Requisition ID: 2447
Grade: ISA-Junior Specialist
Country: Austria
Duty Station: Vienna
Category: International Consultant
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: NonStaff-Regular
Contract Duration: 6 months with possibility of extension
Application Deadline: 28-Jun-2023
Vacancy Announcement
TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT OF PROJECT PERSONNEL
Female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply.
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability. The mission of UNIDO, as described in the Lima Declaration adopted at the fifteenth session of the UNIDO General Conference in 2013 as well as the Abu Dhabi Declaration adopted at the eighteenth session of UNIDO General Conference in 2019, is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in Member States. The relevance of ISID as an integrated approach to all three pillars of sustainable development is recognized by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will frame United Nations and country efforts towards sustainable development. UNIDO’s mandate is fully recognized in SDG-9, which calls to “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”. The relevance of ISID, however, applies in greater or lesser extent to all SDGs. Accordingly, the Organization’s programmatic focus is structured in four strategic priorities: Creating shared prosperity; Advancing economic competitiveness; Safeguarding the environment; and Strengthening knowledge and institutions.
Each of these programmatic fields of activity contains a number of individual programmes, which are implemented in a holistic manner to achieve effective outcomes and impacts through UNIDO’s four enabling functions: (i) technical cooperation; (ii) analytical and research functions and policy advisory services; (iii) normative functions and standards and quality-related activities; and (iv) convening and partnerships for knowledge transfer, networking and industrial cooperation. Such core functions are carried out in Departments/Offices in its Headquarters, Regional Offices and Hubs and Country Offices.
The Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS) oversees the Organization’s development of capacities for industrial development as well as industrial policy advice, statistics and research activities and the Organization’s normative contribution to Member States and global development community in achieving the SDGs. The Directorate also ensures the application of strategies and interventions for sustainable industrial development related to Environment, Energy, SMEs, Competitiveness and Job creation, as well as Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. Through coordination in-house and with Member States and industry stakeholders, it ensures that the services provided in these areas contribute toward effective and appropriate technical, business and policy solutions and are focused on results and on realizing any potential for scaling up and positioning UNIDO as a leading platform for industrial development in developing countries and global fora.
The Division of SME Competitiveness, Quality and Job Creation (TCS/SME) works towards increasing the competitiveness of industries in developing countries and countries in transition, especially emphasizing business development of SMEs engaged in manufacturing and creating jobs therein. It aims at increasing competitiveness among SMEs in two interconnected ways: first, by modernizing businesses through the transfer of advanced technologies adapted to local conditions, product innovation, productivity improvement and upgrading, developing market and value chain readiness as well as improved access to finance; and second, by improving the quality of SME manufactured products and their compliance with market requirements through capacity building for the development of industrial production and trade-related quality infrastructure 60 including for standardization, metrology, accreditation and of conformity assessment service institutions (testing, certification, inspection and calibration) and the strengthening of their capacities.
This position is located under the SME Development and Job Creation Unit (TCS/SME/SDJ), which supports small and medium manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) in Member States to take advantage of new technologies, business and organizational support, investment promotion, cluster development and partnerships to improve their businesses and improve their competitiveness.
PROJECT CONTEXT
QUALITAN: Quality standards and compliance programme for the United Republic of Tanzania
The EU supports Tanzania under the BEGIN Programme: “Support for Business Environment, Growth and Innovation”. The overall objective of the programme is to promote inclusive economic growth, employment and innovation, particularly among women and youth, and enhance consumer protection. Under component 2, the specific objective (SO2) is to increase Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises’ (MSMEs) compliance with quality standards to widen market access, reduce standards compliance costs, and enhance consumer protection. The QUALITAN project implements SO2 of the BEGIN programme.
The project intervention under SO2 will focus on strengthening the capacity of the Tanzania Bureau of Standards, including the functioning and reach of laboratories, standardization activities, ICT and management of information systems. Support will be provided to MSMEs to comply with standards. The action will facilitate MSME to access to compliance testing, reducing compliance costs whether in monetary terms or time delays, and facilitate market accessibility and cross-border trade.
Ultimately, the intervention will also contribute to a better synchronisation of various elements of the Quality Infrastructure. This project intervention will act in synergy with BEGIN SO1 and SO3 to ensure inclusion of capacity support to develop new standards for innovative products, and recommendations for policy reviews.
FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the supervision of the Project Manager(s), and working with the project teams of aforementioned projects, administers elements of technical cooperation programme or specific project/s of limited complexity and execution of technical cooperation programmes and activities. Main duties are:
- Select, organize and summarize background information to describe the overall context and background relevant to a project or a sector of technical cooperation activities in a country, assess the local context for the planning and administration of individual technical cooperation projects;
- Analyze and interpret project background history and documentation; identify, reconstruct and document significant project events, decisions and deviations;
- Draft sections of project documents such as project background and justification;
- Inform experts, consultants and other project participants about logistical arrangements and internal procedures for monitoring and reporting in terms of the immediate objectives of specific projects;
- Monitor specific aspects of project execution and identify problems and proposing that actions be taken to expedite delivery of inputs;
- Draft comments on designated aspects of project progress as an input to programme monitoring;
- Draft project revisions, including adjusting individual project budgets, on the basis of changed work plans.
MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Education: Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in engineering, sciences, economics, business administration, international relations or other relevant discipline, is required.
Technical and Functional Experience:
- At least three (3) years of professional experience in project management with a focus on following areas: 1) SME development, clustering and networking; 2) Quality infrastructure; 3) Trade Capacity Building; or 4) Value Chain Development is required.
- Experience in evaluating the needs, conditions and problems in developing countries, is desirable.
Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Fluency and/or working knowledge of another official UN language is desirable.
REQUIRED VALUES AND COMPETENCIES
Core values:
WE LIVE AND ACT WITH INTEGRITY: work honestly, openly and impartially.
WE SHOW PROFESSIONALISM: work hard and competently in a committed and responsible manner.
WE RESPECT DIVERSITY: work together effectively, respectfully and inclusively, regardless of our differences in culture and perspective.
Key competencies:
WE FOCUS ON PEOPLE: cooperate to fully reach our potential –and this is true for our colleagues as well as our clients. Emotional intelligence and receptiveness are vital parts of our UNIDO identity.
WE FOCUS ON RESULTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: focus on planning, organizing and managing our work effectively and efficiently. We are responsible and accountable for achieving our results and meeting our performance standards. This accountability does not end with our colleagues and supervisors, but we also owe it to those we serve and who have trusted us to contribute to a better, safer and healthier world.
WE COMMUNICATE AND EARN TRUST: communicate effectively with one another and build an environment of trust where we can all excel in our work.
WE THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND INNOVATE: To stay relevant, we continuously improve, support innovation, share our knowledge and skills, and learn from one another.
This appointment is limited to the specified project(s) only and does not carry any expectation of renewal.
Employees of UNIDO are expected at all times to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity, both at work and outside.
Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for jobs at UNIDO.
All applications must be submitted online through the Online Recruitment System. Correspondence will be undertaken only with candidates who are being considered at an advanced phase of the selection process. Selected candidate(s) may be required to disclose to the Director General the nature and scope of financial and other personal interests and assets in respect of themselves, their spouses and dependents, under the procedures established by the Director General.
Visit the UNIDO website for details on how to apply: www.unido.org
NOTE: The Director General retains the discretion to make an appointment to this post at a lower level.
Notice to applicants:
UNIDO does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. If you have received a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Vacant positions within UNIDO are advertised on the official UNIDO website. Should you have any questions concerning persons or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of UNIDO and requesting payment of a fee, please contact: [email protected]
