Requisition ID: 6736 
Grade: P5 
Country: China 
Duty Station: Beijing 
Category: Professional and Higher 
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: Staff-Full-time
Appointment Type: Fixed Term - 100 series
Indicative Minimum Net Annual Salary: 154,747 USD 
Application Deadline: 09-Dec-2025, 11:59 PM (Vienna, Austria time)  

Vacancy Announcement
Female candidates from all Member States are particularly 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 Field Offices fall under the overall responsibility of the Division of Regional Bureaus and Field Offices (GLO/RFO),  of the Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO). The Field Offices are responsible for representing UNIDO in their countries/regions of coverage and for maintaining close relations with all relevant stakeholders. They are responsible for identifying development priorities and donors’ technical and funding priorities in the countries/regions of coverage, and for supporting, and/or leading when requested, the formulation, implementation and monitoring of technical cooperation projects and programmes, including the Programmes for Country Partnership (PCPs) and the Country Programmes (CPs). The Field Offices are also responsible for coordinating and reporting on UNIDO’s activities in their countries/region of coverage, and for leading/contributing to the development of regional strategies and policies to ensure the strategic and programmatic consistency of UNIDO’s work, including of its cooperation with and contributions to the United Nations Resident Coordinator Offices (UNRCs)/United Nations Country Teams (UNCTs)/Common Country Assessments (CCAs)/United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs).

The UNIDO Sub-regional Office (SRO), headed by the UNIDO Representative (UR) in Beijing, covers the UNIDO Programme in China and countries of coverage, i.e. Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Mongolia. The SRO is responsible for representing UNIDO, to promote the Organization as an effective partner for development, and to maintain close contacts with local stakeholders at the country level as appropriate, including government institutions and international entities.

The UR leads the activities of the SRO. He/she is responsible for identifying development priorities and donors’ technical and funding priorities in the countries of coverage, and for supporting, and/or leading when requested, the formulation, implementation and monitoring of technical cooperation projects and programmes, including the Programmes for Country Partnership (PCPs). The UR is also responsible for coordinating and reporting on UNIDO’s activities in their countries of coverage, and for leading/contributing to the development of regional strategies and policies to ensure the strategic and programmatic consistency of UNIDO’s work, including of its cooperation with and contributions to the United Nations Resident Coordinator Offices (UNRCs)/United Nations Country Teams (UNCTs)/Common Country Assessments (CCAs)/United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs).

The UR works under the overall guidance of the Managing Director of the Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO), the direction of the Director, Division of Regional Bureaus and Field Offices (GLO/RFO), and under the direct supervision of the Chief, Regional Bureau for Aisa and the Pacific. 

The UR shall collaborate with and support UNCT members to drive joint results in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework Cooperation Framework.

The UNIDO Staff Performance Management System reinforces the collaboration within formal units as well as among cross-functional teams. In this context, the incumbent collaborates with his/her team and colleagues, in the country as well as in the region and in headquarters. As UNIDO Representative, the incumbent is expected to deliver results in accordance with the UR/UCR Performance Compact, which is an integral part of the Staff Performance Management System.

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Director General and in this context all staff are expected to serve in any assignment and duty station as determined by the needs of the Organization.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES 

Specific roles and responsibilities of the UNIDO Representative (UR) are to lead the UNIDO Field Office in line with the terms of reference for UNIDO Field Offices. Key aspects of the UR responsibilities include:

Representation, communication and engagement with Governments and partners

• Represent UNIDO at the country/regional level as appropriate, and maintain close relations with stakeholders and development partners to promote the Organization’s mandate of inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID), and serve as the principal conduit for communication for all strategic and programmatic operations;

• Identify and assess local needs and donor priorities to enable an effective alignment of UNIDO’s resource mobilization and partnership development.

• Ensure the alignment of UNIDO initiatives to national strategies and development plans, donor priorities and UNSDCFs;

• Work closely with the UNRC and the UNCT and ensure the integration of ISID, in close contact with relevant entities, into the work of the UNDS, including into the CCA and the UNSDCF, as well as in joint programmes;

Delivery of technical assistance

• Continuously monitor and analyse the industrial performance of the countries/region of coverage, including preparing and updating country and industry profiles, in cooperation with the Division of Industrial Policy Advice and Capacity Development (TCS/IPC).

• Contribute, support, and/or lead as required, the development and implementation of UNIDO’s regional/country grouping strategies, including for least developed countries and middle-income countries, , among others;

• Promote, contribute to, and/or lead as required, the implementation of projects/programmes (including the Programmes for Country Partnership and the Country Programmes), which involve: project identification, preparation of project concept, appraisal, preparation of detailed project documents, project approval and start-up, project supervision, project completion, monitoring and evaluation;

• Carry out selected technical cooperation activities, including acting as the Executing Entity for projects, in line with applicable rules and regulations .

• Advocate and highlight the relevance and work of the Organization and ensure the dissemination of UNIDO communication and media content to governments and stakeholders in cooperation with the respective Sub-regional Office, Regional Bureau and Office of Communications, Conferences and Media Relations (ODG/CCM).

• Monitor industrial policy design and implementation in the host country in collaboration with SPP/IPS/IPR.

• Contribute to and/or lead the identification, development, implementation and evaluation of TC activities in the host country and countries of coverage, in collaboration with relevant TC units.

Monitoring and reporting

• Monitor UNIDO’s activities, including through field visits, and draw/share lessons to ensure a coherent and systematic approach to UNIDO’s service delivery.

• Monitor TC activities for programme results at the ground level and maintain oversight of all project personnel in the host country and in countries of coverage, in coordination with the respective project managers and Strategic Programming, Results Monitoring and Reporting Unit (SPP/SPM/SPR).

• Prepare and submit annual business plans, and monthly and annual reports to the respective Regional Coordination Division for the countries/region of coverage.

Resource management

• Manage the financial and human resources of the Field Office and ensure compliance with the requirements related to the security and safety of employees and their eligible dependents, as well as the protection of UNIDO assets, property and information.

• Manage the financial and human resources of the office, including in the context of the efficiency agenda of the UN reform, in cooperation with COR/FIN and COR/HRM.

• Ensure the security and safety of personnel and their eligible dependents and the protection of UNIDO assets, property and information in countries of coverage. Prepare a contingency plan in line with recommendations from the United Nations Department for Safety and Security (UNDSS) designated official, in collaboration with COR/HRM.

Additional roles of Sub-regional Office

• Sub-regional Offices contribute and/or lead, as requested, UNIDO’s engagement at the regional level, including with regional structures and working groups of the UNDS and regional economic communities.
• Shares strategic and programmatic information and advice Country Offices in the region of their coverage on operations and management.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND DESIRABLE CRITERIA

Education:

Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in economics, business administration, international relations, public administration or other relevant field with specialization in development economics, is required.

Experience:

• A minimum of 10 (ten) years of progressively responsible professional work experience at a senior level, in the area of international industrial development, particularly in developing countries, is required.
• Experience in supervising both technical and non-technical teams in aspects of the project cycle (project formulation, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation) is required.
• Experience in representational functions in the field and experience working in or with the UN system is desirable.
• Proven experience in communication, and engagement with government institutions, development partners, and other relevant stakeholders at national and/or regional levels is desirable.

Language Skills: Fluency in written and spoken English is required.  Knowledge of another language of the United Nations, in particular Chinese, is desirable.

REQUIRED VALUES AND 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.

Managerial and Leadership Competencies

WE ARE STRATEGIC, DECISIVE, PRINCIPLED AND INSPIRATIONAL: As managers, we are strategic and fair in driving our team’s performance. As leaders, we are a source of inspiration, stand for norms and standards established in the UN Charter and duty bound to defend these ideals with a principled approach.

WE ARE INCLUSIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE: As managers, we are inclusive in our approach and maintain constructive engagement with all our stakeholders. As leaders, we embrace all personnel and stakeholders and are accountable mutually within UNIDO, within the system, to beneficiaries and the public and beyond.

WE ARE MULTI-DIMENSIONAL AND TRANSFORMATIONAL: As managers, we go beyond conventional methods to help our organizational units strengthen their own agility and adaptability to change. As leaders in the UN system, we have a vision which is integrated and engaged across the pillars of Peace and Security, Human Rights and Development.

WE ARE COLLABORATIVE AND CO-CREATIVE: As managers, we foster a team spirit and create meaningful opportunities to hear the voices of those around us, while realizing that only by working together can we accomplish our mission. As leaders we see the inter-dependency of imperatives of the UN Charter and personally champion a collaborative inter-agency, multi-stakeholders and cross-thinking approach.

For further information on salaries, refer to the International Civil Service Commission website: https://icsc.un.org/

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 careers site for details on how to apply: https://careers.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