Title: Senior Expert on Local Economic Development (Publication Lead)
โโRequisition ID: 6508
Grade: ISA-P4
Country: Home Based
Duty Station: Home Based
Category: International Consultant
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: Non- staff WAE
Contract Duration: 35 working days over a period
Application Deadline: 22-Oct-2025, 11:59 PM (Vienna, Austria time)
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. 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.
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 MSME participation in regional and global value chains; strengthening institutional quality infrastructure capacities; building conformity assessment capacities; and supporting market access and quality awareness with the public sector, economic operators and consumers, placing a special emphasis on capacitating MSMEs.
PROJECT CONTEXT
Project SAP ID 240134: Green industrial recovery through municipality-based development in Ukraine
In order to support green economic recovery and reconstruction and to ensure gradual approximation with the EU acquis, public and private investment needs to be facilitated, contributing to economic and industrial development, and accompanied by technical assistance. The main effort for such investment has to be made in regions, cities and local municipalities to ensure municipality-based development and strengthen the private sector competitiveness.
Thus, building on the successful results of the project โIndustrial capacity-building, policy advice and diagnostics for the green recovery of Ukraineโ, a successor and extension project โGreen Industrial Recovery through Municipality-based Development in Ukraineโ was designed to continue and scale up previous interventions and promote best practices through pilot activities.
The overall objective of the project is to contribute to green industrial recovery through municipality-based innovative partnerships in Ukraine.
The specific objective of the project is to strengthen the capacity of public sector and government institutions at the national and municipality levels to facilitate green industrial recovery.
The project is an integral part of the โUNIDO Green Industrial Recovery Programme for Ukraine 2024-2028โ, endorsed by Ukraine and approved by UNIDO on 21 March 2024.
The projectโs key coordinating entity and the main beneficiary is the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture. Oblast authorities and municipalities and Regional Development Agencies should also be considered as the direct beneficiaries.
FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and close cooperation with the project team in the HQ and field location, the Senior Expert will be responsible for the performance of the following main duties:
Main duties
Outputs to be achieved
Expected duration
Location
Research Design and Thematic Synthesis of UNIDO Interventions
Develop and apply a structured research methodology combining desk review, qualitative key informant interviews, and use of available quantitative data. Conduct semi-structured interviews with internal UNIDO staff and key stakeholders to extract technical and institutional insights. Review existing UNIDO documents and knowledge materials, including publications, evaluations, case studies, diagnostic assessments, project documents, etc. Map how UNIDO service modules (cluster development, quality infrastructure and standards compliance, skills development, investment and technology promotion, industrial diagnostics, etc.) have been applied at the municipal level in Ukraine and other relevant country contexts. Extract good practices, tools, partnership modalities and systemic approaches from across different divisions and geographies (Ukraine, Pakistan, etc.). Gather visuals: Diagrams, models, data charts, photos, and project infographics. Produced an inception report with desk review, data collection tools, results of interviews, key overall findings and service modules, proposed publication outline, etc. Inception report prepared.
8 w/days
Home based
Drafting the Publication:
Produce a detailed outline, aligning with UNIDOโs thematic areas and publication goals. Write full content (approx. 45-50 pages, excluding annexes), including but not limited to: Executive summary Thematic chapters (each focusing on UNIDO service and programmatic modules and policy tool) Integrated good practice boxes and examples of case studies Diagrams, models, data charts, photos Recommendations for scaling up municipality-based approaches References and acknowledgements Embed cross-cutting themes (gender, environment, digitalization, partnerships). Final version of publication (approx. 45-50 pages, excluding annexes) prepared
21 w/days
Home-based
Stakeholder Validation and Refinement
Share the draft internally for technical validation by subject matter leads. Capture feedback systematically and revise accordingly the draft publication.Stakeholder engagement summary and feedback matrix prepared Revision of the draft of publication
2 w/days
Home-based
Finalization and Handover of Publication
Final content creation: align tone, length, style, etc., before handing over for editing. Deliver visuals separately as editable files. Coordinate with editor and designer to ensure visual design meets branding, accessibility, and layout standards (UNIDO layout templates). Prepare the final version of the publication in the Word and coordinate the finalization of other formats, including PDF for online and printing, with the designer. Attend and contribute to the online meeting to present the publication, including preparing a 2-3-page dissemination brief with key messages, and PPT.Finalized publication, visual assets, and 2-3-page dissemination brief prepared and approved by PM Attended an online meeting to present the publication
4 w/days
Home-based
TOTAL
35 w/days