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 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) 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) The Quality Infrastructure and Smart Production Division (DTA/DTI/QIS) 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.

TECHNICAL CONTEXT: Despite the opportunities for a stronger integration of developing countries and economies in transition in world trade that trade liberalisation has afforded, many developing countries and economies in transition have not been able to substantially increase their access to global markets. A major reason is that the reduction of tariff levels coincided with an increased use of international standards, technical regulations and market requirements resulting in non-tariff barriers to trade. Exporters from developing countries and economies in transition, in particular small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs), face substantial challenges to meet and prove conformity with these international standards. Hence, standards compliance and proof of conformity is increasingly essential for gaining and maintaining access to global markets. In order to ensure standards compliance, countries need to establish an effective and efficient National Quality Infrastructure System (NQIS) so that firms can verify and assess the conformity and compliance of their products. Furthermore, strengthening the compliance capacity on firm-level as well as policies promoting awareness and a general culture for quality is needed for a country to take full benefit of a stronger NQIS. Many developing countries and economies in transition, however, suffer from weak quality infrastructure systems due to a lack of know-how and awareness of the role of quality infrastructure and services for international trade. Limited human and financial capital means that they require assistance to devise sound policy recommendations to improve a country’s quality capacity. In addition, companies, and in particular SMEs, generally feature a low compliance capacity. They often have insufficient technical know-how and limited access to affordable and competent quality infrastructure services, as well as they lack awareness of the far-reaching importance of product quality and safety. SECO and UNIDO have been cooperating on providing technical assistance in this area for over 15 years, resulting in a very active partnership. PROJECT CONTEXT: Since 2014 Ukraine has stepped on the course of development reforms, with trade a central component for strengthening national competitiveness and social well-being. Enhanced competitiveness and trade will maximize Ukraine economic potentials leading to sustainable and inclusive economic growth accompanied by job creation and social cohesion. The overall development objective of the project is to enhance the existing quality infrastructure in Ukraine for the wood and processed wood value chain, unlocking its export market potential especially for SMEs. The outcome of the project is to strengthen and support Ukraine’s capacity for trade along the wood and processed wood value chain by enhancing services offered by the quality infrastructure thereby facilitating exports into existing and new markets. This objective and outcome is to be achieved by implementation of a three-year project with the Ministry for Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine as the main counterpart. Quality infrastructure related technical assistance in support of Ukrainian wood and processed wood value chain will include: Outcome 1: Technical competence and sustainability of the Ukrainian NQIS is enhanced. Key quality infrastructure institutions relevant for wood and wood products will be strengthened through capacity building, use of best practices, skills development, equipment purchase and implementation of management systems to ensure quality and international recognition of their services. Outcome 2: SMEs’ awareness of the need to comply with international standards and technical regulations is enhanced. Ukraine is striving to strengthen the wood processing sector in order to generate more jobs and to increase added-value production in the country. To address challenges and to embrace the market access opportunity the project will support mainly the business support institutions which will be identified at the inception phase (e.g. FORZA, Ukrainian Association of Furniture Manufacturers, etc) in the wood and wood products sector to improve market competitiveness, market intelligence and compliance with market requirements, standards and technical regulations to increase export potential. Outcome 3: A culture for quality promoted. NQIS can only grow up and mature with the joint effort of the public authorities in charge and the private sector. The voluntary participation of society in that effort needs to be mobilized creating a pressure on the offer of quality services. The technical assistance to be delivered will be aimed at the strengthening of the Ukrainian quality infrastructure system to address identified quality related weaknesses and gaps in the value chain. DUTY STATION: Kyiv, Ukraine DURATION: 6 months (with possibility of renewal)

Main Functions

The National Project Assistant (NPA) will work under the overall supervision of the National Technical Advisor (NTA) and in close co-operation with the counterpart. The NPA will provide administrative support to the project management unit (PMU) in the implementation of the project. He/she will primarily be responsible for the day-to-day implementation and coordination of project activities and administrative duties in the field. The incumbent will undertake the following duties: - Support the preparation of work plans, fielding of experts, trainings, fellowships, sub-contracts, purchase of equipment, etc. - Support managerial and financial monitoring of the project and its activities and collect relevant information (including a possible review of indicators and budget revisions). - Facilitate requisitions/purchase orders, terms of reference, and assists in ensuring the technical evaluation of received offers according to UNIDO rules and regulations. In particular, support the monitoring of proper delivery of procured equipment and services to the country. - Assist with the organization Steering Committee meetings and other governance and non-governance meetings. - Performance of relevant tasks in SAP necessary for the smooth project implementation. - Support the preparation of mid-year and year-end progress reports, including financial reports, to the donor based on relevant specifications. - Support the project manager and NTA in their day-to-day operational work and in the administrative monitoring of the programme and its activities. - Ad-hoc requests: Any other assignments related to a timely and effective implementation of the project as requested by the Project Team of TII/SQI. - Maintain all project records, filing system and regularly update them. - Handle routine administrative processes, including, but not limited to project inventory, operational advance report, fuel report, leave report, follow up of payments to vendors/experts, etc. - Provide support to incoming mission of UNIDO Officials and of international experts contracted in terms of the project - Maintain a database of the project stakeholders, including contact details of key individuals. - Prepare a final report of the activities carried out during the assignment.

Core Competencies

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. 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 School Education. Diploma in Business Administration is an asset. University studies in the field relevant to the post may be counted towards experience credit (not exceeding a maximum of four years of the actual period of studies whichever is smaller).

Languages

Fluency in written and spoken English and Ukrainian is required. Knowledge of Russian will be an asset.

Computer Skills

Field of Expertise

A minimum of 6 years of experience in a position providing support to managerial/professional staff requiring administrative and computerized abilities and preferably in an international environment. UN/NGO technical cooperation project implementation experience would be an asset

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