Executive Manager: Advanced Agriculture and Food Cluster (Five-Year Contract) at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

About the job:

The CSIR has a vacancy for an Executive Manager: Advanced Agriculture and Food Cluster. The incumbent will provide strategic direction, drive the leadership, strategy development and implementation, financial sustainability, capability development, performance, operations and governance within the Advanced Agriculture and Food Cluster in line with the trends and opportunities and needs of the agriculture, agroprocessing, food and related industries, and in alignment with the CSIR strategy, vision and mission. He/she will lead the research, development localisation, and commercialisation of technologies and knowledge solutions from a sound scientific and technological base. The incumbent will utilise market insights to inform our scientific and technological development and take our products and innovations to the market. The incumbent will also be accountable for in-depth stakeholder engagement in the private and public sectors in the advanced agriculture and food related industries. The incumbent will act as a role model, embracing and demonstrating the professional and ethical values and purpose of the CSIR. This position is based in Pretoria.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead and provide strategic direction to the Advanced Agriculture and Food Cluster;
• Drive alignment of the Advanced Agriculture and Food Cluster strategy with the trends, needs and opportunities of the agriculture, agroprocessing, food and related industries and other stakeholders;
• Account for the financially sustainability, profit and loss of the cluster;
• Ensure that cluster operations are managed effectively, and that there is timely and accurate reporting;
• Invest allocated grants guided by divisional priorities and CSIR strategy to effectively leverage income from other sources and to build strategic capabilities for current and future competitiveness of the advanced agriculture and food related industries;
• Maintain a balanced portfolio of research, development and commercialisation per divisional priorities and organisation vision;
• Drive collaboration with parties in the national system of innovation, and leading relevant parties globally;
• Account for cluster quality, health, safety and impact;
• Lead in-depth stakeholder engagement in industry and public sector;
• Ensure cluster compliance with all CSIR policies and relevant legislation;
• Live CSIR values; foster a culture of collaboration within and between divisions.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A Doctoral degree in agriculture, biosciences, food, bioprocess engineering or related qualification. In addition, a business-related qualification will be an added advantage.
• At least five years senior management experience in a Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) and commercialisation industry or leading Research and Technology Organisation (RTO).
• Proven track record of managing minimum annual budget of R100 million linked to RDI initiatives in industry or leading RTO.
• Proven track record of successful IP commercialisation.
• Evidence of high-level stakeholder management, advanced agriculture and food industry related networks.
• Excellent communicator with strong, demonstrable business acumen; and
• Demonstrated experience of strong people management and organisational development skills.
• All inernational qualifications require an evaluation report / certificate issued by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).

Closing date: 31 July 2023