Title: National Project Assistant

​Requisition ID: 3479
Grade: SB3 – Local support
Country: Ukraine
Duty Station: Kyiv
Category: Local Support Personnel
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: NonStaff-Regular
Contract Duration: 6 months, with possibility of extension
Application deadline: 04-Mar-2024, 11:59 PM (CEST)

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.

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 Divisions/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 Competitiveness, Quality and Compliance Unit (TCS/SME/CQC) which 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.

verview/UNIDO Project Summary/Project Purpose>

PROJECT CONTEXT

ID 230215: Global quality and standards programme Ukraine, phase II. Better trade for smarter recovery: strengthening quality and standards compliance of berries and nuts.

The overall objective of the project is to promote of Ukraine’s economic development through Country’s integration into the regional and global trade, by strengthening the National Quality Infrastructure System serving the berries and nuts value chains and increasing SME’s competitiveness in terms of capacity to comply with market requirements. The project will further support strategic activities in the wood sector in view of meaningfully concluding the support provided under the first phase of the project.

The project includes three outcomes that are aligned to the Global quality and standards programme (GQSP), to be implemented over a period of four years:

Outcome 1: Strengthened QI institutions, by enhancing technical competence and sustainability of the Ukrainian National QI System serving the berries and nuts value chains, to offer QI services that better meet private sector needs.

Outcome 2: Empowered the business sector, by promoting the competitiveness of SMEs operating in the berries and nuts value chains through their capacity to comply with international standards and technical regulations; and promoting job creation.

Outcome 3: Promoted quality culture and a conducive policy framework by raising awareness on the importance and potential of quality and standards for the sustainable development of the berries and nuts value chains, especially in Ukraine.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the overall supervision and coordination of the Project Manager at UNIDO HQ, and of the National Technical Advisor (NTA), the National Project Assistant (NPA) 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:

• Perform general administrative and logistical tasks such as arrangements for meetings, events, trainings and workshops.
• Monitor disbursements, commitments and budget allocations and availability for the projects.
• Keep track of project budget expenditures; follow-up on status of contracts for the local project team, provide information on the project, draw the supervisor’s attention to problems encountered.
• Interpret or consult to clarify the application of new financial and procurement rules and procedures, TC guidelines and other instructions.
• Provide logistical support to international consultants, national consultants, and visiting UNIDO staff members and in organizing meetings, study tours and workshops at the field level and travel requests and expense reports when required
• Prepare/compile relevant documents and when applicable using SAP, initiate and follow up on actions related to trainings and study tours, purchase of equipment/goods and services, travel requests/claims, recruitment, visa applications, and deal with all related inquiries in coordination with the project team at HQ.
• Assist with the preparation of the work and budget planning for the project.
• Assist in maintaining effective communication, coordination and working relations with the relevant counterparts, beneficiaries and stakeholders.
• Assist with the preparation for the Steering Committee meetings, including providing support in drafting papers, statistics, reports and presentations by extracting/summarizing statistics; undertake computer based searches, compile background information.
• Maintain project equipment inventories (both paper and electronic asset management) and ensure appropriate use.
• Assist with on boarding of new project personnel.
• Assist in drafting regular and/or ad-hoc reports on project activities.
• Carry out ad-hoc assignments and research activities, as required.
• Maintain files (both paper and electronic) and databases related to work.

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 higher degree education (including first university degree or equivalent diploma and/or master’s degree), in a relevant field to the post.

Technical and Functional Experience:

• A minimum of eight (8) years of work experience in the related fields of the post, is required.
• Experience in 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 administrative skills to assist in the execution of project development and implementation of work, is desirable.
• Experience and proficiency in using Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint), internet, is required.
• Experience with SAP or similar ERP software is desirable.
• UN/NGO technical cooperation project implementation experience would be an asset.

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

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 for 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: [email protected]