Senior Manager, Special Projects and P&C Business Partner

Organization Unit: People and Culture (P&C)

Reports to: Director, People and Culture

Location: This position will be based in a CGIAR Center in the Global South (LMIC) in a duty station to be determined. Montpellier, shown above, is a default system setting and not the confirmed duty station.

Grade: SO6 / CG11

Date Published: 15 January 2025

Closing Date for Applications: 6 February 2025 at 9am CET

About CGIAR

CGIAR is a global research partnership for a food-secure future. CGIAR science is dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services. Its research is conducted closely with hundreds of partners, including national and regional research institutes, civil society organizations, academia, development organizations, and the private sector.

About the position

CGIAR has an ambitious agenda to deliver science and innovation and advance the transformation of food, land, and water systems to deliver diverse, healthy, safe, sufficient, and affordable diets, and ensure improved livelihoods and greater social equality. CGIAR operates as a matrix with each Center having its own governance and leadership structure operating alongside the integrated governance and leadership arrangements of CGIAR as a whole.  

The People and Culture (P&C) Unit provides thought and operational leadership to the CGIAR System Organization (SO) on strategic direction and specialized services to management and staff regarding talent management. The P&C unit works very closely with the Gender Diversity and Inclusion function to embed aspects of culture, diversity and inclusion into P&C policies and practices. The Unit develops and implements P&C strategies, policies and systems that support the mission of the System Organization. Working in close collaboration with the CGIAR P&C Community of Practice, and guided by the outcome of the ICI deliberations, the Unit supports the development and implementation of P&C initiatives and projects that aim to facilitate integration and collaboration across CGIAR Centers. This includes generating and promoting the adoption of best practices, harmonization of P&C policies and practices, processes improvement across-Centers, monitoring implementation, reporting on progress, and anticipating and mitigating risks. The P&C Unit also provides advice on and supports the processes related to the staffing and people management aspects of the science programs and accelerators.  

Reporting to the Director, P&C, the Senior Manager, Special Projects and P&C Business Partner , working closely with CGIAR P&C Community of Practice, and guided by the outcome of the ICI Forum priorities, actively supports the development and implementation of P&C initiatives and projects that aim to facilitate integration and collaboration across CGIAR Centers and the System Organization. This includes substantive contributions to proposals development, tracking progress and reporting on implementation, assessing risks and proposing mitigation measures. In particular, he or she will be responsible for providing advice on and support to the processes related to the staffing and people management aspects of the science programs and accelerators.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide a range of P&C services to the CGIAR research portfolio programs and accelerators, develop and manage a consolidated P&C dashboard for analysis and reporting purposes. 
• Advise on Leveraging specialist capacities from the P&C Community of Practice, external advice and other relevant stakeholders, help identify, support and track progress on opportunities for cross-Centers policies and processes integration, for shared services, or areas for enhanced collaboration, aligned with CGIAR business needs and priorities, as established by the ICI Forum.  
• In collaboration with the P&C Community of practice,, consolidate ideas and concepts on the design of integrated People and Culture initiatives/shared services or areas for enhanced collaboration into practical solutions driven by meaningful business cases. 
• Working closely with the P&C Community of Practice, organize and monitor the implementation of ICI-approved People and Culture initiatives, identifying risks and proposing mitigation measures, tracking and regularly reporting on progress to the Director, People and Culture  
• Proactively engage with research portfolio leads to understand their P&C needs, provide guidance and help find solutions.  
• Catalyze and consolidate the exchange of ideas, development of innovative solutions through effective collaboration with the People and Culture Community of Practice, other relevant stakeholders, and leverage external expertise as needed to resolve priority operational challenges and take advantage of emerging opportunities.  
• Build support and advise members of the ICI Forum and the GLT, to ensure efficient and effective implementation of prioritized  business cases.  
• Effectively manage and inspire a small team, developing and expanding capabilities, promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing and standards of excellence, and empowering the team to achieve their goals. 
• Develop annual workplans and budgets for own areas of responsibility. 
• Establish and track relevant KPIs and metrics that link to the P&C priorities and identify and mitigate operating risks.  
• Establish quality standards that meet clients’ needs on the delivery of services to identify and bridge potential gaps. 
• Establish effective and efficient processes that facilitate effective collaboration with Centers’ P&C and other relevant stakeholders.

Education and Experience

• Advanced university degree in human resources, business administration/management, organizational development, industrial relations, or related fields. 

• Knowledge of P&C theories and concepts and experience in applying them in complex organizational contexts. 

• Proven experience in organizing and providing high-quality P&C services to business units in complex, geographically dispersed and multicultural organizations.  

• In-depth knowledge of People and Culture shared services models and understanding of the challenges and opportunities related to the implementation of such models. 

• Excellent analytical project management skills. 

• Demonstrated understanding and commitment to creating a working environment that is respectful and inclusive.  

• Proven ability to inspire and develop teams and manage talent, with the strong commitment to promote diversity, knowledge sharing, and talent development.  

• Strategic thinking, with the ability to plan and to assess and mitigate risks.  

• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills to build trust and effectively engage and collaborate with diverse stakeholders in a multicultural work environment to deliver concrete results. 

• Uphold the highest ethical standards by inspiring trust and treating all people with respect.     

Key Competences

• Substantive knowledge: Demonstrated Capacity gained through experience and reflecting subject mastery in human resources.

• Communication skills: Demonstrated Skill gained through varied exposure/experience in presentation/promotion. 

• Execution skills: Demonstrated Achievement in the execution/delivery of multi-step/layered programs/services. 

Languages

Excellent spoken and written English. A working knowledge of an additional language such as Spanish, French, or Arabic is an advantage.  

The selected staff member will be offered terms and conditions commensurate with the grade of the position.

Submitting Your Application

If you face challenges in submitting your application, please email recruitment@cgiar.org with the position title in the subject line.