Only nationals and/or permanent residents of the country of the duty station are eligible to apply. Female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply.

VACANCY  ANNOUNCEMENT TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT OF PROJECT PERSONNEL

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 the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), as described in the Lima Declaration adopted at the fifteenth session of the UNIDO General Conference in 2013, 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 in the next fifteen years. 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 Digitalization, Technology and Agri-Business (DTA), headed by a Managing Director, 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). The Department of Agri-Business (DTA/AGR) provides a range of technical cooperation services to assist developing countries add value to the output of their agricultural sector and generate employment opportunities in off-farm activities for rural communities, thereby contributing to increased food security and a sustainable reduction of poverty. The department provides support for the development of agri-business corridors in developing countries in collaboration with International Financial Institutions. The Department drives the Organization’s mandates of creating shared prosperity and advancing economic competitiveness. It supports initiatives to build human capital and raise total factor productivity through focused vocational training and industrial skills development activities. With its programmes, the Department addresses the root causes of migration and helps alleviate migration pressures at the origin.

Agro-Industries and Industrial Skills Development Division (DTA/AGR/AIS) provides a range of specialized services and knowhow to address the specific needs of Member States in the industrial processing of non-food agricultural produce and technical skills development to provide their populations with sustainable livelihoods. Functions: - Advise governments and the private sector on technically, economically and environmentally viable development options for strengthening non-food agro-industrial sectors (e.g. leather, textiles, wood and agro-machinery) through an integrated value-chain approach; - Build capacities for basic and advanced technologies and processes (agricultural tools and agro-processing equipment, post-harvest technology, computer-aided design/manufacturing) at institutional and industrial levels for enhanced productivity, competitiveness and resilience to climate changes; - Support traditional non-food agro-industries (through manufacturing skills development, process optimization, product innovation and diversification, by-product utilization, and introduction of working methodologies and guidelines) to improve their productivity, increase their integration into global value chains and diversify rural livelihoods; - Develop and promote innovative post-harvest technologies and techniques through the establishment of Centres of Excellence in non-food agro-products processing; - Promote Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) for job creation by nurturing creativity and fostering innovation that are rooted in cultural heritages of communities; - Promote natural resource conservation with a particular emphasis on the resilience of agro-industries and adaptation to climate changes, including optimization in the use of water and land as well as innovation, optimization and sustainable use of biomasses; - Develop innovative funding solutions to up-scale technical cooperation initiatives and their impact through the establishment of public-private partnerships and blending financial schemes in non-food agro-products processing; - Undertake normative and convening functions, including participation in the work of United Nations and other stakeholders; promote research on priority and/or novel commodities; prepare training manuals and toolkits for agro-processes and technologies, and disseminate agro-industry related data for decision-making; - Support the development of non-food agro-industrial parks; - Develop practical tools to assist Member States in designing and implementing appropriate and effective strategies for technical skills development for sustainable and inclusive industrialization; - Support Member States to analyse their changing industries and job markets to design policies, strategies and programmes for skills development, life-long learning and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET); - At global level, work with other United Nations agencies and other partners to promote demand-driven vocational training as contribution for achieving the SDGs. Duty station: Vienna, Austria Start: as soon as possible; end: 3-month initial contract (with the possibility of extension)

Main Functions

Under the supervision of the Project Manager, the Project Assistant provides support in the development and administration of technical cooperation programmes and projects as well as secretarial and administrative support and is responsible for the following key functions: - Screen incoming mail and draft reply for supervisor’s signature on non-technical aspects; provide relevant background/project information whenever necessary to supervisor(s); keeps track of pending matters, follow up with other offices on deadlines. - Screen phone calls and visitors. Respond to moderately complex information requests and inquiries as necessary, as well as to refer queries to appropriate personnel for handling. - Draft routine correspondence (both on TC-related and administrative matters); and put them into adequate style, language and format; proofread documents and edit texts for accuracy, grammar, punctuation and style in accordance with standard practices and in compliance with the UNIDO Correspondence Manual. - Assist or monitor exercises related TC projects (e.g.: budget revisions, obligation reviews, re-phasing, extension or completion of projects, issuance of new project allotment documents/due sub-allotments, TC allocations and monitoring related exercises). Interpret or consult to clarify the application of new financial procedures, TC guidelines and other instructions. Keep track of project budget expenditures; assist in budget revisions; complete justification for budget revisions; provide information on the project, draw the supervisor’s attention to problems encountered. Retrieve information on TC projects from the SAP PPM module that has been designed to support results-based management. - Using SAP, initiate and follow up on actions related to recruitment of experts, training and study tours, purchase of equipment, travel authorizations requests/claims and deal with all related inquiries. - Perform general administrative tasks like arrangements for meetings and other events, reservations, budget follow-up, research for information and reference material. Prepare requests/documents, e.g. requisitions, purchase orders, travel requests/authorizations, expenditure authorizations, visa applications, etc. - Assist in the preparation of papers and presentations by extracting/summarizing statistics and other related information; compile and organize information and reference materials from various sources for reports, meetings, etc. - Maintain files (both paper and electronic) and databases related to work. - Perform any other related duties as assigned.

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. Core 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.

Minimum Requirements

Education

Completed secondary education. Formal secretarial/clerical training or equivalent desirable. Credit towards total working experience may be considered on a year by-year- basis, up to maximum of four years, for a first university degree or equivalent diploma, in a field relevant to the post.

Languages

Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Fluency and/or working knowledge of another official UN language, particularly French, Arabic or Spanish is desirable

Computer Skills

Field of Expertise

A minimum of six years of working experience in the related fields of the post, thorough understanding of office procedures and practices, preferably within the UN system or in a multicultural environment, including experience in project administration, accounting and finance, providing support to managerial/professional staff and using secretarial/administrative skills to assist in the execution of project development and implementation of work. Proficient use of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint), internet. Experience with SAP or similar ERP software an asset.

<strong>This appointment is limited to the specified project(s) only and does not carry any expectation of renewal. </strong>