Title: Administrative Assistant
โRequisition ID: 6578
Grade: ISA -G5
Country: Botswana
Duty Station: Gaborone
Category: Local Support Personnel
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: Non-staff Regular
Contract Duration: 6 months (with the possibility of extension)
Application deadline: 12-Nov-2025, 11:59 PM (Vienna, Austria time)
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. UNIDOโs mandate is fully recognized in SDG-9, which calls to โBuild resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovationโ. The relevance of ISID, however, applies in greater or lesser extent to all SDGs. Accordingly, the Organizationโs 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 UNIDOโs 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.
Under the overall direction of the Director General, and in close collaboration with all relevant organizational entities within UNIDO, the Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS), headed by a Managing Director, ensures the Organization's application of strategies and interventions for sustainable industrial development related to environment, energy, Micro, Small and Medium-Enterprises (MSMEs), and digitalization. The Directorate also oversees the Organization's normative contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through industrial policy advice and capacity development. Through coordination in-house and with Member States and industry stakeholders, it ensures that the services provided in these areas contribute to effective and appropriate technical, business and policy solutions and are focused on results, scaling up and positioning UNIDO as a leading platform for industrial development in developing countries and global fora.
The Directorate is responsible for the Division of Industrial Policy Advice and Capacity Development (TCS/IPC), and technical Divisions of Circular Economy and Green Industry (TCS/CEG), Energy and Climate Action (TCS/ECA), Climate Innovation and Montreal Protocol (TCS/CMP); MSME Competitiveness, Quality and Job Creation (TCS/SME); and Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence (TCS/DAI). Leveraging the diverse skill sets of UNIDO personnel and the services provided by the two TC directorates, TCS collaborates closely with IET to develop and implement programmes and projects, aiming at enhancing synergy and complementarity and maximizing UNIDO corporate performance and impacts on the ground. The Directorate also ensures close coordination and collaboration among the Divisions as well as with relevant entities in all Directorates across the Organization.
The Division of MSME 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 MSMEs engaged in manufacturing and creating jobs therein. It aims at increasing competitiveness among MSMEs 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 MSME 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.
PROJECT CONTEXT
ID 240325 - Africa Trade Competitiveness and Market Access (ATCMA) Programme โ SADC
The EU-funded Africa Trade Competitiveness and Market Access (ATCMA) Programme, a Sub-Saharan African initiative aims at sustainably increasing intra-African and EU-Africa trade. In addition to a continental component, the programme comprises five regional components in the ECOWAS, COMESA, SADC, ECCAS and EAC regions, building on existing or previous regional programmes (WACOMP in West Africa, MARKUP in East Africa, PIQAC in Central Africa, RECAMP and SIPS in Southern Africa).
The programme is implemented jointly by UNIDO and the International Trade Centre (ITC).
ITC is the joint technical cooperation agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization (WTO) in charge of the sustainable promotion of trade and exports from developing countries and economies in transition. The ITC aims to make MSMEs in developing countries more competitive in global markets, accelerate economic development and contribute to the achievement of the United Nations SDGs. Thus, the organization contributes to creating jobs along product value chains and promising services sectors, especially for young people and women.
The overall focus of this four-year ATCMA SADC Programme is to address market access challenges faced by selected value chains in the southern African region, through two pillars:
The programme will spearhead the identification of trade barriers, being those tariffs, non-tariff barriers, as well as regulatory constraints, and support SADC and its Member States in formulating and implementing targeted strategies to address these challenges. Further it will enhance the regional and national quality infrastructure systems by defining quality-related policies and good governance strategies and strengthening selected quality infrastructure institutions at the national and regional levels. As success hinges on complementing the overall governance with a robust value chain approach, the programme will focus on ensuring market access for specific target value chains to be selected through a consultative process.
The programme will prioritize the enhancement of export competitiveness as a crucial enabler towards trade development, anchoring its interventions around the strengthening of MSMEs capacities and ensuring their compliance with regulatory frameworks. A pivotal role will be played by the private sector and business associations that will facilitate the implementation of services aimed at enhancing export competitiveness and maximizing opportunities for MSMEs. Forward looking and innovative practices will be at the core of the programmeโs approach. Moreover, the intervention will support the development of sustainable (green, blue, circular and climate-neutral) policies, strategies and actions for the target value chains. It will promote the development of clusters and consortia fostering resilient business alliances and reliable institutional networks, and support MSMEs access to innovative financing and investment solutions.
The programme is thematically structured into five components leading to 5 outputs as follows:
In relation to Specific Objective 1:
Output 1.1: Market access barriers identified and reduced
Output 1.2: Strengthened quality compliance and standards
Output 1.3: Value-chain revision mechanism facilitated
In relation to Specific Objective 2:
Output 2.1: Enhanced value addition and diversification
Output 2.2: Enhanced SME capacities and opportunities for business and export
While UNIDO is in charge of implementing output 1.2 and 2.1., ITC is responsible for the implementation of output 1.1, 1.3 and 2.2.
To ensure an overall coherent umbrella ATCMA framework, coordination and complementarity between the Continental component and sub-regional components will be ensured throughout the overall programme implementation.
FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the supervision of the UNIDO Industrial Development Officer responsible for the project (Lead Programme Manager) at UNIDO HQ and in close cooperation with the project team in the HQ and field location, the Administrative Assistant provides administrative support to the project implementation 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 supervisorโs 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 onboarding 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.
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 โand 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 ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Education: Completed higher secondary education (high school diploma or equivalent), is required. Formal administrative/secretarial/clerical training or equivalent, is desirable.
Technical and Functional Experience:
A minimum of eight (8) years of work experience in the related fields of the post, is