The Organization

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.

With novel partnerships, the Alliance generates evidence and mainstreams innovations to transform food systems and landscapes so that they sustain the planet, drive prosperity, and nourish people.

The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future.

Background

Through the development of CGIAR FOCUS Climate Security, CGIAR aims to unpack the linkages- and address knowledge gaps- with regard to the relationship between climate change and food security to leverage CGIAR expertise for peace and security outcomes. Using a multidisciplinary methodological approach, our main objective is to generate and align climate security-sensitive climate, land, food, and water systems science and evidence with ongoing efforts to address socio-political security, stability, and peace in the realms of policy, programming, and finance.

About the position

CGIAR FOCUS Climate Security is looking for a Climate, Migration, Peace, and Security Policy Scientist. The purpose of this position is to ensure that high-quality research on climate-related security risks, migration, and climate action-peace opportunities, systematically influences policies, programmes, and investments globally, regionally, and nationally. Specifically, this position will contribute to increased understanding and evidence of the potential for climate change adaptation efforts, in general, and CGIAR research to contribute to peacebuilding and stability. This position will work directly with policymakers, researchers, and donors to strengthen the climate security sensitivity of governance processes, policies, programs, and investments.

With a strong background in political science, peace, conflict, and climate studies, and related qualitative analysis, the successful candidate will contribute to the following research areas:

1. Evidence 4 Climate Security and Migration: Understanding the complexity of climate, migration, and security for informed decision-making that is gender sensitive and socially equitable. This research area will help unpack the main impact pathways that link climate, migration, agriculture, and security in different geographies to enrich our knowledge of the complex, context-specific, socially variable, and dynamic pathways through which climate affects the risk of conflict.
2. Programming 4 Climate Security and Migration: Developing climate security and migration-sensitive operations in agricultural settings. The main goal of this component is to develop a global framework to inform the design and implementation of integrated programming at regional, national, and subnational levels improving interventions, research, policies, and investments to mitigate and prevent conflicts, forced migration, reduce people’s inequalities and vulnerabilities, increase resilience and leverage positive aspects of migration.
3. Policy 4 Climate Security and Migration: Articulating the role of food systems in a climate crisis for policies and frameworks. This research area aims to engage with communities, civil society, and governing actors across multiple scales of governance to assess andimprove the coherence, integration, and performance of policies within climate-related, migration, and security domains.
4. Finance 4 Climate Security and Migration: Leveraging finance by aligning objectives and incentives along the Humanitarian Development and Peace Nexus. This research area aims to identify and prioritize climate adaptation investments that have the greatest peace potential to align climate adaptation and peace and security objectives of governments and donors.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Science-Policy interface research area aiming at generating outcomes globally, regionally, and nationally by ensuring that CGIAR research is used by partners to design policies, programmes, and investments.
• Lead the Programming and Finance for Peace research areas aiming at designing tools and designing innovations to improve the climate security sensitivity of projects, programmes, and financial investments.
• Lead the Regional CGIAR FOCUS Climate Security research and policy engagement in West and Central Africa
• Supervise, mentor, and manage Climate Security Specialists, including supporting, promoting, and disseminating their research.
• Design, conducting, writing, and disseminating high-quality research and communicating research findings through research papers, journal articles, reports, policy briefs, and other outlets
• Network with relevant researchers, policymakers, and civil society actors at national, regional, and international levels
• Fundraising and proposal writing for research activities.
• Report/communicate to supervisor and donors and discover/respond to tendering processes
• Support global and regional partnerships by managing and developing institutional relationships and joint initiatives with select country offices and regional bureaus

Qualifications and requirements:

• A Ph.D. Degree in Political Science, Economics, Peace and Conflict Studies, International Development, Migration, or related fields
• At least 5 years of experience as a researcher initiating and carrying out their own research projects on issues related to climate, migration, and security risks and experience in managing researchers or research assistants.
• Extensive experience with international research for applied research and development programs
• Extensive experience in international, multi-cultural settings and in interacting with researchers, policymakers, donors, and civil society across a wide range of contexts
• Strong knowledge of issues relating to climate-related security risks, either more broadly or in-depth to a specific sub-area (e.g., peace and conflict, development, migration, or organizational responses).
• Strong knowledge of qualitative research methods.
• Good knowledge of the multilateral system, preferably the United Nations, African Union, or the Regional Economic Communities within Africa
• A record of publications commensurate with the length of time worked in research.
• Proven ability to work and deliver when leading teams.
• Ease of working in oral and written English and French, with further language proficiency being an advantage.
• Excellent report writing, communication, and project management skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team-oriented, multicultural environment
• Strong conceptual thinking to develop innovative research approaches

Terms of employment

This is an internationally recruited position, and it will be based in Dakar, Senegal. The initial contract will be for up to two (2) years, subject to a probation period of six (6) months, and is renewable depending on performance and availability of resources. This position is graded at level BG09 (on a scale of 14 levels, BG14 being the highest level).

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT offers a multicultural, collegial research environment with competitive salary and excellent benefits. We are an equal opportunity employer, and strive for gender, diversity, and inclusion in our staff, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, or any other characteristic.

How to apply

Applications

Applicants are invited to visit (https://alliancebioversityciat.org/careers) to get full details of the position and to submit their applications. Applications MUST include reference Ref: 103081 Climate, Migration, Peace, and Security Policy Scientist as the position applied for. Application and CV should be saved as one document using the candidate’s last name, first name for ease of sorting.

Note: The Alliance does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, or training). The Alliance also does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.

Applications closing date: 19th June 2023

Please note that email applications will not be considered.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.