Title: Steel Breakthrough Facilitator

​​Requisition ID: 3555
Grade: ISA-Specialist
Country: Austria
Duty Station: Vienna
Category: International Consultant
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: NonStaff-Regular
Contract Duration: 1 year
Application Deadline: 14-Mar-2024, 11:59 PM (CEST)

Vacancy Announcement
TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT OF PROJECT PERSONNEL
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) under the overall direction of the Director General, and in close collaboration with all relevant organizational entities within UNIDO, 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, Industrial Policy Advice and Statistics (TCS/CPS); 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 Decarbonization and Sustainable Energy (TCS/DSE) under the supervision of the Managing Director of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS), and in close coordination with other organizational entities within UNIDO, assists Member States in the transition to a sustainable energy future through the application of renewable energy solutions for productive uses, adoption of the efficient concepts of energy use by industry and the introduction of low-carbon technologies and processes. In transitioning to a sustainable energy future, the challenges of addressing energy poverty and climate change are an integral part of the Division’s activities, as is the dissemination of relevant knowledge and technologies and paths to plan, manage and finance the energy transition. It collaborates closely on relevant and converging issues with the Climate and Technology Partnerships Division (IET/CTP) and analytical and strategic matters with TCS/CPS and ODG/SPU.

This position is located under the Energy Systems and Industrial Decarbonization Unit (TCS/DSE/ESD) which focuses on promoting sustainable energy solutions and infrastructure for industrial development. It promotes industrial decarbonization through crosscutting solutions, such as optimized energy management systems and the deployment of renewable energy technologies. Bringing together the supply and demand side for disruptive energy solutions, both technical and business related, the Unit fosters transformative change on the system level driven by the convergence of key technologies such as distributed generation, digitization and storage. The Unit is also responsible for coordinating dialogues and partnerships at national, regional and global levels to promote disruptive energy solutions and shape policy change for this. Finally, the Unit positions UNIDO strategically in the global energy and climate change forums and coordinates the Global Network of Regional Sustainable Energy Centres and related partnerships.

PROJECT CONTEXT

The Breakthrough Agenda (BA) was launched at COP26 to help the world close the “collaboration gap” and accelerate international action on climate change to meet the Paris Agreement’s global decarbonisation targets. By giving the world a framework to prioritise, coordinate, and enhance collaborative action across seven high emitting sectors, the Breakthrough Agenda enables governments and businesses across the world to work together in a more coordinated way to take urgent and decisive action on the world’s biggest challenge. Since its launch, the Breakthrough Agenda has established an internationally-recognised, annual, COP-centred, collaborative process – backed by 57 countries covering over 80% of global GDP, and by 100+ international initiatives – that enhances global cooperation in seven key sectors: power, road transport, steel, hydrogen, agriculture, buildings, and cement and concrete, covering over 60% of global emissions.

The goal of the Breakthrough Agenda is to improve collaboration between governments and initiatives to make clean technologies affordable and accessible for all by 2030, backed up by an annual project plan setting out how governments and initiatives will work together towards this goal in the year ahead.

In November 2023 the Breakthrough Agenda Oversight Group agreed to begin embedding a facilitator role for each Breakthrough sector (taking on and expanding on work currently delivered by staff from co-lead governments and the Breakthrough Agenda Secretariat, currently hosted within the UK Government) within a leading and well-suited organisation within each sectoral landscape. UNIDO agreed to host the role of the Steel Breakthrough Facilitator on a pilot basis for a period of one year.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

The Steel Facilitator works under the overall guidance and supervision of the Chief of the Division for Decarbonization and Sustainable Energy and in close collaboration with colleagues to support the mandate of the Division. They will be responsible for managing the annual Steel Breakthrough process, supporting collaboration between initiatives in the steel sector and country governments that have endorsed the Steel Breakthrough. The Steel Breakthrough Facilitator is expected to be a neutral actor to enable the Breakthrough Agenda Secretariat and co-leads (UK and Germany) to better connect with and leverage expertise and networks in the steel sector to maximise join up and avoid duplication. Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Programme Development: Lead the co-ordination of the international landscape of steel initiatives, to support collaboration on priority actions and minimise duplication of work. Co-ordinate annual updates to an international landscape map to communicate initiatives’ scope and activities. Develop a stakeholder engagement plan in close coordination with the Steel Breakthrough co-lead governments, UK and Germany to strengthen relationships and collaboration across initiatives. Propose and agree new priority actions for the sector with the co-leads on based on the Breakthrough Agenda Report.

• Programme Implementation: Manage the delivery of the Steel Breakthrough Priority Actions, engaging with leading initiatives across the landscape, to facilitate closer coordination of wider activities across initiatives. Identify opportunities to provide support with implementation and execution of projects and programmes from initiatives, or co-ordination across initiatives, where relevant, provide progress reporting and updates to the co-leads and work with initiatives to communicate updates to ensure delivery by COP29 and COP30.

• Global Forum Function: Design, plan and organize, in cooperation with the co-lead countries, four online or hybrid roundtables with all initiatives and countries to communicate progress, plans, and coordinate opportunities for joining-up. Coordinate the steel sector’s inputs into the Breakthrough Agenda Report and the sector’s response to the report in liaison with the IEA as lead author of the report. Keep abreast of technical and economic developments related to steel manufacturing and decarbonisation, and trends around financing through close contacts with specialized institutions and industry representatives, following the technical press, market developments and trends. Keep engaged with geopolitical issues related to steel production, trade and decarbonisation, to support countries’ efforts to collaborate and engage with the Steel Breakthrough.

• Advisory Services to Steel initiatives: Support lead initiatives to design workplans to deliver their respective priority action in 2024/2025.

• External Relations: Support advocacy, communication and global forum activities by coordinating sector-specific communications campaigns and events ahead of key international climate moments such as the CEM-MI Ministerial, NYCW and COP or key international moments for the steel sector. This should be done in coordination with the cross-cutting parts of the Breakthrough Agenda Secretariat.

• Performs other related duties and assignments as required.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education: Advanced university degree in economics, sciences, engineering or related field with specialization in renewable energy policy or industrial policy is required.

Technical and Functional Experience:

• A minimum of seven (7) years of relevant professional experience, including some at the international level, involving facilitation of global initiatives, is required.
• Experience in convening debates and coordination of efforts by multiple stakeholders, is required.
• Exposure to the needs, conditions and challenges of steel manufacturing and decarbonisation is desirable.

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

Managerial and Leadership Competencies:

WE ARE STRATEGIC, DECISIVE, PRINCIPLED AND INSPIRATIONAL: As managers, we are strategic and fair in driving our team’s performance. As leaders, we are a source of inspiration, stand for norms and standards established in the UN Charter and duty bound to defend these ideals with a principled approach.

WE ARE INCLUSIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE: As managers, we are inclusive in our approach and maintain constructive engagement with all our stakeholders. As leaders, we embrace all personnel and stakeholders and are accountable mutually within UNIDO, within the system, to beneficiaries and the public and beyond.

WE ARE MULTI-DIMENSIONAL AND TRANSFORMATIONAL: As managers, we go beyond conventional methods to help our organizational units strengthen their own agility and adaptability to change. As leaders in the UN system, we have a vision which is integrated and engaged across the pillars of Peace and Security, Human Rights and Development.

WE ARE COLLABORATIVE AND CO-CREATIVE: As managers, we foster a team spirit and create meaningful opportunities to hear the voices of those around us, while realizing that only by working together can we accomplish our mission. As leaders we see the inter-dependency of imperatives of the UN Charter and personally champion a collaborative inter-agency, multi-stakeholders and cross-thinking approach.

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]