Compliance and Intellectual Assets Manager

(Ref.: 13-16 CIAM/IRS/HQ)

The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking a Compliance and Intellectual Assets Manager with a high level of commitment to be responsible for managing the governance and compliance aspects of the CGIAR framework agreement obligations; and for establishing and managing the Centre’s and RTB’s systems for managing their intellectual assets.

The Center: CIP is a not-for-profit international agricultural research-for-development organization with a focus on potato, sweet potato, and Andean roots and tubers. Its vision is of roots and tubers improving the lives of the poor. CIP is dedicated to achieving food security, improved well-being, and gender equity for poor people in root and tuber farming and food systems of the developing world. CIP works with partners to contribute high quality science, technology, and capacity strengthening for sustainable science-based solutions. CIP is headquartered in Lima, Peru, with staff and activities in over 30 locations across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. CIP is a member of the CGIAR Consortium.

The CGIAR’s vision is to reduce poverty and hunger, improve human health and nutrition and enhance ecosystem resilience through high-quality international agricultural research, partnership and leadership. The CGIAR Research Program on Roots,Tubers and Bananas (RTB) is led by CIP with Bioversity International, the International Center for tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and includes a wide spectrum of research for development stakeholders. This new collaboration, with its combined scale and capacity, will increase the ability to advance research, share knowledge, and enhance uptake to increase research and development impacts with RTB crops. The purpose of the RTB is to exploit the underutilized potential of root, tuber, and banana crops for improving nutrition and food security. The RTB also aims to increase income generation, foster greater gender equity, and improve livelihoods- especially among some of the world’s most poor and vulnerable populations.

The position: This position will be based in Lima, Peru and report directly to the Head of Grants & Contracts Unit and work closely with the Director of the RTB on IA principles. The C&IA Manager will serve as the Centre’s and RTB’s focal point on all matters relating to the management of intellectual assets and intellectual property rights, in accordance with the CGIAR Principles on the Management of Intellectual Assets Principles (“CGIAR IA Principles”).

Duties and responsibilities:

• Advise Board of Trustees and senior management on the fulfilment of the fiduciary duties and responsibilities towards the CGIAR Consortium.
• Design and implement the Intellectual Assets strategy, identifying CIP and RTB needs and developing the support process (policies, guidance documents and practices), in order to monitor and ensure compliance of the CGIAR IA Principles including evaluation of opportunities and drafting of justifications
• Design Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) exploitation strategies for optimizing impact and/or dissemination of research results.
• Review and develop Intellectual Property (IP) aspects of agreements and contracts to ensure compliance with CIP and CGIAR policies on IA Management.
• Assist CIP and RTB senior management in evaluation of Public Private Partnership (PPP) opportunities and advise for commercialization of CIP IAs by licensing, royalty schemes and/or spin-outs.
• Negotiate with third parties IP out-licensing or to acquire licenses to use proprietary IP to ensure that agreements are within legal and applicable ethical frameworks.
• Establish and maintain an electronic database for IA register with full details of the CIP background IP and all acquired or jointly developed project-related IAs
• Establish and maintain an electronic database for all agreements, contracts and licenses related to IP in order to facilitate monitoring of all IP related issues
• Determine and recommend the ownership, nature and extent of all rights held in a product with other parties who have an interest in a given product or service
• Assist Scientists with queries related to approved IA policies and compliance with local and international regulations regarding access to genetic material and traditional knowledge
• Organize training of CIP and RTB staff in IPRs and IA management to develop skills and organizational awareness related to C&IA

Selection criteria:

• Advanced degree in Law or certification in Intellectual Property (IP) law is a must. Additional science degree and/or international relations degree (or exposure to international organizations) would be an asset.
• Experience working in the private sector as in-house or in a legal format with exposure to IP law. Joint-ventures, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, oil and gas, international development would be an advantage.  Knowledge of ITPGRFA, and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD a plus).
• Proficiency in the use of computer systems and applications.
• Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English; Spanish and other languages would be an asset.
• Demonstrated capability to work collaboratively in a multi-cultural context. A self-motivator with vision and analytical skills and with commitment to work under a complex environment.
• Knowledge of the CGIAR is a plus.
• Good knowledge of the functioning of international and regional IP systems would be desirable

Conditions: Employment contract will be for a three-year term with possibility of renewal. Salary will be internationally competitive, paid in US dollars, and commensurate with experience. CIP prides itself on its collegial and supportive working environment, which allows space for personal and professional growth.

Applications: Applicants should apply by email, sending a letter of motivation and salary expectations, a full C.V., and the names and contact information of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience to CIP-recruitment@cgiar.org, The reference name of the position should be clearly marked on the subject line of the email message. Screening of applications will begin on 19 April 2013and will continue until the post is filled.  All applications will be acknowledged; only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Learn more about CIP by accessing our web site at http://www.cipotato.org and RTB at http://www.rtb.cgiar.org/.

CIP is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified women and professionals from developing countries are particularly encouraged to apply