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.

UNIDO welcomes applications from qualified persons with disabilities. Reasonable accommodation will be provided to applicants and employees with disabilities to support full participation in the recruitment process and in the performance of their duties.

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 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 to a greater or lesser extent to all SDGs.

The medium-term programme framework (MTPF) is UNIDO’s core strategic document. As the Organization moves from the 2022–2025 cycle to the 2026–2029 MTPF, it sets a renewed vision to support Member States shape their industries for development. The new priorities include renewable and clean energy, sustainable access and climate action, ending hunger through innovation and local value addition, and fair and sustainable global and regional supply chains. Cross-cutting priorities focus on industrial and economic policy advice, skills development, fostering digitalization and artificial intelligence, gender equality and the empowerment of women, supporting youth, promoting cleaner production and circular economy, and leveraging private sector investment and development finance.

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, Sub-regional Offices and Country Offices.

Directorate of SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation (IET)

Under the overall direction of the Director General, and in close collaboration with all organizational entities within UNIDO, in particular the Office of Change Management (ODG/CHM), the Office of Legal Affairs and Compliance (ODG/LEG), the Strategic Planning and UN Engagement Division (ODG/SPU), and the Office of Evaluation and Internal Oversight (EIO), the Directorate of SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation (IET), headed by a Managing Director, is responsible for the development of innovative UNIDO services in the areas of agro-industry and agribusiness, sustainability standards and fair production, and climate-relevant or climate-improving technologies. It is also, in collaboration with ODG, responsible for developing innovative technical cooperation concepts, identifying new sources and means of finance and entering into new partnerships with a broad range of relevant stakeholders.

The Directorate houses the Divisions of Coordination and Integration Support (IET/CIS), 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 (PPP), and Climate and Technology Partnerships (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).

Division of Fair Production, Sustainability Standards and Trade (IET/PST)

Under the overall guidance of the Director General, the direct supervision of the Managing Director, Directorate of SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation (IET), and in close coordination with other organizational entities within UNIDO, the Division of Fair Production, Sustainability Standards and Trade (IET/PST) develops and implements an innovative service package in response to UNIDO's mandate for fair and responsible local industrial production and trade with a particular focus on building the required skills and capacities and foster a conducive business operating environment to ensure that such production and trade are as inclusive as possible, promoting – among others – the development of human capital through vocational training and industrial skills development. In collaboration with IET/IFI, IET/PPP, TCS/SME, TCS/CPA, and GLO/MSR, the Division will conceptualize and negotiate such services and raise funds from Member States, development partners, IFIs, and the private sector to coordinate their effective implementation and devise ways in which their implementation can be brought to scale.

This will include cross-cutting and sector-specific initiatives for sustainable supply/value chain and skills development in industrial sectors where UNIDO has, over the years, accumulated expertise, such as agro-industries, fisheries, textiles, leather, light manufacturing, health, mining, automotive and pharma and others. It will do so through close engagement with Member States, private sector associations, industrial enterprises, international quality, standards and trade-related governing bodies, other UN Agencies (e.g. ILO), development partners, NGOs and consumer associations, as appropriate, ensuring solid and operational partnerships.

Skills Development, Entrepreneurship and Fair Production Unit (IET/PST/SEF)

The Skills Development, Entrepreneurship and Fair Production Unit supports Member States in integrating into the emerging global systems of fair and sustainable trade and supply chains. It aims 62 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. To this end, it provides specialized and country-tailored assistance to Member States to skill, upskill, and/or reskill their labour force and enhance their entrepreneurship capacity, it implements demand driven educational approaches, leverages partnerships with the private sector and strengthens institutional and firm-level capacities that fortify sustainable supply chains, with emphasis on the most vulnerable. It places importance on mitigating unintended consequences stemming from due diligence regulations, ensuring that all actors, especially at firm-level, are equipped to navigate through these changes. The Unit promotes innovation in learning, concepts and norms to augment the quality, relevance, attractiveness and accessibility of TVET for sustainable industrial employment and self-employment for the most vulnerable.

The Unit also deploys foresight and planning instruments to guide Member States in developing industrial skills of future employees and respond to re-skilling and up-skilling requirements tailored for sustainable supply chains.

Project Context

The project “Skills for Decent Employment in Zambian Artisanal and Small-scale Mining in the Critical Mineral Value Chains” addresses the structural constraints facing Zambia’s artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector – informality, low productivity, unsafe working conditions, weak business organization, and limited access to finance, technical and entrepreneurial skills – which disproportionately affect women and youth.

The project pursues two outcomes. Outcome 1 strengthens Zambia’s institutional ecosystem for ASM skills development, supporting national authorities – the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development (MMMD), Ministry of Technology and Science (MoTS), TEVETA, and the newly established ASM Directorate and ASM Fund – to coordinate, plan and deliver demand-driven training. Outcome 2 equips ASM operators, including women, youth and other vulnerable groups, with improved technical skills and entrepreneurship and organizational capacities for increased access to decent employment along the value chain, through community outreach and awareness-raising, upgraded TVET training centres, and entrepreneurship training linked to markets and finance, including a matching-grant mechanism for ASM operators.

Functional Responsibilities

Under the guidance of the Lead Technical Advisor (LTA), and in close cooperation with the Provincial Coordinator, the GESI Expert and the Project Delivery Manager (PDM), the Community Outreach Expert will be responsible for the performance of the following main duties:

Main Duties

Planning / Coordination / Advice

• Support the LTA in the design of the project's community outreach strategy under Output 2.1 for the Copperbelt and North-Western provinces, building on the GESI strategy and inputs from the GESI Expert;
• Plan field visits and community engagement activities in the province, in coordination with the Provincial Coordinator;
• Establish and maintain working relationships with local community networks, traditional authorities and ASM associations.

Outputs to be achieved:

• Community outreach strategy inputs for Output 2.1 in Copperbelt/North-Western developed jointly with the GESI Expert and submitted to the LTA;
• Field visit and engagement plans prepared for the province;
• Local community network contact list established and maintained.

Location: Kitwe or Solwezi

Consultant-days: 5

Programme/Project Implementation

• Support leading of the delivery of Output 2.1 community outreach and awareness-raising activities, including the design and delivery of sessions and campaigns;
• Engage regularly with target communities and local stakeholders, applying knowledge of local socio-economic conditions, livelihoods, community structures and dynamics to ensure that project outreach is locally appropriate and responsive.
• Identify community priorities, concerns, barriers to participation and emerging issues, and communicate these insights to the project team to support adaptive and inclusive project implementation.
• Carry out frequent field visits across the province to engage ASM communities and build community partnerships;
• Help source and screen profiles of beneficiaries for training and capacity-building packages delivered under Outputs 2.2 and 2.3, in close coordination with the Skills Development and ASM Development Experts;
• Support the Provincial Coordinator with community-level coordination of project activities.

Outputs to be achieved:

• Community awareness-raising sessions and campaigns delivered under Output 2.1;
• Field visits conducted and documented;
• Beneficiary profiles for Outputs 2.2/2.3 sourced and shared with the Skills Development and ASM Development Experts;
• Community-level coordination support provided to the Provincial Coordinator.

Consultant-days: 15

Programme/Project Promotion and Outreach

• Help to design and deliver community awareness-raising sessions and campaigns based on the GESI strategy;
• Provide inputs to the preparation of dissemination and awareness-raising material to ensure it is tailored to the realities of the local communities and province’s beneficiary profiles.
• Build and maintain partnerships with local community networks for the delivery of outreach activities;
• Support the dissemination of project results and success stories to external stakeholders at community level.

Outputs to be achieved:

• Awareness-raising sessions and campaigns delivered in line with the GESI strategy;
• Community network partnerships established and maintained;
• Project results and success stories disseminated at community level.

Consultant-days: 10

Capacity Building of the Project Partners/Beneficiaries

• Support the identification and mobilization of beneficiaries for training and entrepreneurship capacity-building packages under Outputs 2.2 and 2.3, ensuring alignment with beneficiary selection criteria
• Facilitate community-level participation in project training and awareness activities, with attention to GESI considerations;
• Support local partners and community networks in strengthening their engagement with project activities.
• Undertake field travel across the Copperbelt and North-Western provinces and, as required, to other project provinces and to Luapula province, to support outreach activities

Outputs to be achieved:

• Beneficiaries mobilized and profiles submitted for training/capacity-building packages;
• Community-level participation in project training facilitated, with GESI considerations documented;
• Local partner engagement with project activities strengthened and recorded.
• Field travel undertaken as required, with trip/visit reports produced;

Consultant-days: 15

Reporting

• Provide regular updates on outreach activities and community engagement to the LTA and Provincial Coordinator;
• Contribute outreach-related inputs to project progress and annual reports.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the LTA in support of the overall achievement of project objectives.

Outputs to be achieved:

• Learning products developed jointly with the MEL Expert;
• Regular outreach activity updates submitted to the LTA/Provincial Coordinator;
• Outreach inputs to progress and annual reports submitted on schedule.

Consultant-days: 5

Minimum Organizational Requirements

Education

Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in social sciences, community development, gender studies, communications, sociology or another relevant discipline is required. A first level university degree or an advanced technical college diploma may be acceptable provided it is combined with additional 3 years of professional hands-on experience that is directly relevant to the expertise required by the specific assignment.

Technical and Functional Experience

• At least three (3) years of professional experience in community outreach, awareness-raising, social mobilization and/or gender/GESI programming, is required.
• Experience designing and delivering community-level awareness-raising sessions or campaigns, is required.
• Experience in evaluating the needs, conditions and problems of the Copperbelt and North-Western provinces or a similar province/region in Zambia is desirable.
• Experience in working with government and development agencies in the province and in Zambia is desirable.
• Experience working with artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) communities or in the extractives sector is desirable. Knowledge of the Copperbelt/North-Western ASM context (including copper, cobalt and emerald mining dynamics) is desirable.
• Experience developing communication or learning/knowledge products is desirable.
• Experience working with UN agencies or international development organizations is desirable.

Languages

Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Fluency and/or working knowledge of Bemba is required; working knowledge of Kaonde, Lunda or another language spoken in North-Western province is desirable.

Core Values and Behaviors

Core Values

• EXCELLENCE – Deliver high-quality results; continuously improve performance.
• INTEGRITY – Uphold ethical standards; act transparently and responsibly.
• INCLUSION – Promote respect, diversity, and fairness.
• HUMILITY – Show self-awareness; value others’ contributions.
• HUMANITY – Act with compassion; align work with sustainable development.

Core Behaviors

• CONNECT & COLLABORATE – Build trust through effective communication and teamwork; share knowledge and embrace diversity.
• ANALYSE & PLAN – Use data and evidence to inform decision-making; plan proactively and prioritize effectively.
• DELIVER RESULTS WITH POSITIVE IMPACT – Take ownership and deliver high-quality outputs; align work with UNIDO’s mission and objectives.
• LEARN AND DEVELOP – Continuously develop skills and capabilities; seek feedback and share knowledge with others.
• ADAPT AND INNOVATE – Respond flexibly to change; embrace innovation and new approaches.

Additional Information

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.

How to Apply

Visit the UNIDO website for details on how to apply: www.unido.org

Applications should be submitted online through the UNIDO Online Recruitment System:

Application Deadline: 30 September 2026, 11:59 PM (Vienna, Austria time)

NOTE: The Director General retains the discretion to make an appointment to this post at a lower level.

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Email: recruitment@unido.org

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