Requirements/Qualifications

• PhD in Agricultural Economics, Data Science, Modelling, Geo-information or a related field.
  
• Minimum 12 years of relevant professional postdoctoral experience, including senior leadership roles.
  
• Demonstrated expertise in agricultural socioeconomics, including econometrics, qualitative and quantitative research methods, ranging from micro to macro-level.
  
• Demonstrated expertise in data and geo-information sciences, including remote sensing, Earth observation, and geo-statistics applied to agricultural (agro-natural), environmental, and health systems.
  
• Demonstrated experience in analytics, modelling, MEL, impact assessment, and digital decision-support systems.
  
• Experience in research-for-development settings, preferably in Africa.
  
• Strong analytical, quantitative, and modeling skills.
  
• Strong communication, negotiation, and partnership engagement skills.
  
• Proven track record in resource mobilization and managing donor relationships.
  
• Core Competencies and Attributes
  
• High integrity, strategic thinker, proactive doer, and strong problem-solving skills.
  
• Commitment to gender equity, youth inclusion, safeguarding, and ethical evidence collection.
  
• Ability to lead diverse teams and oversee complex programs.
  

Strategic leadership to the Integrated Data and Analytics Platform

• Provide strategic guidance of the Platform, aligned with icipe’s Vision and Strategy 2026-2030 framework.
  
• Lead the development and regular review of the Platform’s annual workplans and operational frameworks.
  
• Manage staffing, budget and performance throughout the Platform by promoting a culture of teamwork, innovation, accountability, gender equity and safeguarding.
  
• Foster strong collaboration with icipe’s other Platforms, Themes and Directorates.
  
• Build strong partnerships with key stakeholders to leverage icipe’s integrated data and analytics services and research.
  
• Position icipe as a continental leader in foresight, analytics and evidence generation for insectbased innovations.
  

Scientific leadership in socio-economic research

• Lead the design and implementation of a strong socio-economic research agenda (qualitative and quantitative; ex-ante and ex-post; micro and macro).
  
• Develop conceptual frameworks and practical methodologies for MEL and impact/livelihood/gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) analyses for icipe’s flagship projects.
  
• Integrate socio-economic analyses into multidisciplinary research programs related to agri-food systems, global health, environment and biodiversity, and climate change mitigation and adaptation, including bioeconomic modelling of insect-based innovations.
  
• Produce peer-reviewed publications and other high-quality outputs (reports, policy briefs, impact studies).
  

Scientific leadership in data science, modelling and geo-information

• Lead the development and implementation of advanced data science and modelling approaches to address complex agricultural, ecological, and socio-environmental challenges.
  
• Provide strategic direction for geospatial analytics, Earth observation, biostatistics, and spatial data management systems.
  
• Lead the integration of climate, ecological, biological, socio-economic, and remote sensing datasets into unified analytical pipelines and data platforms for informed decision making.
  
• Lead the design and deployment of scalable, data-driven digital advisory tools that integrate near-real-time geo-referenced datasets, predictive modelling, and artificial intelligence to deliver actionable, context-specific recommendations for researchers, policymakers, and end users.
  

Centre-wide MEL

• Lead the implementation of the Centre-wide result framework to assess annual and multi-year performance against established key performance indicators.
  
• Guide development and maintenance of digital tools, dashboards, data platforms and advisory systems.
  
• Ensure seamless integration of socio-economic data with other analytics to produce rigorous, multidimensional impact evidence for policy and investment decisions.
  
• Strengthen institutional learning, adaptive management, and evidence uptake across the Centre.
  

Resource mobilization and partnerships

• Lead in the contribution of the Integrated Data and Analytics Platform towards proposal development and resource mobilization.
  
• Establish and sustain strategic partnerships with key partners, including governments, donors, universities, regional organizations and the private sector.
  
• Represent icipe at scientific, policy and donor forums.