention to analyzing how the multilateral system can be implemented in ways to maximize its contribution to the food security. In this context, emphasis will be placed on a) ability to respond to climate change-related challenges to food security and b) developing capacity of farmers to participate directly in the multilateral system. The Associate Expert will work with teams of researchers comprised of national partners, and experts from Bioversity, CIAT, the Treaty Secretariat, and University of Reading, University of Illinois and the Catholic University of Louvain to: 1. Conduct ‘national interdependence and food security studies’ in the three countries. 2. Identify climate change-related challenges to agricultural production in the countries, and identify potential sources of genetic diversity as part of national strategies to adapt to those challenges. 3. Identify policy and legal options for implementation of the Treaty in ways that address bottlenecks and promote availability and use of germplasm for breeding and direct use in farmers fields. 4. Build capacity/empower farmers and farming organizations to take advantage of the multilateral system and direct participants in that system. 5. Organize activities to draw together participants from the different countries and international experts on an as-needs basis to compare project activity developments, build capacity, develop common research products. 6. Develop research and capacity building products, including peer reviewed publications, workshop reports, draft policies. - Training component: Learning elements and expectations (as per attachment) - Supervision: (as per attachment)
   
Minimum Qualification & Experience : Required Qualifications and Experience: Education: Master degree or equivalent degree in one of the following area: • Economics • Public policy • Sociology • Some other demonstrably relevant area of social science Working experience : • Preferably 2 to maximum 4 years of relevant working experience, including internships and voluntary work • Research experience in the areas of public policy making, with specialization in agriculture policy and food security; • Working experience in developing countries; • Working experience in East Africa is very desirable. Languages : Excellent Command of English; working knowledge of French is an advantage.
   
Skills & abilities : Key competencies • Ability to work in multicultural, multi-disciplinary teams. • Ability to contribute to the planning and implementation of research activities concerning public policy-making processes within countries.
   
Personal Qualities :  
   
Terms & Conditions : The Associate Expert will be located at Bioversity’s Sub-Saharan Africa office, located at the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) Campus in Gigiri at the northern outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya, next to the UNEP HQ and the US Embassy. Nairobi, located at 1660 m altitude, with a pleasant climate throughout the year, offers a good choice of shops, restaurants, entertainment, sports facilities and more. A range of housing options are available. Furnished houses are rare but furnished service apartments are available. General Security: Like many other growing cities/countries in the world, security of persons and property should not be taken for granted. Bioversity follows the regular security advice provided by ICRAF’s Security Officer and provides an allowance for residential security services. Having a car will be necessary. NOTE: this post is opened in the context of the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) scheme sponsored by the Government of the Netherlands and is addressed exclusively to candidates from developing countries – see criteria at the website of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs: http://www.minbuza.nl/en/key-topics/development-cooperation/associate-experts-programme
   
Applications : Please apply online through Bioversity Job Opportunities web page (http://www.bioversityinternational.org/about_us/job_opportunities.html) by clicking the “Apply” button, completing the online application and attaching the required information, no later than 20 May 2012. Please note that in the application you are required to provide the contact details (address, telephone number and e-mail address) of at least three referees, which Bioversity will contact for short listed applicants. Applicants will receive acknowledgement of receipt of their submission (submission will be confirmed by a pop-up message: CV successfully submitted). Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.