The document outlines plans for the System Office Business Plan, including key changes, top tasks for 2017, and a new functional structure. It discusses establishing a positive working environment, efficient governance, sufficient and flexible funding, and stronger reputation. Key changes include clarifying operations, emphasizing teamwork, reducing separate units, and creating a funder engagement unit. Top tasks include financial management, committee support, fundraising, communications, and fixing funding and governance models. A new structure groups work into legal services, funder engagement, financial performance, and board relations units.

1. System Office Business Plan
UPDATE, ISPC 4 April 2017

2. www.cgiar.org
What successes can we contribute to?
Overall - meeting the ambitious SRF vision and targets though high
quality and impactful programs – through:
1. A positive, trustful and supportive working atmosphere across the
System
2. A performance management system that meets expectations of
funders with manageable transaction costs
3. An efficient and functioning governance system that solves problems
4. A funding system that provides:
• Sufficient volume and quality (predictability, flexibility, diversity)
• The right incentives for research quality, innovation, focus and
impact in our areas of comparative advantage
5. A stronger reputation for CGIAR, in part based on a system-wide
communications and branding effort
6. Reduced proportion of system entities costs from current levels

3. www.cgiar.org
Key Changes
• Operating style clarified
• Resources organized around tasks with emphasis on
teamwork and multitasking
• Reduction in number of separate units
• Funder engagement and communications unit created
• Volume and status of SMB/SC coordination role recognized
• Science team changed to programs unit and merged into
broader Finance and Program team
• HR position downgraded
• Change in nomenclature of unit leaders from “Director” to
“Head of”.
2

4. www.cgiar.org
Top 15 tasks for 2017
ONGOING SERVICES
1. System financial management
2. SMB and committee support
3. System Council and committee
support
4. Fundraising and donor
engagement
5. Communications and branding
6. Programming support
7. Supporting implementation of
ongoing policies and
guidelines
8. Supporting IT platforms/OCS
SPECIAL TASKS
9. Fixing the funding model
process
10. CRP governance review
11. An initial performance
management framework
12. Completing the CGIAR Portfolio
13. Completing essential TORs for
system entities/functions
14. Establishing a risk management
framework
15. Completing the governance
architecture

5. www.cgiar.org
Human resource deployment – current look
4
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
No. of FTEs by Function

6. www.cgiar.org
New Functional Structure:
Description of work areas of the four main Units
5
To note: The are descriptors of the key areas of work; to see the designated sub-units please refer
to the Organogram.
Legal and Office Services
• All legal responsibilities
• HR Services
• Administrative Protocol
• Building management
• Staff Security
• Office Supplies*
Funder and External Engagement
• Resource Mobilization
• Communications
• Funder Engagement
• External Relations
• ICT and OCS
• Business Analysis Support
Financial and Program Performance
• Office Accounting Services
• Financial Planning
• Contributions and disbursements
tracking
• Compliance/risk tracking & reporting
• Program support & reporting
• Performance Management
Board and Council Relations
• System Council
• System Management Board
• General Assembly
• Partnership Forum
• Committees and Working Groups
of the System Council and SMB
• Executive Director special projects
*For 3 months from 1 Mar – 31 May, temporarily handled by Board and Council Relations

7. www.cgiar.org
Implementation update
• New management team
• Legal and Office Services – Elise Perset
• Funder & External Engagement – Vacant (acting Alain
Vidal)
• Finance and Program Performance – Alain Hubscher
• Board and Council Relations – Karmen Bennett
• Redeployment of staff
• Task teams getting started – objectives and KPIs being
developed
• Vacant posts being filled
• Job titles changed