---
title: Chief Executive Officer, International Fertilizer Development Center | Millar Cameron
description: The International Fertilizer Development Center seeks a CEO to drive strategic leadership and resource mobilization, enhancing agricultural practices and food security.
image: https://millarcameron.com/hubfs/Candidate%20packs%20and%20images/Candidate%20Pack%20images/IFDC.jpg
---

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International Development

# Chief Executive Officer, International Fertilizer Development Center

Location

Africa or US

Ref

A003325

The International Fertilizer Development Center seeks a CEO to drive strategic leadership and resource mobilization, enhancing agricultural practices and food security.

[Apply now](https://millarcameron.com/resource-hub/chief-executive-officer-international-fertilizer-development-center#form)

The [International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC)](https://ifdc.org/) is a non-profit public international organization working at the intersection of agriculture, soil health and market systems development. It was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, in the United States. Most of its work is in sub-Saharan Africa.

IFDC works with governments, donors, research institutions and the private sector to improve food security, farmer livelihoods and sustainable agricultural practices. In 2025 it worked in more than 30 countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas and trained over 730,000 farmers, 43% of them women. Most of IFDC’s work is large-scale implementation, delivering programs with farmers, agribusinesses and governments. This is backed by applied research on fertilizer and soil health that takes innovations from the laboratory and field trials through to farmers and markets.

IFDC is known for its work on fertilizer innovation and soil health, and for long-standing partnerships with bilateral and multilateral donors, foundations, research institutions and the private sector. Its current portfolio includes large multi-year programs funded by the Government of the Netherlands, the European Union, the Gates Foundation and multilateral development banks.

In 2026 IFDC launched its 2026–2035 strategy, Fuel the Farmer, Feed the Soil, Foster the Future. It is built around three priorities: fertilizer innovation, farmer impact at scale, and sustainable systems transformation.

## About the role

The CEO reports to the Board of Directors and provides strategic, operational and external leadership for IFDC. The role is weighted firmly towards external leadership. Its two priorities are strategic leadership and resource mobilization.

The CEO works closely with the Chief Operating Officer, who leads internal operations and the day-to-day transformation. The CEO sets the culture and is accountable for IFDC’s overall performance.

First-year priorities

- A clear execution plan with defined priorities
- A visible culture of accountability
- Stronger relationships with existing funders
- Measurable progress in converting a diversified funding pipeline

What success looks like at three years

- Diversified, sustainable funding
- Recognized as the leader in soil health, built on innovative fertilizer use
- A strategy refined around IFDC’s distinctive capabilities
- A stronger applied research and innovation base that drives new implementation opportunities
- A solid talent base and clear succession plans
- Impact measured credibly and at scale

## Key dimensions of the role

Strategic Leadership

- Set a clear direction for IFDC and sharpen the 2026–2035 strategy, making bold choices built on IFDC’s distinctive assets and capabilities.
- Maintain IFDC’s major focus on implementation while strengthening applied research and innovation, using them to drive new implementation opportunities.
- Drive the move to a single path from invention to innovation to impact, bringing research and field operations together without creating new silos.
- Make sure IFDC’s impact is measured credibly and at scale and presented in a form funders can act on.

Resource Mobilization

- Lead IFDC’s resource mobilization and broaden its funding base across bilateral and multilateral donors, foundations and private capital.
- Personally build and convert new funding pipelines, with a clear account of the change IFDC will deliver in its countries.
- Grow new sources of funding while protecting and strengthening existing government partnerships.
- Set IFDC’s agenda and bring funders to it, rather than following donor priorities.

External Engagement and Positioning

- Act as IFDC’s lead representative with governments, donors, research institutions, the private sector and peer organizations.
- Maintain and deepen the confidence of government funders, including through review, audit and compliance processes.
- Build alliances and partnerships with commercial, research and development organizations that extend IFDC’s reach.
- Strengthen IFDC’s position as a leader in soil health and innovative fertilizer use in global and regional policy discussions.

Science and Innovation

- Champion IFDC’s scientific work and earn the confidence of its research staff and the wider research community.
- Bring an evidence-based view on how applied research can better support and grow IFDC’s implementation work.
- Make sure promising ideas move from research and field trials into products and practices that reach farmers and markets.
- Identify where IFDC’s innovation can generate intellectual property and new partnerships.

Leadership, Culture and Accountability

- Lead and develop a strong senior leadership team, much of which has joined in the last two years.
- Work in close partnership with the Chief Operating Officer, who leads internal operations and transformation day to day.
- Set a culture of discipline and accountability from day one: delegate clearly, follow up, and hold people to account.
- Build a solid talent base and clear succession plans aligned with the strategy.

Board and Governance

- Report to the Board of Directors and keep it informed through open and timely communication.
- Oversee financial sustainability, risk and compliance across a multi-country organization.
- Work constructively with the Board, including where views differ, and operate well under scrutiny.

## Skills and experience

Required

- Senior executive experience leading an organization at scale with budget or P&L responsibility, including risk and compliance.
- A proven record of setting strategic direction and delivering real change, with clear evidence of transformation actually achieved.
- A track record of personally building new funding, including from non-government sources such as foundations and private capital.
- Scientific literacy and credibility with the research community: an understanding of how ideas become innovations and reach the market, and the ability to speak the language of research. A publication record is not required, but implementation experience alone will not be enough.
- Recognition as a leader in fertilizer, crop nutrition and/or soil health.
- Meaningful operating experience in Africa.
- A background in international development, agriculture, agribusiness, development finance or a closely related field.

Preferred

- Experience with European donors, and Dutch development funding in particular. A strong fundraising record with other funders, including private sources, will also be considered.
- Experience building alliances across research, commercial and development organizations.
- Experience working with government donor bureaucracies and multi-stakeholder programs.
- Experience working with or within CGIAR, national agricultural research systems, multilateral development banks or other public international organizations.

Leadership Competencies

- Strategic Leader: Reads an organization’s real position and makes clear choices about where it should go.
- Resource Builder: Opens doors with funders and turns relationships into lasting partnerships.
- Scientifically Credible: Understands the path from invention to impact and is respected by researchers.
- Accountable Leader: Delegates, verifies, and holds themselves and others to account.
- Independent Thinker: Builds a strategy that fits IFDC rather than repeating a previous playbook.
- Trusted Partner: Works with integrity across cultures and keeps the confidence of the Board, staff and funders.

 

*Don’t meet every single requirement? Research shows that individuals from underrepresented groups are less likely to apply for roles unless they meet every listed qualification. At Millar Cameron, we are committed to supporting our clients in building diverse and inclusive teams. If you’re enthusiastic about this role but don’t meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply - you could be exactly what our client is looking for, either for this position or another.*

***Please note that due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are only able to respond to candidates who are shortlisted for the next stage of the process. We sincerely appreciate your interest and the time taken to apply.***

Since 2007 Millar Cameron has specialised in sourcing leadership and keyperson talent across a number of industries, including agribusiness, international development, industrial, consumer, financial and professional services, private equity, and technology, media and telecommunications. Our mission and purpose is to positively contribute to the development of Africa, and other emerging markets, through the provision of people.

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