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 Departments/Offices in its Headquarters, Regional Offices and Hubs and Country Offices

Division of Agribusiness and Infrastructure Development (IET/AGR)

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 Agribusiness and Infrastructure Development (IET/AGR) supports Member States in their efforts to pave the way to sustainable rural development and a structurally transformed and modernized agribusiness sector. Capitalizing on the experience gained by UNIDO in this field over decades and on tried-and-tested and to-be-developed service modules, the Division will explore innovative approaches to maximise the potential that exists in agribusiness development, addressing emerging global trends, in particular food security, poverty alleviation and climate change. It will explore new ways to contribute to global efforts to reduce hunger, accelerate food systems transition, and generate income and employment, especially among women and youth.

The Division provides technical cooperation services to assist the modernization of agriculture and agro-industry, especially in less-developed countries, ensuring that enterprises add value to primary agricultural production, substitute the imports of food and other value-added agricultural products, and participate effectively in local, regional and global value chains. Where needed, it will develop infrastructure and agro-industrial parks and capacities for agro-industrialization, value addition, quality assurance and food safety. It will also bring innovative approaches to Member States to fully benefit from carbon-neutral and biodiversity-enhancing agricultural and agro-industrial production and development opportunities in the green and blue bioeconomy.

Agro-Innovation and Bioeconomy Unit (IET/AGR/AIB)

The Agro-Innovation and Bioeconomy Unit (IET/AGR/AIB) promotes the development of innovative approaches to agricultural and agro-industrial production by looking at new products for industry, new processes of production, new sources of materials and energy from biomass, new schemes for sustainable production and new approaches to climate adaptation and the reduction of climate change. The Unit will contribute to addressing global challenges such as climate change, food and water shortages, environmental pollution, and loss of biodiversity – all in combination with economic development - by replacing fossil and mineral resources with renewable raw materials and through new technologies in production and processing of agriculture and aquaculture-based products.

Overall, the Unit will support agriculture and agro-industry in Member States in a transition from fossil and mineral-based production to a green and blue circular bioeconomy. Through partnerships with innovative firms, R&D departments and development partners, the Unit draws from the latest technology development in agricultural machinery, agro-processing and digitalization and renders adapted solutions to agro-industry development, emphasizing services to less developed countries. It will also engage with innovative carbon sequestration and biodiversity improvement schemes that help farmers and agro-industry firms to finance and apply new technologies of CO2 reduction and biodiversity improvement. It will also foster climate adaptation in agricultural and agro-industry production, using more sustainable technology and production schemes.

PROJECT CONTEXT

In 2009, the Government of Ethiopia adopted the agro-industrial strategy to transform the agricultural sector and boost the economy. A high-level consultative process led to the identification of 17 growth corridors in the country and the selection of locations in Oromia, Amhara, Tigray, and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' (SNNP) regions as the pilots for four integrated agro-industrial park (IAIPs). The development of IAIPs is a core component of the current National Home-Grown Economic Reform as well as the Ten-Year Perspective Development Plan (2021 – 2030). The IAIPs are critical vehicles for the structural transformation of the economy, driven by the development of the agricultural production system, from its current fragmented and supply-driven practices, to one that is organized and based on quality and demand. Such a change will boost agro-processing and will help create employment and stimulate a shift in investment and human resources from agriculture to agro-industries.

The EU initiated programme, Promotion of Sustainable Ethiopian Agro-Industrial Development (PROSEAD) is the result of a joint effort of the Government of Ethiopia, EU, AfDB, IFAD, EIB, GiZ and UNIDO.

The PROSEAD project has five components providing a substantial contribution to the IAIP development in areas like part-related infrastructure, value chain development, access to finance, and building the capacity of the workforce.

This project, Component 5 of PROSEAD, implemented by UNIDO, addresses the overall coordination of the IAIP programme, including PROSEAD itself, to accelerate the mobilisation of public investments and leverage private investments for the realisation of the IAIPs and to synergies with current government and donors’ investments in the development of agricultural value chains. The main purpose of the project is to establish a coordination and governance framework to harmonize IAIP stakeholders’ interventions and sequence activities, as well as to address issues affecting agro-industrial performance in Ethiopia.

For More Information Click Here: UNIDO_NPC.docx

Requisition ID: 1382
Grade: SB5 - Local Professional (Mid-Level & Senior)
Category: National Consultant
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: NonStaff-Regular
Contract Duration: 6 months with possibility of extension (project duration)

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education

• An advanced university degree in, Agriculture Economics, Business Administration, Economics, International Development or any other relevant subject related to the livelihood development is required.

Technical and Functional Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of professional working experience in industrial development with particular emphasis on cluster development and value chain development at national level is required.
• Familiarity with UNIDO’s industrial cluster development approach and the Ethiopian industrial development, particularly s with UNIDO Industrial cluster development is desirable.
• Experience in implementing technical cooperation projects in the country or similar countries in the sub-Saharan Africa is desirable.
• Experience/knowledge of other development agencies, the Donors community in the country and in similar country in the region is desirable.
• Knowledge of the international development agenda and strategic issues on climate change and sustainable livelihoods is desirable.

Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required, Fluency/ knowledge of Amharic is an asset.

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.