Lead, Science of Scaling & Head, MELIA

About the Role

The Lead, Science of Scaling & Head, MELIA is a senior leadership position at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). This dual-purpose role is divided between providing strategic direction for the Science of Scaling (50%) and managing the institutional Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Impact Assessment (MELIA) framework (50%). The purpose of the role is to generate evidence from scaling and delivery efforts to inform effective interventions for African agriculture while ensuring rigorous data collection and performance tracking against the Institute's Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Key Responsibilities

Science of Scaling (50%)

• Framework Development: Lead the design and implementation of a Science of Scaling framework across IITA projects and programs.
• Strategic Leadership: Generate evidence-based lessons from scaling efforts to co-design effective interventions for the African agricultural context.
• Innovation Strategy: Identify scalable innovations and evaluate their readiness using the Innovation Packages and Scaling Readiness (IPSR) framework of the CGIAR.
• ME&L Mainstreaming: Integrate scaling frameworks into overall institutional monitoring and evaluation processes.
• Research Output: Lead strategic research on innovation scaling and publish results in high-impact, peer-reviewed international journals.
• Resource Mobilization: Spearhead the development of research proposals and fundraising activities.

Institutional MELIA (50%)

• Infrastructure Management: Develop and manage an institutional ME&L framework and infrastructure to support data collection across all programs.
• Performance Alignment: Align IITA's institutional KPIs with the CGIAR System Level Strategic Outcomes.
• Impact Evaluation: Coordinate with the impact assessment team to measure results and provide progress reports to management.
• Community of Practice: Lead the institute-wide ME&L Community of Practice, involving professionals from headquarters and regional hubs.
• External Representation: Represent IITA in CGIAR ME&L groups and regional communities of practice.
• Project Support: Assist program teams in building MEL plans that satisfy institutional and donor standards, including causal models and results frameworks.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Education: Ph.D. from a reputable university in agricultural innovation systems, agricultural extension, agricultural economics, development economics, or a related field.
• Experience: Minimum of 10 years of relevant work experience in scaling science, adoption and impact assessment, or broader socioeconomics research.
• Publication Record: An excellent track record of scientific publications in Thompson-indexed journals with impact factors.
• Leadership: Proven ability to lead multicultural teams and manage staff across various science areas.
• Technical Knowledge: Deep understanding of Africa's social, agricultural, and rural development challenges.
• Communication: Excellent written and oral English skills; proficiency in French is considered a distinct advantage.
• Skills: Experience in grant proposal writing, resource mobilization, and developing institutional ME&L systems.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should apply online via the IITA application portal on Workable. Ensure you provide your CV and details as requested in the application form.