​Requisition ID: 6973 
Grade: ISA-NOC 
Country: Uganda 
Duty Station: Kampala 
Category: National Consultant 
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: Non-staff Regular
Contract Duration: 6 months (with the possibility of extension)
Application deadline: 05-Feb-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.

The Division of ITPOs and Institutional Partnerships (GLO/ITP) will link UNIDO’s Investment and Technology Promotion Offices (ITPOs) with international corporate partners and use the ITP network to forge, in collaboration with IET/PPP and GLO/FLS, partnerships with development partners. It will engage in matchmaking and partnership development at corporate, institutional, and political levels to support developing countries and countries with economies in transition in becoming attractive investment locations resulting in increased levels of investments and, through investors and partners that the ITPOs bring to the table, engage in technology exchange partnerships that enable them to adopt new technologies for sustainable industrial development.

This Division harnesses different types of partnerships at corporate, institutional, and political level to support developing countries in their endeavor to become attractive investment locations resulting in increased levels of investments (foreign direct investment, impact investments, domestic investments) as well as technology exchange and adoption.

UNIDO’s international Network of Investment and Technology Promotion Offices (ITPOs) counts nine offices that are located in Tokyo, Japan; Rome, Italy; Shanghai and Beijing, China; Seoul, the Republic of Korea; Moscow, the Russian Federation; Manama, Bahrain; Lagos, Nigeria; and Bonn, Germany. The Italian Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO Italy) based in Rome has the mandate to enhance the competitiveness of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries, through the mobilization of investments as well as the transfer of technology, and management skills together with capacity building activities required for the implementation of industrial projects and SMEs upgrading in developing and emerging countries.

PROJECT CONTEXT

Project 250137: Strengthening the private sector through capacity building and international partnerships in Uganda

The main objective of the project is to strengthen local private sector in Uganda through dedicated capacity building and business development services, leveraging international partnerships and setting up a common ground in terms of innovation, technology, and best practices across region.

The main outputs of the project are articulated in the following steps:

1. Establishment of Enterprise Development Centers within local Chambers of Commerce (UNCCI), dedicated hubs where all targeted beneficiaries and stakeholders can benefit from dedicated technical trainings, ToTs, TVETs and other capacity building initiatives (among others on Market intelligence, ESG standards and compliance, certifications and trade, International Contracts and Arbitration, Trade barriers mitigation);
2. Promotion of dedicated business development services to local businesses and associations, facilitating international partnerships and through activities of technology assessment, matchmaking, and investment promotion on strategic sectors of Made in Italy such as agribusiness, manufacturing, ICTs, and Environment, with a dedicated intervention to sensitize SMEs on the impact of industrial development on the deforestation issue.

The initiative aligns with the Mattei Plan launched by the Italian Government and share the same spirit as the Global Gateway promoted by the European Union, also in view of taking advantage of the opportunities opened by African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); it also offers an inclusive and sustainable regional approach and places Italy as a strategic player in the triangular south-south cooperation activity in the area.

National Technical Coordinator works under the overall guidance and supervision of the Project Manager and in consultations with the Project Team. S/he is responsible for day-to-day project coordination and technical leadership and will ensure that all relevant partners and institutional stakeholders are kept involved and informed as appropriate, to ensure optimum cooperation. National Technical Coordinator reports directly to the Project Manager for all administrative issues.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education: Advanced university degree (master's or equivalent) in Business Administration, Economics, Management, International Relations or other relevant discipline is required. Alternatively, a first level university degree or an advanced technical college diploma may be acceptable provided it is combined with additional 5 years of professional hand-on experience that is directly relevant to the expertise required by the specific assignment. 

Technical and Functional Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years of working experience in technical cooperation project development and coordination, and multi-stakeholder and client engagement, is required.
• Experience in working with international organizations and/or prior experience within the UN system is required.
• Experience in evaluating the needs, conditions and problems of the business sector in Uganda, is required.
• Experience with the application of indicators and tools of economic development, specific to the private sector, is required.
• Experience and proficiency in using Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint), the internet, is required.

Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

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