Title: Lead Expert on Industry 4.0 transformation methodology and programme design

​​Requisition ID: 6796
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: 45 Days over a period
Application Deadline: 18-Dec-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 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.

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 position is located under the Division of Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence (TCS/DAI) promotes digital transformation and Artificial Intelligence as well as associated technologies as part of innovation ecosystems consisting of productive capacities in manufacturing, services and digital firms, with the purpose to advance the competitiveness of industries and manufacturing firms in Member States. It helps industries to benefit from the rapid progress in digital and convergent technologies associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), ensuring a smooth transition towards safe and secured cyber- physical industrial systems and a smart society and mitigating any negative adverse effects on employment and quality of work. Through the Division's services, the productive transformation is the key, by integrating industrial businesses, dynamic entrepreneurship, and acceleration services, and by applying technological innovation to smart manufacturing, smart energy, smart agribusiness and others, in developing countries, transition and emerging economies, with emphasis in developing countries to provide the opportunity to technologically catch up instead of falling behind industries in more advanced countries.

PROJECT CONTEXT

ID 230258 - Fostering Industry 4.0 for green transition and circular economy in the Western Balkans: In the context of the innovation Agenda for Europe and the smart specialization, in order to support the Western Balkans in benefiting from the rapid development of frontier technologies and to strengthen linkages between science and business in the region, UNIDO proposes to foster regional economic and industrial integration and inclusion of emerging innovation ecosystems of Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership into a wider EU economic and technological landscape. Following the establishment of the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Center (SMIC) in Novi Sad in the First Phase (ID200037) of the project, the proposed phase (II Phase, ID230258) seeks to bridge the initial establishment of the Center with the broader regional engagement plan, targeting Serbia and the wider Western Balkans. Under the umbrella of the UNIDO regional strategy for Western Balkans (in close collaboration with GLO/RFO/EUR team), fostering the productive sector SMEs of Western Balkans, the proposed phase will support the Government of Slovenia in its efforts for implementation of Slovenian Development Strategy 2030, supporting entrepreneurship in priority sectors, leveraging the Slovenian industrial sector’s expertise leadership in Western Balkans in partnership with UNIDO and Serbia. It will build on Slovenia's support to lay the groundwork and develop a comprehensive proposal for the subsequent large-scale initiative focused on Industry 4.0, the green transition and circular economy to be developed in close cooperation with the European Union as one of the key potential partners (Phase III).

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the close supervision of the Project Manager at Headquarters, and in close cooperation with other international and national experts involved in the initiative, the Lead Expert on Industry 4.0 transformation methodology and programme design shall work on the following duties:

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education: Advanced university degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Systems, Economics, Innovation/Technology Management, or another relevant discipline is required.

Technical and Functional Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years of practical experience in smart manufacturing, digital factory tools, industrial modernization, Industry 4.0 assessment and strategy, or innovation ecosystem development is required.
• Proven experience in developing digital transformation methodologies or maturity models for SMEs is required.
• Demonstrated knowledge of both technological and organizational transformation processes is required.
• Strong analytical and technical writing skills, with the ability to translate technical frameworks into practical SME tools is desirable.
• Experience in environmental and sustainability aspects of advanced manufacturing is desirable.
• Experience working with or advising manufacturing SMEs and business support organizations (e.g., innovation centres, clusters) is desirable.

Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Fluency and/or working knowledge of another official UN language is desirable.

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.

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.

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

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

Notice to applicants:
UNIDO does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. If you have received a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Vacant positions within UNIDO are advertised on the official UNIDO website. Should you have any questions concerning persons or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of UNIDO and requesting payment of a fee, please contact: recruitment@unido.org