Job Purpose

To provide strategic leadership and oversight in research, innovation, training, and outreach programs, ensuring alignment with AICAD's mission to build human capacity for sustainable development across Africa. The Director will drive knowledge generation, partnerships, and dissemination of best practices to enhance institutional and community impact.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement strategies for research, innovation, training, and outreach in line with AICAD's strategic plan.
• Advise the Executive Director on emerging trends, policy directions, and program priorities.
• Lead the integration of research outputs into training and outreach initiatives.

2. Research & Innovation Management

• Oversee the design, implementation, and evaluation of research programs and projects.
• Promote applied and policy-relevant research addressing regional development challenges.
• Foster innovation ecosystems, including incubation of ideas, technologies, and best practices.
• Ensure quality assurance, ethical standards, and compliance in all research activities.

3. Training & Capacity Building

• Design and supervise capacity development programs, workshops, and professional training initiatives.
• Develop curricula and learning materials tailored to stakeholders including universities, governments, NGOs, and communities.
• Promote e-learning and blended learning approaches.

4. Outreach & Partnerships

• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with universities, governments, development agencies, the private sector, and communities.
• Lead outreach programs to disseminate research findings and promote the adoption of innovations.
• Represent AICAD in regional and international forums.

5. Resource Mobilization

• Demonstrate experience in project management, stakeholder engagement, networking, and resource mobilization.
• Identify funding opportunities and lead proposal development for research and training programs.
• Maintain a strong portfolio in raising funds through research grants and collaborations.
• Have developed at least five (5) large donor-funded proposals that have been successfully funded, serving as the Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Principal Investigator.

6. Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting

• Establish frameworks for monitoring and evaluating program impact.
• Prepare periodic technical and management reports for the Executive Director and stakeholders.
• Ensure documentation and knowledge management of all program activities.

7. Team Leadership & Administration

• Lead, mentor, and supervise multidisciplinary teams.
• Promote a culture of excellence, innovation, and accountability.
• Manage departmental budgets and resources effectively.

Qualifications and Requirements

Academic Qualifications

• PhD in Natural Resources Sciences, Social Sciences, or another relevant discipline from a recognized institution.
• Master's degree in Natural Resources Sciences, Social Sciences, or another relevant discipline from a recognized institution.
• Bachelor's degree in Natural Resources Sciences, Social Sciences, or an equivalent qualification from a recognized institution.
• Minimum of ten (10) peer-reviewed publications in ISI-indexed journals or internationally recognized book chapters, with at least five (5) published as the first author.
• Additional training in project management, leadership, or innovation will be an added advantage.

Professional Experience

• At least 10–12 years of relevant experience in research, training, or capacity development, including at least five (5) years in a senior leadership role.
• Proven track record in managing multidisciplinary research and training programs.
• Experience working with regional or international organizations or development agencies.

Core Competencies

• Strong strategic thinking and leadership skills.
• Demonstrated ability in research management and innovation systems.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and partnership-building skills.
• Proven experience in resource mobilization and grant management.
• Strong communication, report writing, and presentation skills.
• Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation frameworks.

Personal Attributes

• High level of integrity and professionalism.
• Results-oriented with strong organizational skills.
• Ability to work effectively in multicultural and multidisciplinary environments.
• Innovative, proactive, and adaptable to change.

• Develop and implement strategies for research, innovation, training, and outreach in line with AICAD's strategic plan.
• Advise the Executive Director on emerging trends, policy directions, and program priorities.
• Lead the integration of research outputs into training and outreach initiatives.
• Oversee the design, implementation, and evaluation of research programs and projects.
• Promote applied and policy-relevant research addressing regional development challenges.
• Foster innovation ecosystems, including incubation of ideas, technologies, and best practices.
• Ensure quality assurance, ethical standards, and compliance in all research activities.
• Design and supervise capacity development programs, workshops, and professional training initiatives.
• Develop curricula and learning materials tailored to stakeholders including universities, governments, NGOs, and communities.
• Promote e-learning and blended learning approaches.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with universities, governments, development agencies, the private sector, and communities.
• Lead outreach programs to disseminate research findings and promote the adoption of innovations.
• Represent AICAD in regional and international forums.
• Demonstrate experience in project management, stakeholder engagement, networking, and resource mobilization.
• Identify funding opportunities and lead proposal development for research and training programs.
• Maintain a strong portfolio in raising funds through research grants and collaborations.
• Establish frameworks for monitoring and evaluating program impact.
• Prepare periodic technical and management reports for the Executive Director and stakeholders.
• Ensure documentation and knowledge management of all program activities.
• Lead, mentor, and supervise multidisciplinary teams.
• Promote a culture of excellence, innovation, and accountability.
• Manage departmental budgets and resources effectively.

• Strategic thinking and leadership skills
• Research management and innovation systems
• Stakeholder engagement and partnership-building skills
• Resource mobilization and grant management
• Communication, report writing, and presentation skills
• Monitoring and evaluation frameworks

• PhD in Natural Resources Sciences, Social Sciences, or another relevant discipline from a recognized institution.
• Master's degree in Natural Resources Sciences, Social Sciences, or another relevant discipline from a recognized institution.
• Bachelor's degree in Natural Resources Sciences, Social Sciences, or an equivalent qualification from a recognized institution.
• Minimum of ten (10) peer-reviewed publications in ISI-indexed journals or internationally recognized book chapters, with at least five (5) published as the first author.
• Additional training in project management, leadership, or innovation will be an added advantage.
• At least 10–12 years of relevant experience in research, training, or capacity development, including at least five (5) years in a senior leadership role.
• Proven track record in managing multidisciplinary research and training programs.
• Experience working with regional or international organizations or development agencies.