​Requisition ID: 7126 
Grade: ISA-NOC 
Country: Mexico 
Duty Station: Mexico City 
Category: National Consultant 
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: NonStaff-Regular
Contract Duration: 3 months
Application deadline: 16-Mar-2026, 11:59 PM (Vienna, Austria time)

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.
 UNIDO welcomes applications from qualified persons with disabilities. Reasonable accommodation will be provided to applicants and employees with disabilities to support full participation in the recruitment process and in the performance of their duties.

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 UNIDO, as described in the Lima Declarationadopted 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 to a greater or lesser extent to all SDGs.

The medium-term programme framework (MTPF) is UNIDO’s core strategic document. As the Organization moves from the 2022–2025 cycle to the 2026–2029 MTPF, it sets a renewed vision to support Member States shape their industries for development. The new priorities include renewable and clean energy, sustainable access and climate action, ending hunger through innovation and local value addition, and fair and sustainable global and regional supply chains. Cross-cutting priorities focus on industrial and economic policy advice, skills development, fostering digitalization and artificial intelligence, gender equality and the empowerment of women, supporting youth, promoting cleaner production and circular economy, and leveraging private sector investment and development finance.

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 Divisions/Offices in its Headquarters, Sub-regional Offices and Country Offices.

The Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS), headed by a Managing Director, ensures the Organization's application of strategies and interventions for sustainable industrial development related to environment, energy, Micro, Small and Medium-Enterprises (MSMEs), and digitalization. The Directorate also oversees the Organization's normative contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through industrial policy advice and capacity development. Through coordination in-house and with Member States and industry stakeholders, it ensures that the services provided in these areas contribute to effective and appropriate technical, business and policy solutions and are focused on results, scaling up and positioning UNIDO as a leading platform for industrial development in developing countries and global fora.

The Directorate is responsible for the Division of Industrial Policy Advice and Capacity Development (TCS/IPC), and technical Divisions of Circular Economy and Green Industry (TCS/CEG), Energy and Climate Action (TCS/ECA), Climate Innovation and Montreal Protocol (TCS/CMP); MSME Competitiveness, Quality and Job Creation (TCS/SME); and Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence (TCS/DAI). Leveraging the diverse skill sets of UNIDO personnel and the services provided by the two TC directorates, TCS collaborates closely with IET to develop and implement programmes and projects, aiming at enhancing synergy and complementarity and maximizing UNIDO corporate performance and impacts on the ground. The Directorate also ensures close coordination and collaboration among the Divisions as well as with relevant entities in all Directorates across the Organization.

This position is located under the Circular Resource Efficiency Unit (TCS/CEG/CRE), which is responsible for supporting capacity development to promote the adoption of circular and resource-efficient consumption and production patterns across value chains. It fosters circular economy solutions including policies, programmes, practices, and business models that enhance industry profitability while generating social and environmental benefits. Furthermore, it facilitates design for circularity emphasizing reduced or alternative materials inputs, greater durability, reusability, reparability, and ultimately recyclability. The Unit promotes nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based approaches that support the coexistence of industries and nature.

PROJECT CONTEXT

The National Circular Economy Expert will be responsible for information gathering and coordinative activities of the Mexico component of the project “Climate and Biodiversity Action through Circular Economy Solutions (CB-ACES)” (Project ID: 240030), funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Government.

The project’s overall objective is to reduce negative impacts on climate and biodiversity by transforming selected sectors and value chains in the partner countries Brazil, Mexico and South Africa towards a socially just circular economy.

The project will focus on four outputs. Under Output 1, the project will develop and promote a draft integrated policy framework with policy makers, private sector and civil society. Drawing on international best practices (e.g., standards, labels), this framework aims to embed CE approaches coherently into existing national/regional/international regulations, including on climate change mitigation and biodiversity protection. Output 2 aims at building capacities and fostering knowledge exchange for a broad array of CE-relevant actors on the macro, meso and micro level, enabling them to sustain and expand socially just CE approaches beyond the project. Within Output 3, the project will provide technical assistance by designing technical pilots and business cases for circularity, offering technical knowledge as well as knowledge for monitoring and reporting. With Output 4, the project will focus on helping channel finance towards CE approaches. It will identify suitable Financial Institutions (FIs), both on the international and national level, support selected FIs in implementing appropriate CE funds and financial instruments and coach their staff to identify CE opportunities.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager (PM) and close cooperation with the project team in the HQ and field location, the expert will be responsible for the performance of the following main duties:

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS 

Education: Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in economics, engineering, environment, business administration, or other relevant discipline, is required. Alternatively, a first level university degree or an advanced technical college diploma may be acceptable provided it is combined with additional 5 years of professional hand-on experience that is directly relevant to the expertise required by the specific assignment.

Technical and Functional Experience:

• At least five (5) years of professional experience in the implementation of technical cooperation/ development projects at national level is required.
• Experience in circular economy implementation (in industry) is required.
• Experience in working in at least three of the following sectors is required: automotive, textiles, agri-food, electronics, plastics, construction, organic waste, metals, WEEE, bio-based materials, such as sargassum.

• Experience in industrial processes and value chains is required.
• Experience in business model innovation is required.
• Policy advisory experience is required.
• Capacity building experience is required.
• Experience related to gender issues and social inclusion is desirable.
• Experience in climate change mitigation and biodiversity protection is desirable.
• Experience in financial mechanisms and investment is desirable.
• Experience in evaluating the needs, conditions and problems of the country or similar country in the regions is desirable.

• Experience in working with government and development agencies including the United Nations agencies in the country or similar country in the region, is desirable.

Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Fluency and/or working knowledge of Spanishis 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, 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: recruitment@unido.org