Deputy Director General

Location: Lakhi Nepali

The Deputy Director General (DDG) is a member of ICIMOD's Directorate and a senior management role supporting ICIMOD to deliver sustained results and measurable impact across the Hindu Kush Himalayas, in line with the vision and mission of Strategy 2030:
Moving Mountains. Reporting to the Director General (DG) and working closely with the Director of Administration, Finance, and Operations (DAFO) and Senior Management Committee (SMC), the DDG is accountable for performance, quality, and delivery across ICIMOD's climate and environment-related research-for-development portfolio, including practical solutions for green, resilient and inclusive mountain development.

The role supports Board-level governance and assurance processes; collaborates with the DG and SMC on strategic change priorities to strengthen institutional effectiveness and future fitness; and supports the DG to ensure coherence across institution-wide planning and monitoring, partnerships and regional cooperation, business development and resource mobilisation, and communications and knowledge uptake. As a visible representative of ICIMOD, the DDG engages in high-level national, regional, and global forums, navigates geopolitical complexity with sound judgment, and provides interim leadership in the Director General's absence.

Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Deputy Director General are set out below under six objectives, each supported by practical expectations for delivery.

Objective 1:
Portfolio performance and impact :
Ensure coherent, high-quality, and impactful delivery of ICIMOD's research-for-development portfolio, translating knowledge into measurable policy influence and outcomes for climate resilience, biodiversity, environmental sustainability and inclusive mountain development.

What this means in practice:
Provide oversight and guidance to ICIMOD's three Strategic Groups -  Climate and Environment Risks, Resilient Economies and Landscapes, and Regional Action and Global Advocacy  and their respective portfolios, ensuring delivery against agreed results, budgets, and milestones, with timely course-correction where performance or spending is off-track, and supported by proportionate and practical portfolio planning, budgeting, and reporting processes.
Strengthen portfolio prioritisation, quality assurance, and problem-solving by supporting and constructively challenging Strategic Group Heads and teams on strategic choices, delivery risks, and quality.
Ensure the portfolio remains responsive to ICIMOD's Regional Member Countries (RMCs) needs and emerging regional and global challenges, informed by strategic foresight and periodic portfolio review.
Enable strong collaboration and integration across the Strategic Groups, ensuring systematic attention to cross-cutting priorities –particularly Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI), climate, and biodiversity – through adoption of effective design, delivery, monitoring, and learning approaches.
Ensure gender equality and social inclusion (GESI), including youth, are embedded as an integral dimension of portfolio quality and impact, with clear expectations, practical guidance, and accountability for implementation across Strategic Groups and partners.

Objective 2:
Governance, assurance, and stewardship:  Provide robust assurance on portfolio performance, risk, GESI and safeguarding, and resource allocation to support sound decision-making, accountability, and effective governance.

What this means in practice:
Through the DG, provide strategic analysis and assurance inputs to the Board of Governors, the Programme Advisory Committee (PAC) of the Board, and ICIMOD Support Group (ISG, ICIMOD donors) processes, including high-quality papers, reports, and presentations that enable timely decisions and oversight.

· Support Board meetings and interactions through timely planning and coordination, including agenda inputs, decision-ready documentation, and follow-up on agreed actions.
Ensure annual planning, budgeting, and progress reporting are aligned with Board and ISG needs, providing clear, decision-ready information to support oversight, accountability, and timely governance…