Date: Project Assistant

​Requisition ID: 5305
Grade: G4 (SB-2)
Country: Sudan
Duty Station: Gedaref
Category: Local Support Personnel
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: NonStaff-Regular
Application deadline: 02-Apr-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. 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 houses the Divisions of Quality, Impact and Accountability (IET/QUA), Agribusiness and Infrastructure Development (IET/AGR), Innovative Finance and International Financial Institutions (IET/IFI), Fair Production, Sustainability Standards and Trade (IET/PST), Public-Private Partnerships (IET/PPP), and Climate and Technology Partnerships (IET/CTP). The Directorate also ensures close coordination and collaboration among the Divisions and relevant entities in the Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO) and the Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS).

Due to its mandate as industrial development arm of the United Nations, UNIDO has a unique and long experience as a platform for business-sector cooperation. UNIDO’s Directorate of SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation (IET) is responsible for the development of innovative services in the areas of agro-industry and agribusiness, sustainability standards and fair production, and climate-relevant or climate-improving technologies. The project will be implemented by a coordinated effort between UNIDO’s following units within IET: the Food Security and Food Systems (IET/AGR/FSS), and the Skills Development, Entrepreneurship and Fair Production Unit (IET/PST/SEF).

The IET/AGR/FSS promotes the development of food industries and food value chains and the production of local food products in developing and less developed countries to end hunger and ensure food and nutrition security while generating income and employment adhering to principles of sustainable industrial development. It provides a range of technical assistance services that allow food enterprises – including in the informal sector and especially SMEs – to extend their production, improve their products, comply with quality and other standards, become more competitive and deliver adequate and nutritious food to local populations and for export. It also promotes the development of food safety compliance infrastructure and building related food safety systems capacities.

The IET/PST/SEF supports Member States in integrating into the emerging global systems of fair and sustainable trade and supply chains. It aims to increase employability, strengthen access to decent employment, augment job retention, and increase access to qualified workforce by the industry, through modern technical and vocational education and training (TVET), professional education and entrepreneurship systems essential for driving sustainable transition. Central to its mandate is the commitment to provide the skills required to enabling sustainable supply chain practices, ensuring resilience, particularly at the firm level, and addressing the challenges and opportunities arising from new due diligence regulations.

PROJECT CONTEXT

Funded by the European Union (EU), the project for Developing agro-value chains for the improved resilience of rural communities has the overall objective to contribute to sustainable livelihoods and food security in rural communities most affected by food insecurity, climate change and conflicts. The specific outcome is increased productivity and profitability of agriculture value chains by adopting more sustainable agro-production and processing practices. Building on the vast experience of UNIDO in value chain, clusters, and skill development approaches, this project aims to address these gaps by strengthening quality innovation, access to finance and market opportunities of the sesame value chain in the Gedaref State of Sudan.

The project outputs have been defined as follows:

• Output 1: Project inception phase is finalized, and project management is established.
  • Output 2: Value chain stakeholders are strengthened through better integration of agro-ecological practices, digital and financial services into the value chains.
    • Output 3: Agro-food processing is enhanced by fostering entrepreneurship and value addition pilot initiatives.
      • Output 4: Monitoring and Evaluation activities are conducted.

        FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

        Under the supervision of the Project Manager and in close cooperation with the project team in the HQ and field location, the Project Assistant provides clerical/administrative support to the project implementation and is responsible for the following key functions:

        • Perform general administrative tasks such as arrangements for meetings, events, study tours, trainings and workshops.
        • 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
        • Monitor disbursements, commitments and budget allocations and availability for the projects.
        • Consult to clarify the application of new financial and procurement rules and procedures, TC guidelines and other instructions Collect and compile all data and documents for bi-annual reports, annual reports, service providers’ reports and other reports as required.
        • 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.
        • Maintain project equipment inventories (both paper and electronic asset management) and ensure appropriate use.
        • 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. Process all payments through relevant accounts and liaise with project team in the country and UNIDO HQ to clear all payments in a timely manner.
        • 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 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 all project related 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 –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.