Team Leader (m/f/d) Uruguayan-German Dialogue on Agriculture

We are an independent agricultural consulting company. Since 1981, we have been working for public and private clients in Germany and abroad. In the field of international cooperation, we specialize in promoting sustainable agriculture and food security. We design, implement and evaluate projects in countries across Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America.

For the Uruguayan-German Dialogue on Agriculture, we are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Team Leader (m/f/d), starting in November 2026.

The project promotes bilateral cooperation between Uruguay and Germany with the aim of further developing agroecological and climate-resilient production systems and strengthening the necessary framework conditions. Its thematic focus includes soil health, sustainable land use, agroecology, agricultural advisory services, knowledge transfer, advisory systems and regional connection of policy, science and practice in South America. 

Your profile: 

Minimum requirements:

• Master’s degree or an equivalent university qualification
• At least seven years of relevant professional experience
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken
• Good command of Spanish, both written and spoken

Preferred qualifications and experience: 

Technical background:

• University degree in Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Economics, Engineering, Economics, Political Science or a comparable field
• Preferably at least five years of professional experience in international cooperation, including at least three years in a management or leadership position
• Technical expertise in agroecology, soil health, soil conservation, sustainable land use or related agricultural topics
• Experience with financial and economic assessments of soil-related innovations
• Experience in institutional and policy advisory services, particularly in cooperation with ministries and political institutions
• Experience in preparing studies, concepts and advisory products for the agricultural and food sector
• Practical experience in stakeholder cooperation and networking involving public institutions, academia, research organizations, civil society and the private sector
• Knowledge of relevant social and environmental issues, including gender equality
• Knowledge of hemp cultivation for fibre and grain production would be an asset
• Knowledge of biological inputs, biostimulants or other innovative and sustainable agricultural production systems would be an advantage

Regional expertise and language skills:

• Professional experience in South America, preferably in Uruguay or in countries with comparable agricultural and institutional conditions
• Very good command of Spanish
• Knowledge of German and Portuguese would be an asset

Methodological and personal competencies:

• Strong skills in developing cooperation models, strategies, advisory methods and capacity-development concepts
• Experience with benchmarking approaches and the development of advisory and training systems
• Knowledge of results-based monitoring, evaluation and knowledge-management systems
• Experience with virtual and blended-learning formats would be an asset
• Excellent facilitation, moderation and presentation skills
• Strong communication, networking and stakeholder-management skills
• Proven leadership and team-management abilities
• Diplomatic skills and the ability to establish trust and mutual understanding among diverse stakeholders
• Intercultural competence
• Independent, structured and results-oriented working style

Your responsibilities:

• Overall strategic, technical, methodological and organizational management of the project
• Leadership and coordination of the project team in Montevideo
• Steering project activities, setting priorities and ensuring the achievement of agreed objectives and results
• Leading the agricultural policy and technical dialogue between Uruguayan and German partner institutions
• Advising the Uruguayan Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP) on priority policy, regulatory and institutional issues
• Advising the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA) and the Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) on joint research priorities and recommendations derived from their cooperation
• Establishing and maintaining effective communication and cooperation with political and operational partners, research institutions, private sector actors, civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders
• Coordinating regional cooperation with partners and scientific networks in Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil and other countries in the Southern Cone
• Coordinating cooperation with the PROCISUR network and contributing to relevant regional working groups and exchange formats
• Providing and coordinating technical contributions and advisory services related to the project’s priority areas
• Planning and coordinating assignments of international and national short-term experts
• Planning and coordinating study tours and technical information visits to Germany and other countries
• Developing and implementing the project’s results-based monitoring and evaluation system in accordance with the contracting authority’s requirements
• Coordinating project-related knowledge management, communication and public information activities
• Maintaining close cooperation with the contracting authority, the responsible German federal ministry and the German diplomatic representations in Montevideo and Buenos Aires
• Preparing, organizing and documenting annual Project Steering Group meetings
• Preparing regular project reports and other contractually required reports and documents

We offer:

• A responsible leadership position in an international cooperation project
• The opportunity to actively shape agricultural cooperation between Uruguay and Germany
• A diverse international working environment at the interface of agricultural policy, research and practice
• Cooperation with governmental institutions, research organizations, scientific networks and private sector actors
• Technical and organizational support from IAK Agrar Consulting GmbH
• A high level of responsibility and scope for professional initiative

Your application:

Please send your detailed application in German or English, stating your earliest possible start date and your salary expectations, with the subject line “Project Manager Uruguay (m/f/d)” to Ms Katrin Dalitz, k.dalitz@iakleipzig.de.

By submitting your application documents, you agree to us processing your data for the purposes of the recruitment process. Please note that only suitable candidates will be contacted.