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 priorities is pursued through a number of individual programs, which are implemented in a holistic manner to achieve effective outcomes and impacts through UNIDO’s four enabling functions:

• technical cooperation;
• analytical and research functions and policy advisory services;
• normative functions and standards and quality-related activities; and
• 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 Digitalization, Technology and Agri-Business (DTA), coordinates and mainstreams the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) in its technical cooperation, strategic, normative activities aiming at fostering the inclusive and sustainable development in the era of 4IR. The Directorate creates new and innovative technical cooperation deliverables in the areas of trade, investment, technology innovation and agro-industry and agri-business. The Directorate comprises the Department of Digitalization, Technology and Innovation (DTI) and the Department of Agri-Business (AGR).

Responding to the growing demand for supporting inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in the era of the new industrial revolution, the Department of Digitalization, Technology and Innovation (DTA/DTI) leads the way in addressing opportunities, challenges and risks stemming from the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) and its contribution to sustainable socio-economic progress. The Department is responsible for the strategic coordination of 4IR-related matters with designated focal points in other technical Departments and organizational entities of UNIDO, as appropriate. In consultation with public and private partners, DTI designs and implements holistic interventions that are tailored to specific country needs. The Department’s interventions actively identify and combine complementary services from across three Divisions, namely:

• innovation and Digitalization Division (DTA/DTI/IDD)
•  investment and Technology Promotion Division (DTA/DTI/ITP)
•  Quality Infrastructure and Smart Production Division (DTA/DTI/QIS)

This position is within the Quality Infrastructure and Smart Production Division (DTA/DTI/QIS), which seeks to build national and regional quality infrastructure systems needed to provide internationally recognized services, including strengthening institutional capacities (i.e. metrology, standardization and accreditation); building conformity assessment capacities (testing, inspection, certification, calibration, etc.); supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to take advantage of new

technologies and standards for smart production and thus participate in global value chains; trade facilitation and promoting quality awareness with the public sector, economic operators and consumers.

PROJECT CONTEXT As part of the Global Market Access Program (GMAP), the objective of the country project for Ethiopia is to strengthen the capacity of quality infrastructure institutions and service providers to serve the honey value chain development, enhance compliance capacity of honey SMEs to foreign standards and regulations and promote a culture of quality among stakeholders in the honey sector, to ultimately improve market access and increase export opportunities of honey products from Ethiopia to foreign markets.

The overall outcome of the project is increased market access of Ethiopian honey products to foreign markets especially to the EU and Norwegian markets. To achieve the outcome, the project will intervene through the following planned outcomes:

Outcome 1: Enhance technical competence and sustainability of the national quality infrastructure system

Outcome 2: Enhance SME compliance with standards and technical regulations

Outcome 3: Strengthen culture of quality across the honey value chain, to improve reputation, add more value to the honey production, and increase demand for Ethiopian honey.

Main Functions

Under the overall coordination of UNIDO’s Regional Office in Addis Ababa, and under the supervision of UNIDO’s Project Manager, the National Project Coordinator (NPC) will be responsible for coordinating with national counterparts as well as public and private stakeholders to ensure the efficient implementation of project activities and timely delivery of the project results. Furthermore, he/she will closely collaborate with the project personal in the field and at UNIDO HQs to ensure sound communication within the project management team. To this end, the NPC will have the following main responsibilities:

 PROJECT COORDINATION:

Advise the project manager (PM), the donor and counterparts on policy, development strategy and technical matters. Ensure consistency within the UNIDO project components/outputs and activities. Establish and maintain relations and exchange of information with the local authorities, private sector institutions, enterprises, support institutions and other development partners. Prepare and monitor detailed work plans and budgets of the different interventions including a time plan for field experts, trainings, fellowships, sub-contracts, equipment purchases etc. Define institutional development objectives, work targets that can be reasonably achieved within the project funding and time frame. Identify any pre-conditions that need to be fulfilled by the Government to achieve these objectives. Be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Project Management Unit (PMU) and the disbursement of local expenditures, based on standard UNIDO field disbursement procedures.

PROJECT INCEPTION PHASE

 Advise the PM, the donor and counterparts on policy, regional development strategies and technical matters Support in identifying national experts for the inception phase and related reports Support in conducting a deeper level assessment on the situation development in the Tigray Regional State and associated risks as well as their implications Organize meetings and consultations with concerned government agencies, sector associations and private sector stakeholders, to ensure smooth implementation of the project inception phase and timely delivery of the results and reports required in the project document Support in identifying an ESS expert for assessing the Environmental and Social situations and developing Environmental and Social Monitoring Plan.

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

Provide advice on questions pertaining the project objectives, in particular on sectoral information and needs, strategic workplans, etc. Establish and maintain relations and exchange of information with local authorities, private sector institutions, enterprises, support institutions and other key partners. Prepare, in coordination with the NQIS and relevant sector-specific stakeholders, detailed work plans. Define institutional development objectives. Identify any pre-conditions that need to be fulfilled by the Government to achieve these objectives. In consultation with the UNIDO PM, and in cooperation with the NQIS, identify in detail the nature of international and national

expertise required; in consultation with relevant national counterparts prepare draft job descriptions. Coordinate the local work of short-term sector-specific national and international consultants and sub-contractors, to ensure smooth project delivery. Coordinate the administrative organization of study tours and other training programmes including selection of participants. Support the preparation of technical specifications for the purchasing of equipment, if deem necessary.

PROGRAMME MONITORING AND REPORTING

 Prepare monthly activity reports, and provide inputs for the preparation of the quarterly and biannual results-based reporting for the project according to donor specifications and UNIDO requirements. Support the preparation of a mid-term and final report comprising all relevant information compiled from the interim reports, conclusions and recommendations. In coordination with the PM, brief key sector-specific counterparts regularly on implementation progress. Provide inputs and support the preparation of the documentation for the Project Steering Committee meetings. Provide inputs and support the preparation of the documentation for the Project Technical Committee meetings.

PROMOTION & TRAINING

 Support the preparation of promotional material on the project in consultation with PM and key stakeholders and ensure that sufficient exposure is made about the project in the media. Support and provide substantive inputs to the organization of trainings, seminars and workshops to create awareness and publicize programme results, and ensuring sustainability. Report on participants’ evaluation of training activities. Develop a report with the donor community to publicize the project results and seek cooperation and funding for additional areas. Ad-hoc requests: Any other assignments related to a timely and effective implementation of the project as requested by the PM.

Core 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.

Vacancy Announcement No: VA2021_ISA_EXT_142

 Duty Station: Ethiopia

 Employment Fraction: Non Staff-Regular

Job Requirements

Minimum Requirements & Education:

• Advanced degree in Agricultural Science, Economics, Engineering, and Business Administration or related field.

UNIDO Languages:

• Fluency in written and spoken English, Amharic and Oromiffa is required.

Field of Expertise:

• A minimum of five (5) years of progressive professional experience with government and private sectors, including work with private sector associations, developing activities related to stakeholder management, sectoral strengthening, quality infrastructure strengthening. Knowledge and experience in the areas of apiculture and in the development, analysis and interpretation of public policies and trade.
• UN/NGO technical cooperation project implementation experience would be an asset
• Computer literacy (MS Office, data base management) is required
• Ability to develop technical analysis to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations. Exposure to the needs, conditions and problems in developing countries

How to Apply

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.

Visit the UNIDO web site for details on how to apply CLICK HERE

NB: 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: recruitment@unido.org