Requisition ID: 8047
Grade: ISA-G4
Country: Zambia
Duty Station: Kitwe or Solwezi, Zambia (with occasional travel to other project provinces as required)
Category: Local Support Personnel
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: NonStaff-Regular
Contract Duration: 3 Months (up to 4 years from EOD)
Application deadline: 17-Sep-2026, 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.
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 direct supervision of the Lead Technical Advisor (LTA), and in close cooperation with the Project Delivery Manager (PDM) and the project team at UNIDO HQ and in the field, the National Project Assistant will be responsible for the performance of the following main duties:
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MAIN DUTIES | Concrete/measurable Outputs to be achieved | Location |
| Support the overall project coordination - Support the LTA and PMU team in planning and scheduling trainings, workshops, missions and meetings, including logistics arrangements and participant coordination;
- Contribute administrative inputs to the preparation of activity schedules (missions, events, meetings, etc.);
- Maintain the project's calendar of activities, meetings and missions, ensuring information is up to date and accessible to the PMU team. | - Logistics arrangements for trainings, workshops, missions and meetings completed accurately and on time; - Project calendar of activities maintained and up to date;
| Kitwe |
| Support to project implementation - Organize and provide logistical support for trainings, workshops, missions, meetings and events (venue arrangements, participant lists, materials, travel arrangements); - Support the preparation of invitations and communications for events, workshops and meetings; - Assist in compiling participant attendance records and training materials for capacity-building activities; - Assist in maintaining project contact lists and stakeholder records;
- Support the compilation and formatting of training completion records and certificates as required.
- Maintain project documentation and records, ensuring proper filing, archiving and retrieval of reports, minutes, contracts and other key project materials; - Provide day-to-day administrative support to the LTA, PMU staff and short-term consultants as required; - Support procurement and contracting processes with administrative tasks (e.g. preparing documentation, tracking requests) as required. - Perform other duties as assigned by the LTA/PDM in support of the overall achievement of project objectives. | - Trainings, workshops, missions and meetings supported with complete logistics and materials (venue, participants, materials, travel); - Project documentation and records properly filed, archived and retrievable; - Stakeholder contact lists and records maintained and up to date; - Outreach/visibility events supported with logistics and administrative arrangements. - Participant attendance records and training materials compiled and organized; - Training completion records/certificates compiled and formatted as required. - Administrative support provided to the LTA, PMU staff and consultants with no significant delays. | |
| Projects Procurement (< 5,000 EURO) Processing – UNIDO SAP System - Collaborate with HQ staff in ensuring all procurement requests in SAP are completed as required; Process straight expenditure, Operational Cash Advance, Operational Cash Advance for Training, Fast Track Procurements, Travel Requests and Expense reports settlement in UNIDO and UNDP Zambia. Keep all procurement records updated. - Manage OCA/OCAFT for the project and submit the respective reports accordingly in due time. - Support procurement processes by providing quotations of required services and liaising with local suppliers as needed. - Liaise with UNDP Zambia to process local payments and keep procedures updated. | All Procurements to be accurately presented and safely stored in line with UNIDO guidelines | |
| Reporting - Compile data and provide administrative support for the preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual project reports; - Maintain accurate and organized project records/files to support reporting and audit requirements;
| - Data compiled and administrative inputs provided for monthly/quarterly/annual reports on schedule; - Project records/files maintained in an organized, audit-ready manner;
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Education: Completed higher secondary education (high school diploma or equivalent), is required. Formal administrative/secretarial/clerical training or equivalent, is desirable. Credit towards total working experience may be considered on a year by-year- basis, up to maximum of four years, in a relevant field to the post.
Technical and Functional Experience:
Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Working knowledge of Bemba or another locally relevant language 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.
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.
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