Head of Technical Assistance & Adoption

About the Role

MBZUAI is seeking a Head of Technical Assistance (TA) & Adoption for ensuring that the Institute’s research outputs, AI models, and digital public goods are translated into real-world adoption and sustained impact. The role leads the design and delivery of technical assistance to governments, innovators, and implementation partners, supports country-level pilots, and enables the scaling of AI-enabled agricultural advisory systems aligned with national priorities and farming needs.

• Strategy and Planning
  • Develop and lead the Institute’s Technical Assistance and Adoption strategy, ensuring alignment with IAAI’s mission, research agenda, and partner needs.
  • Translate research outputs and AI innovations into structured adoption pathways and scalable implementation models.
  • Contribute to institutional planning by identifying readiness gaps, operational risks, and opportunities for scale and sustainability.
• Country Engagement and Technical Assistance
  • Lead country-level technical assistance engagements, including pilot design, deployment planning, and operational support.
  • Work closely with Ministries of Agriculture, extension systems, and delivery partners to integrate AI-enabled advisory tools into existing institutional workflows and national programs.
  • Support partners in adapting solutions to local contexts, regulatory environments, and farmer needs.
• Adoption and Scaling
  • Design and oversee adoption and scale-up frameworks that guide partners from pilot implementation to national or regional deployment.
  • Lead institutional capacity-building efforts, including the development of adoption toolkits, onboarding materials, and implementation of playbooks.
  • Ensure sustained uptake and effective use of IAAI solutions through structured support and continuous engagement.
• Cross-Functional Coordination
  • Serve as the primary interface between research, safety, monitoring and evaluation, and deployment teams.
  • Ensure that field-level learning informs research priorities, model refinement, and deployment strategies.
  • Align technical outputs with real-world implementation constraints and policy environments.
• Operational Delivery
  • Oversee the delivery of technical assistance activities, ensuring quality, timeliness, and alignment with agreed objectives.
  • Prepare progress reports, adoption of insights, and risk assessments for Institute leadership and external stakeholders.
  • Monitor implementation performance and recommend corrective actions where required.

• Master’s degree in development studies, public policy, engineering, data science, or related field.
• PhD or equivalent applied experience will be preferred.

• Minimum of ten (10) years of progressive experience in technical assistance, program implementation, or adoption-focused roles within agriculture, digital development, or innovation ecosystems.
• Demonstrated experience working with governments and public-sector institutions, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
• Proven track record of translating research outputs or advanced technologies into real-world adoption at scale.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and managing complex, multi-country initiatives.

• Experience supporting AI-enabled or digital public good deployments in agriculture or related sectors.
• Exposure to policy engagement, institutional reform, or national advisory system strengthening.
• Experience working within international research or development organizations.