Project Assistant

​Requisition ID: 1423 
Grade : SB2 - Local support 
Country: Ethiopia 
Duty Station : Addis Ababa 

Duration: 6 months (with the possibility of extension)
Category: National Consultant 
Type of job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: NonStaff-Regular
Application deadline: 6-Dec-2022  

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 particularly 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 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 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 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 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 positions 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

Strengthening the quality compliance capacity of the honey value chain for greater market access(Project ID:200017)

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

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision of the Project Manager, the Administrative 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 replies for supervisor’s signature on non-technical aspects; provide relevant background/project information whenever necessary to supervisor(s); keep 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 in or monitor exercises related to 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;

• 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.;

• Using SAP, initiate and follow up on actions related to recruitment of experts, training and study tours, purchasing 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.;

• Maintain files (both paper and electronic) and databases related to work;

• Perform any other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS 

Education: Completed higher secondary education (high school diploma, A-level or equivalent), is required. Formal administrative/secretarial/clerical training or equivalent, is desirable. 

Experience:

• A minimum of six (6) years of experience in office administration, or the related fields of the post, is required.
• Experience using Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel), internet search engines, is required.
• 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, is required.
• Experience with office procedures and practices, preferably within the UN system or in a multicultural environment, is desirable.
• Experience with SAP or similar ERP software is desirable.

Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English and Amharic 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, 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