Head of Digital and AI Services

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) invites applications for the internationally recruited position of Head of Digital and AI Services.

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a not-for-profit institution that generates agricultural innovations to meet Africa’s most pressing challenges of hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and natural resource degradation. Working with various partners across sub-Saharan Africa, we improve livelihoods, enhance food and nutrition security, increase employment, and preserve natural resource integrity. IITA is a member of CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food-secure future. Please visit for more information on IITA.

IITA's 2024–2030 Strategy recognizes digital transformation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) as key enablers for accelerating agricultural innovation and delivering greater impact across Africa. Through its Digital Agriculture Action (DAA), IITA is committed to harnessing digital technologies to develop, scale, and integrate fit-for-purpose digital solutions that improve research, strengthen decision-making, enhance service delivery, and transform agricultural systems. The DAA promotes inclusive digital innovation by addressing barriers related to gender, age, socioeconomic status, language, user preferences, and digital literacy, with a strong focus on empowering smallholder farmers and agribusinesses.

Building on this vision, IITA is advancing from isolated digital and AI initiatives toward an institution-wide transformation. Following a comprehensive AI Readiness Assessment, the Institute has committed to the responsible, ethical, and impactful adoption of AI across research, operations, knowledge management, and development delivery to accelerate its mission of transforming African agriculture.

To drive this transformation, IITA is seeking an exceptional leader to serve as its Head of Digital and AI Services Unit. The successful candidate will lead the development and implementation of innovative digital and AI solutions, working closely with the Digital Working Group, scientists, business units, ICT teams, and external partners to identify needs, co-design fit-for-purpose solutions, and oversee their implementation. The role will provide strategic direction, coordination, governance, and partnership development to ensure the responsible, effective, and scalable adoption of digital technologies and AI across the Institute. While working closely with ICT teams, the position focuses on digital and AI strategy, innovation, organizational transformation, and impact rather than IT infrastructure management.

Position Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of IITA's Digital and AI Strategy and Transformation Roadmap, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and the 2024–2030 Strategy.
• Lead institutional digital and AI innovation by identifying, prioritizing, designing, and scaling high-impact digital and AI solutions that enhance research, operations, knowledge management, decision-making, and development delivery.
• Coordinate the implementation of the Digital Agriculture Action (DAA) by preparing annual work plans, monitoring performance against key indicators, coordinating the ICT Community of Practice (iCOP), and providing strategic guidance to ensure effective delivery of digital initiatives across the Institute.
• Develop and oversee integrated digital platforms and enterprise solutions, including interoperability frameworks, APIs, dashboards, AI-enabled analytics, and bundled digital services that support research, value chains, advisory services, and data-driven decision-making.
• Establish and promote institutional governance for Digital and AI by developing policies, standards, and operating procedures that ensure ethical, transparent, secure, inclusive, and responsible use of digital technologies and AI, while ensuring compliance with institutional policies, data privacy, cybersecurity, intellectual property, and applicable regulations.
• Collaborate with research, data, ICT, and business units to strengthen enterprise data readiness, promote data integration, and ensure digital and AI solutions are built on high-quality, interoperable, and AI-ready data assets, including strengthening digital and AI capacity by promoting digital literacy and AI competencies.
• Develop and strengthen strategic partnerships with CGIAR centres, universities, governments, development partners, donors, technology companies, and the private sector to mobilize resources, co-develop innovative solutions, and expand the impact of IITA's digital and AI portfolio.
• Manage the Digital and AI portfolio by developing implementation roadmaps, investment plans, budgets, business cases, monitoring frameworks, and performance indicators to ensure projects deliver measurable institutional and development outcomes.
• Assess user needs and guide the development of fit-for-purpose digital solutions by evaluating the digital agriculture landscape, conducting user and stakeholder consultations, and promoting user-centered design.
• Lead institutional monitoring, evaluation, learning, and continuous improvement by tracking digital and AI maturity, documenting best practices, disseminating lessons learned, monitoring emerging technologies, and recommending innovations that enhance institutional performance and impact.

Requirements

Educational Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced degree (Master's or above) in Computer Science, Data Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Information Technology, Digital Management, or a related field. Equivalent professional experience will also be considered.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience, including senior roles leading digital, IT, data, or AI transformation in a complex, multi-site, or multi-stakeholder organization.

Core Competencies

• Demonstrated applied AI and data fluency, able to make sound, responsible decisions on AI tools, platforms, and build/buy/partner options, and lead model development as per the need.
• Demonstrate a strong foundation in enterprise IT and data architecture (systems integration and interoperability, data management, and FAIR principles, cloud technologies, and an understanding of cybersecurity and data protection) to set requirements, make informed decisions, and partner effectively with an established IT function.
• Strong technical skills in developing and using digital technologies and tools in the agriculture value chains.
• Proven track record of leading the adoption and change management of new technology across a multidisciplinary, multi-site organization.
• Proven institutional change management and stakeholder engagement across technical and non-technical audiences, including senior leadership.
• Programme and portfolio management: roadmap development, KPIs, budgets, and donor/partner coordination.
• Excellent English communication and the ability to act as a translator between leadership, research, IT, and external partners; speaking French is an added benefit.
• Experience in research-for-development, agricultural research, CGIAR, or the international/public sector is advantageous.
• Experience standing up data governance, data catalogs or integration layers.
• Awareness of gender-responsive and inclusive digital design.
• Familiarity with the CGIAR digital ecosystem is advantageous (Digital Transformation Accelerator, AI Hub, FAIR, GARDIAN, and CGSpace).

Benefits

Duty Station: The position is based at IITA Headquarters, Ibadan, Nigeria, or one of its stations, with travel as required.

General information: The contract will be for an initial period of three years, renewable subject to performance and organizational requirements. IITA offers an internationally competitive remuneration package paid in US Dollars.

Applications: Applications must include a cover letter which should address how the candidate’s background/experience relates to the specific duties of the position applied for, curriculum vitae, and names and addresses of three professional referees (which must include either the Head of the applicant’s current or previous organization or applicant’s direct Supervisor/Superior at his/her present or former place of work). The application should be addressed to the Director of People and Culture. Please complete our online application form using this link:

Closing Date: 1st August 2026.

IITA is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse workforce, particularly welcoming applications from women.

While all applications will be acknowledged, please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted .