Regional Director - CWANA

Responsibilities

Strategic Representation and Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead ICARDA’s engagement with national agricultural research systems (NARS), government bodies, academic institutions, and regional policy actors.
• Represent ICARDA in high-level regional forums, intergovernmental meetings, and multi-stakeholder dialogues.
• Enhance ICARDA’s institutional visibility and relevance in regional hubs, particularly the UAE, positioning ICARDA as a trusted scientific and development partner.

Regional Program Support and Delivery Oversight

• Facilitate the alignment of ICARDA’s research activities with regional priorities and country-specific development strategies.
• Coordinate implementation of regional research initiatives supporting operational delivery, technical coherence, and cross-country synergies.
• Facilitate cross-country collaboration, staff deployment, and technical coherence across projects.
• Monitor performance of regional programs, ensuring timely reporting, planning inputs, and quality assurance to institutional systems.

Partnership Strengthening

• Foster and expand partnerships with multilateral and regional partners, including regional development banks, agricultural platforms, and UN agencies.
• Work closely with Communications and Knowledge Management teams to amplify visibility and impact of research outputs.
• Collaborate with Resource Mobilization unit to map funding opportunities and support donor engagement.

Institutional Coordination

• Serve as the primary liaison between headquarters and country offices in the region, ensuring effective communication and strategic alignment.
• Contribute to institutional planning by identifying regional opportunities, risks, and adaptive measures.
• Ensure regional compliance with ICARDA policies, operational protocols, and reporting standards, promoting accountability and excellence.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in agriculture, natural resources, international development, or a related field
• Minimum 20 years of progressively responsible experience, including at least 15 years in a senior leadership role managing regional programs, partnerships, or stakeholder engagement in an international context, especially in the Gulf
• Proven ability to work effectively in diverse regional settings with strong diplomatic, political, and cultural sensitivity
• Demonstrated experience managing relationships with government agencies, donors, regional bodies, and research institutions
• Track record of leading regional coordination or partnership development in complex organizations
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills in English and Arabic
• Familiarity with regional priorities and political landscapes in the target geography (CWANA, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia)
• Experience supporting regional advocacy, visibility campaigns, or joint programming with intergovernmental agencies
• Work experience in similar international research or development organizations
• Proficiency in additional languages will be an added advantage

Benefits

• Attractive, internationally competitive salary (paid in USD)
• Housing allowance
• Non-contributory retirement plan
• Medical insurance
• Leave provisions (annual leave and paid leave)
• Initial 3-year contract (renewable subject to satisfactory performance)
• First year is a probationary period

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. Applications must be submitted in English.

About the Company

The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is an autonomous, non-profit research organization backed by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

ICARDA’s mission is to reduce poverty, enhance food, water, and nutritional security, and promote environmental health, meeting global challenges including climate change through innovative science and strategic partnerships. The organization collaborates with governments, universities, civil society, other CGIAR centers, and private sectors. Headquartered temporarily in Beirut, Lebanon, ICARDA has a regional and country office footprint across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.