Lead Honey Value Chains Expert at UNIDO Ethiopia

UNIDO Ethiopia Job Vacancy 

Position: Lead Honey Value Chains Expert

Application Deadline: September, 12/2023

Vacancy Announcement

TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT OF PROJECT PERSONNEL

Only nationals or permanent residents of the country of the duty station are considered eligible. 

Female candidates are 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 the 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 the country's 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 to a 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), headed by a Managing Director, 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 the 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 Directorate houses the technical Divisions of Capacity Development and Industrial Policy Advice (TCS/CAP); Circular Economy and Environmental Protection (TCS/CEP); Decarbonization and Sustainable Energy (TCS/DSE); SMEs, Competitiveness and Job Creation (TCS/SME); and Digital Transformation and AI Strategies (TCS/DAS). The Directorate also ensures close coordination and collaboration among the Divisions as well as with relevant entities in the Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO) and the Directorate of SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation (IET).

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 the 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 including for standardization, metrology, accreditation and of conformity assessment service institutions (testing, certification, inspection and calibration) and the strengthening of their capacities.

The position is located in Competitiveness, Quality and Compliance Unit (TCS/SME/CQC). The Competitiveness, Quality and Compliance Unit (TCS/SME/CQC) builds national and regional production and quality infrastructure systems, with an emphasis on providing internationally recognized services, facilitating SME participation in regional and global value chains; strengthening institutional quality infrastructure capacities (i.e. standardization, metrology, and accreditation); building conformity assessment capacities (testing, inspection, certification, calibration, etc.); and supporting trade facilitation and quality awareness with the public sector, economic operators and consumers, placing a special emphasis on capacitating SMEs.

PROJECT CONTEXT 

Global Market Access Programme (GMAP)

The main objective of the Global Market Access Programme (GMAP) aims to strengthen the quality and standards compliance capacity for selected Norad priority countries (i.e. Colombia, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Nepal and Somalia) to facilitate market access for SME by working in emblematic sectors per country. The programme will pursue three outcomes, thus responding to the main compliance challenges identified for developing countries: 

Outcome 1: Technical competence and sustainability of the National Quality Infrastructure System is enhanced. Institutional strengthening of key institutions and relevant public-private support institutions through capacity building, use of best practices, skills development, and implementation of management systems to ensure quality and international recognition of their services.

Outcome 2: SME compliance with standards and technical regulations is enhanced. Improving of compliance capacity through specialized training, capacity building and preparation for certification, strengthening of cluster networks and quality consortia as well as relevant support institutions.

Outcome 3: Awareness for quality is enhanced. Advocacy, up-scaling of knowledge dissemination, advice for informed policy decisions on standards compliance and support for policy development.

To learn more about UNIDO go to www.unido.org, to learn more about the project Global Market Access Programme (GMAP) visit https://open.unido.org/projects/M0/projects/180025.

Ethiopia: Strengthening the quality compliance capacity of the honey value chain for greater market access

In the context of the GMAP, a country project for Ethiopia is developed titled “Strengthening the quality compliance capacity of the honey value chain for greater market access”. The objective of the project is to strengthen the capacity of quality infrastructure institutions and service providers to serve the honey value chain development, enhance the 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 outputs:

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

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the overall coordination of UNIDO’s Representative in Addis Ababa, and under the supervision of UNIDO’s Project Manager, the Lead Honey Value Chain Expert will be responsible for supporting the efficient and effective implementation of project activities through sharing technical expertise and experience on the honey value chain. He/she will be supported by a National Project Assistant located in Addis Ababa. To this end, the expert will have the following main responsibilities:

• Provide specialized technical advice to the PM and project team regarding the honey value chain development by ensuring planning and implementation of the project activities are technically sound, properly planned and conducted to achieve the project’s logical framework indicators with evidence;

• Proactively implement the project in the country by leading the Project Management Unit in Addis.

• Provide strategic advice and supervise the development of tools, methodologies, SOPs and training guides for beekeepers, honey collectors, associations, traders, cooperatives, unions, ministries, national quality infrastructure institutions and business support organizations;

• Network with other international organizations and NGOs who are implementing honey value chain projects in Ethiopia and establish synergy between UNIDO honey project and their projects.

• Establish and maintain cooperation partnerships among UNIDO, extension service providers, academic institutes and other institutions for project sustainability. 

• Network with the honey processors and honey exporters in Ethiopia and facilitate quality honey export in collaboration with the honey importers in the EU and Norway.

• Liaise with the federal and regional government authorities on the project and appraise them about the project progress on a regular basis and seek their timely advice for effective project implementation.

• Prepare all relevant documents for the Project’s Technical Committee and Project Steering Committee and organize those meetings as advised by the Project Manager.

• Represent UNIDO in meetings and events as requested by the Project Manager;

• Lead and supervise the organization of training, meetings and missions by guiding the national staff on their respective assignments;

• Lead the local procurement activities by guiding national staff on their respective assignments and reviewing the necessary documents for approval;

• Prepare project visibility materials such as brochures and success stories;

• Monitor the project progress and prepare reports in coordination with national project staff and HQ staff.

• Undertake other duties as assigned by the Project Manager.

Job requirements

Education: Advanced university degree in Agriculture, Economics, Engineering or Business Administration or other relevant discipline with a specialization in apiculture is required.

Technical and Functional Experience:

• A minimum of 10 years of experience in apiculture development is required

• A minimum of 5 years of working experience in project management is required.

• Experience in liaison with Government and project stakeholders is required.

• Experience in working with international development partners is required.

• Experience and proficiency in using Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint), internet, and Zoom or similar video communication software is required.

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

REQUIRED 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, 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.

How to Apply

Register using this LINK