Consultant (Facility Manager)

• International Potato Center
• POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
• Ref: 2026/06/Consultant/IND/ASIA

Consultant (Facility Manager)

Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking a dynamic and creative Consultant (Facility Manager) to CIP South Asia Regional Centre (CSARC) in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India.

About CIP: CIP is part of the CGIAR global research partnership committed to transforming food, land, and water systems in a climate crisis. CIPs mission is to develop and share science-based innovations in potato, sweet potato, and other root and tuber crops. CIP partners with organizations in over 20 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to strengthen agri-food systems and provide economic, social, and nutritional benefits, especially for women and youth. We integrate social and biophysical sciences to address complex challenges in food and agriculture. For more information, please visit https://cipotato.org/about/.

About CSARC: The CIP – South Asia Regional Center (CSARC), Agra, serves as a key hub for agricultural research and development focused on potato and sweetpotato systems in South Asia. The center supports research initiatives aimed at improving crop productivity, climate resilience, and sustainable farming practices. It collaborates with national research institutions, government agencies, private players and development partners to promote innovative agricultural solutions.

About the position: To support the infrastructure development phase and early operational readiness of the center, CIP needs to engage a Consultant (Facility Manager) during the pre-construction stage. This phase involves coordination of regulatory approvals, utility provisioning, contractor interface, and preparatory activities required prior to construction and eventual occupancy.

The Consultant will work independently and provide on-ground assistance to the CSARC Director and the Head of Operations, and to ensure that infrastructure development and facilities planning are executed efficiently and in a timely manner.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide on-ground support to the Head of Operations in facilitating and following up on stage-wise statutory and administrative approvals; coordinate with National Horticulture Board (NHB), NBCC, contractors, and relevant authorities.
• Support the application and tracking of utility connections including electricity, water, sewage, internet/telecom, and other essential services, and follow up to ensure timely provision in line with project timelines.
• Support the CSARC Director and Head of Operations in Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry GOI and government departments in Uttar Pradesh related work/ approvals and in organizing CSARC Coordination committee, research coordination, review and other key meetings.
• Lead the coordination of meetings and stakeholder engagements, including setting agendas, consolidating inputs from relevant parties, documenting key discussions and decisions, and ensuring timely follow-up and closure of agreed action items.
• Support the CSARC Director and senior leadership team in planning and coordinating high-level official visits, inspections, and engagements with government authorities, institutional partners, and external stakeholders, ensuring effective communication, logistics, and follow-up actions.
• Provide coordination support to the scientific and farm teams for readiness related to installation of laboratory and office infrastructure, including equipment, HVAC systems, and IT infrastructure.
• Support the Head of Operations in coordinating with vendors and service providers; track deliverables and highlight delays or issues for timely resolution.
• Support in preparatory activities required for transition from construction to operational phase, ensuring that required utilities, regulatory approvals, operational systems, and essential services are established and functional prior to facility occupancy and full operationalization.
• Monitor and consolidate updates related to approvals, utilities, vendor performance, and critical operational issues, and provide regular status reports and recommendations to the Head of Operations Office (HOO) to support timely decision-making and issue resolution.