Project Assistant

​Requisition ID: 1926 
Grade: SB2 - Local support 
Country: Austria 
Duty Station: Vienna 
Category: Local Support Personnel 
Type of Job Posting: Internal/External
Employment Type: Non-staff Regular
Contract Duration: 4 months (with the possibility of extension)
Application deadline: 28-Mar-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 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).

This position is located under the SME Development and Job Creation Unit (TCS/SME/SDJ), supports small and medium manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) in Member States to take advantage of new technologies, business and organizational support, investment promotion, cluster development and partnerships to improve their businesses and improve their competitiveness.

PROJECT CONTEXT

The overall objective of the project “PROMOVE Comércio – Building Competitiveness for Exports” (UNIDO ID 180068) is to improve trade, competitiveness and the business environment in Mozambique for greater market access for priority value chains. The programme will pursue two specific objectives and four results:

Specific objective 1: Increased sustainable market-driven Quality Infrastructure services to support the production of quality products for the selected value chains:

Result 1: Good governance and core quality infrastructure services at the institutional level (INNOQ) upgraded to ensure international recognition

Result 2: Increased technical competences of the conformity assessment service providers and ensuring international recognition as per the needs of the selected VCs with a focus on the provinces of Nampula, Zambezia and Maputo

Result 3: Increased availability and quality of Business Development Services (BDS)

Specific objective 2: Improved Government coordination and implementation of the EPA trade safeguards

Result 4: Enhanced government knowledge on the legal and institutional framework required to apply EPA trade safeguards (implemented by UNCTAD)

The main project counterparts are the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) and the National Institute for Standardization and Quality (INNOQ).

In particular, the Result 3 comprises the following sub-results:

Sub-result 3.1 SMEs and BDS providers in those value chains selected after the initial assessment are identified and committed to participate in the upgrading programme.

Sub-result 3.2 SMEs are assisted towards greater export-market access.

Sub-result 3.3 Capacity build at BDS providers to increase compliances on quality and conformity assessment requirements within their network of SMEs

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.

As part of the Global Market Access Programme (GMAP) SAP 180025, concluded between UNIDO and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) in January 2020, a country project for Mozambique, the “Market Access of Mozambican Aquaculture Products (MAMAP)”, has been designed with a budget of € 2.0 million and a duration of 3.2 years (including a 6 month inception phase) to support the aquaculture value chain development for market access through the enhancement of quality and standards conformity capacity of the sector in Mozambique. The project focuses on the aquaculture value chain, an important sector with great potential in the country. The project will address quality-related challenges along the aquaculture value chain for accessing local, regional and international markets. Moreover, the project will pursue one outcome and three outputs: 

Outcome: Enhanced market access for Mozambique's SMEs of the aquaculture value chain, through strengthening their quality and compliance capacity 

Output 1: Enhanced technical competence and sustainability of the National Quality Infrastructure System; 

Output 2: Enhanced SMEs compliance with standards and technical regulations; 

Output 3: Strengthened culture for quality. 

The main project counterparts for MAMAP are the Ministry of Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries (MIMAIP), the National Institute of Fisheries Inspection (INIP) and the Institute for Development of Fishing and Aquaculture (IDEPA). 

The project entitled “ProFishBlue: Improving Fisheries Governance and Blue Economy Trade Corridors in SADC” will focus on promoting sustainable management of fisheries resources within the blue economy context, in order to improve food and nutritional security, create employment through value chain activities, facilitate intra-regional trade, and build adaptive capacity against climate change and other external shocks.

The specific objective is to support policy harmonization and trade facilitation towards intra-regional trade in the SADC region.

The project will cover a wide range of beneficiaries, both in the private and the public sector. The direct beneficiary will be MSMEs (particularly youth- and women-led MSMEs), QI service providers, producers and other actors along the fishery sector in the SADC Region. The share of participation of women is expected to be at least 40%. At the government level, the project will directly benefit the SADC Secretariat and respective ministries in the SADC region. Government and main counterparts will commit to ensuring full counterpart capacity, as required to achieve the objectives of the project

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision of the Project Manager, the Project Assistant will provide support to the three above mentioned projects. He/she will support the development and administration of technical cooperation programmes and projects as well as secretarial and administrative support and will be 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 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;
  • 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.;
  • 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.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education: Completed higher secondary education (high school diploma or equivalent), is required. Formal administrative/secretarial/clerical training or equivalent, is 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 relevant field.

Technical and Functional Experience:

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

Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Fluency in or working knowledge of another UN language is desirable. Fluency in or working knowledge of Portuguese is desirable.

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