CGIAR Impact Ventures Project Coordination Consultant

Start Date: By 01 September 2026

End Date: 31 December 2026 renewable contingent to performance and budget

Contract Type: Consultancy

Deadline for Applications: 17 August 2026 by 11:59 pm CEST

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Introduction

CGIAR Impact Ventures (CGIV) is a system-wide revenue-generation initiative endorsed by the CGIAR System Council in December 2025. CGIV aims to generate financial returns from the responsible commercialization of CGIAR science and innovations, and to reinvest those returns in CGIAR’s research mission.

The CGIV design workstream is led by the CGIAR System Organization's Donor Relations & Business Development (DRBD) function and supported by an external design consultancy. As CGIV enters its formal design phase, DRBD requires a Consultant to work alongside and directly support the CGIV Lead.

The role combines analytical contributions with project administration, secretariat services, and administrative support functions required to keep a fast-moving, multi-stakeholder initiative organized and on track. Working under the direction of the CGIV Lead, the Consultant contributes to research, analysis, drafting, governance preparation, stakeholder engagement, meeting management, follow-up, and administrative coordination. The role suits a highly organized, resourceful, and results-oriented professional, who is equally comfortable in project management, preparing analytical and governance materials, and in providing reliable administrative and secretariat services. The role is expected to evolve alongside CGIV through launch and early operations.

Requirements

Scope of Work

The consultant works under the guidance of the CGIV Lead across four workstreams: (1) project management support; (2) analytical and design contributions; (3) governance and reporting contributions; and (4) coordination, secretariat and administrative services. The balance across these shifts with CGIV priorities, and the consultant is expected to move fluidly between them.

This is a CGIAR-side support role and does not duplicate the design consultancy's contracted scope. The design consultancy is responsible for its own project management and workplan, and for the diagnostic, benchmarking, market, financial, legal, and governance analysis that underpins the CGIV design. The Consultant's analytical work is limited to supporting complementary design work, and to synthesizing and quality-assuring consultancy outputs, facilitating the working relations between the design consultancy and CGIAR stakeholders, and preparing CGIAR's own governance and decision materials. Coordination and project work cover CGIAR's side of the engagement.

• Workstream 1: Project Management Support

- Develop, maintain and monitor project timelines covering major CGIV milestones and deliverables.

- Track project progress against established workplans and schedules, identify potential delays, risks, and facilitate timely follow-up on actions.

- Maintain and update the CGIV risk register and stakeholder engagement tracker, and related project management tools to support effective planning, coordination and reporting.

- Coordinate CGIAR consultations, internal reviews, and external stakeholder engagements, ensuring alignment, information flow, and timely follow-up of agreed actions.

• Workstream 2: Analytical and Design Contributions

- Conduct research, information gathering, and structured (AI-enabled) analysis to support CGIV project activities and decision-making.

- Review, consolidate, and quality-assure information, reports, and outputs produced by the design consultancy and other contributors to ensure consistency, completeness, and alignment with project requirements.

- Prepare background materials, summaries, presentations, and other supporting documentation for internal and external stakeholders.

- Contribute to internal analyses and information requests required to advance the design phase.

• Workstream 3: Governance and Reporting Contributions

- Draft, compile, and edit CGIV reports, briefing materials, presentations, and communications to support reporting requirements.

- Prepare draft governance and leadership meeting materials including slide decks, briefing notes, and other supporting documentation.

- Maintain records of governance submissions, decisions, action items, and supporting documentation, ensuring accuracy, accessibility, and compliance with established procedures.

- Review CGIV outputs for consistency, completeness, quality standards, and alignment of messaging.

• Coordination, secretariat and administrative services

- Provide integrated secretariat and administrative support for CGIV related meetings involving CGIAR governance bodies, CGIAR Centers, the CGIV Coordination Group, the Expert Input & Sounding Board, the design consultancy, and other relevant stakeholders, including scheduling, agenda preparation, decision logs, and action trackers.

- Facilitate coordination among internal and external stakeholders, ensuring effective information sharing, and timely follow-up.

- Maintain and update CGIV project management systems, trackers, databases, dashboards, and documentation repositories, ensuring information remains current, accurate, and organized.

- Ensure effective document management, version control, records management, and compliance with confidentiality requirements.

- Coordinate calendar management, logistical arrangements, travel coordination, and related administrative arrangements for the CGIV Lead and associated CGIV activities.

Working model

The consultant is engaged as an independent provider of the services set out in this ToR and reports to the CGIV Lead. Working relationships are task-based and arise from the deliverables, including coordination with (i) the DRBD Director and DRBD team; (ii) relevant CGIAR SO functions such as Legal, Finance or Communications; (iii) the CGIV design consultancy; and (iv) relevant CGIAR stakeholders and external partners. The assignment is performed remotely.

Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum requirements:

- Advanced degree (Master's or equivalent) in a relevant field such as international development, public policy, business, agricultural economics, or related discipline.

- At least 5-6 years of relevant professional experience combining project management, stakeholder engagement, and operational coordination.

- Excellent organizational skills, managing calendars, deadlines, priorities, action trackers, documentation systems, and stakeholder follow-up with a high degree of reliability.

- Strong project management capability, including maintaining workplans, tracking milestones, and coordinating with multiple contributors.

- Strong written communication skills in English, able to produce executive-quality documents, briefing notes, and presentations for senior audiences.

- Strong PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Teams/SharePoint skills.

- Fluency in English (working language); working proficiency in Spanish or French is an advantage.

- Attention to detail; able to catch inconsistencies, factual errors, or logical gaps in materials produced by others.

- Comfort with agile, iterative working.

• Assets

- Prior experience in or with international organizations, particularly research organizations, multilaterals, or foundations.

- Exposure to a strategic, development or management consultancy environment.

- Familiarity with CGIAR, agricultural research systems, or food systems policy.

- Prior exposure to commercialization, technology transfer, or intellectual property in a research or public-good context.

- Experience assisting governance and executive leadership processes.

- Demonstrated use of AI tools.

Deliverables

Given the iterative nature of the assignment, deliverables are organized as recurring output packages and milestone, or request-triggered outputs, produced on the cadences below and against agreed scope. Illustrative deliverables:

Recurring (expected, monthly):

- Meeting outputs: scheduling, agendas, background materials, decision-logs.

- Updates to the CGIV roadmap workbook and trackers.

- A brief monthly activity report accompanying each invoice.

Governance-cycle-triggered:

- Inputs for read-ahead materials.

- Decision packages for CGIV submissions to CGIAR governance and leadership bodies (slides, briefing notes, cover memos, etc.).

Milestone- and request-triggered:

- Analytical inputs – research notes, synthesis, and structured summaries against design-related requests.

- Pilot documentation – concept notes, workplans, tracking dashboards, reporting materials, as pilots progress towards implementation.

Specific outputs, scope, and timing within each category will be agreed periodically between the consultant and the CGIV Lead.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

- Quality of Work: deliverables met the executive-quality standard on first or second submission (accuracy, completeness, clarity).

- Timeliness: milestone deliverables on or before target date; ongoing outputs within agreed turnaround times.

- Judgement: proactively flags issues, risks, and inconsistencies; contributes analytical challenge, not only execution.

- Stakeholder feedback: positive feedback from DRBD colleagues, the design consultancy, and other relevant stakeholders.

- Confidentiality and professionalism: no breaches; consistent handling of sensitive information; discretion in all internal and external interactions.

- Adherence to budget: level of effort tracked accurately against invoiced days; no scope creep without formal agreement.

Evaluation Criteria

The selection process should prioritize candidates who demonstrate the combination required for this assignment: analytical judgement, project management reliability, coordination discipline, and strong written communication. Proposed criteria include:

(i) relevant experience in analytical, project coordination, consulting, or program management roles;

(ii) quality of written application and sample outputs, including clarity, structure, judgement, and attention to detail;

(iii) demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, stakeholders, deadlines, and follow-up systems;

(iv) analytical capability, including the ability to synthesize complex information and identify implications, risks, and gaps; and,

(v) demonstrated judgement, responsiveness, discretion, and fit with a fast-moving environment.

Benefits

All applications must be submitted online by clicking the 'Apply' button below before 11:59 PM CET on 17 August 2026.

If you require assistance or face challenges in submitting your application, please email smo-bidding@cgiar.org with the position title in the subject line. Applications submitted through smo-bidding@cgiar.org will NOT be accepted.

Please ensure your resume and cover letter are in English and does not contain your marital status, age, or photograph. Documents provided in a language other than English will not be considered.

CGIAR is committed to fair, safe, and inclusive workplaces. We believe that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. We offer a multi-cultural, multi-color, multi-generational, and multi-disciplinary, collegial working environment. We consciously create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character and commitment to gender equity. We, therefore, encourage applicants from all cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, and gender identities.

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

We look forward to hearing from you!