Managing Director, Asia

SRI Executive Search has been contracted by The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) to assist with the search for an exceptional candidate to fill the position of Managing Director, Asia.

About The Alliance

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives in a climate crisis.

Climate change, biodiversity loss, environmental degradation, and malnutrition.

These four interconnected global crises have put at stake the wellbeing of our planet for years. Fueled by COVID-19, their impact on agriculture, landscapes, biodiversity, and humans is now stronger than ever.

Reversing this negative trend is a challenge, but also an opportunity for bold choices and integrated solutions.

Established in 2019, The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) was created to address these four crises, maximizing impact for change at key points in the food system.

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT is a CGIAR Research Centre. CGIAR is a global research partnership for a food-secure future.

For more information, visit: www.alliancebioversityciat.org/.

Role Purpose

Reporting to the Director General, the Managing Director, Asia provides strategic leadership for the Alliance's research-for-development agenda and institutional presence across the Asia region. The role is accountable for shaping and implementing an integrated regional strategy that advances scientific impact, strengthens partnerships, and enhances organizational sustainability in alignment with the Alliance Strategy and CGIAR priorities.

Working in close collaboration with Research Leadership, Global Directors of Strategic

Partnerships and Engagement, People and Organizational Development, Business Operations and Finance, Head of the Legal Office and other corporate functions, the Managing Director cultivates and stewards strategic relationships with governments, research organizations, development partners, the private sector, funders and investors, and regional stakeholders to advance the Alliance's mission. The role identifies and develops regional partnership and resource mobilization opportunities, contributing to the Alliance's institutional priorities through coordinated engagement and pipeline development.

As the Alliance's senior representative in Asia, coordinating with the Director General and global functions, the Managing Director promotes the organization's visibility, reputation, and influence across the region, ensuring coherent institutional positioning while fostering collaboration across regional and global teams. The role also provides leadership for cross-functional coordination to enable effective regional delivery of the Alliance's research and development objectives.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Purpose

What is the focus of the job encompassing the scope, depth, and difficulty of the work. It includes the geographical scope of the work (country, Region, global).

• Lead the execution of the Alliance's Strategy in Asia, aligning research, institutional priorities, and operational capabilities to address priorities of countries and maximize impact across the region.
• Guide the implementation of regional engagement, partnership, and resource mobilization priorities in alignment with institutional strategies, contributing to sustainable growth and long-term impact.
• Strengthening the Alliance's positioning and influence across Asia by cultivating strategic relationships with governments, research institutions, development organizations, CGIAR entities, the private sector and other regional stakeholders.
• Provide strategic leadership for the Alliance's regional presence by fostering an integrated operating environment that enables effective collaboration between research, corporate functions, and regional teams.
• Ensure the effective stewardship of regional operations, governance, enterprise risk management, compliance, business continuity, institutional reputation, and organizational resources in alignment with Alliance policies and governance frameworks.

Engagement

Responsibilities related to internal and external interaction with different parties (employees, colleagues, supervisors, donors, organizations, stakeholders, beneficiaries, etc.), according to the scope of the position.

• Partner with Research Leadership, the Global Directors of Strategic Partnerships and Engagement, People and Organizational Development, Business Operations and Finance, Head of the Legal Office and other corporate functions to ensure effective collaborati