Director, Dryland Crops Program

About the role

CIMMYT is seeking a visionary leader to head its Dryland Crops Program (DCP). Based in Dakar, Senegal, the Director will steer a globally recognised initiative that advances resilient dryland agricultural systems through scientific excellence, partnership development, and seed system strengthening.

Key responsibilities

• Define and implement the scientific agenda for the DCP, ensuring relevance to evolving dryland farming needs.
• Translate research breakthroughs into farmer‑adopted solutions that improve climate resilience, productivity and livelihoods.
• Lead capacity‑building activities and strengthen seed systems across target regions.
• Forge and deepen strategic partnerships with research institutions, governments, development agencies and the private sector.
• Mobilise resources and manage program budgets to achieve impact at scale.

Required profile

• Proven senior leadership experience in agricultural research or related development programmes.
• Strong scientific credibility in dryland crops, plant breeding or agronomy.
• Demonstrated ability to build and manage multi‑stakeholder partnerships.
• Track record of delivering large‑scale impact in low‑resource environments.

Required skills

• Plant breeding
• Seed system development
• Crop science
• Agricultural research management

What we offer

• Opportunity to shape global agricultural resilience strategies.
• Leadership role within a leading CGIAR research centre.
• Collaborative, mission‑driven work environment.