Title:  Project Associate - Industrial Futures Talent Initiative (IFTI)

 ​​Requisition ID: 7361 
Grade: ISA-P1 
Country: Austria 
Duty Station: Vienna 
Category: International Consultant 
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: NonStaff-Regular
Contract Duration: 1 year
Application Deadline: 28-Apr-2026, 11:59 PM (Vienna, Austria time)

Vacancy Announcement
TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT OF PROJECT PERSONNEL

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 looking for young, dynamic and highly motivated individuals who have a dream to be of service to others through an international organization with such a mandate. Applicants shall be between 23 and 28 years of age at the time of their application. While technical qualifications remain the priority, UNIDO would also like to improve the diversity of our workforce and therefore welcomes for this position candidates from the following countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iraq, Jordan, Kiribati, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Micronesia (Federated States of), Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Niger, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Suriname, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Vanuatu.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty and hunger reduction, inclusive and fair 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, the Abu Dhabi Declaration adopted at the eighteenth session of UNIDO General Conference in 2019 as well as the Riyadh Declaration adopted at the twenty-first session of UNIDO General Conference in 2025, is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development in Member States. The relevance of this mission 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 inclusive and sustainable industrial development, however, applies to all SDGs.

The medium-term programme framework (MTPF) 2026 - 2029 is UNIDO’s core strategic document and it is in line with UNIDO’s Vision 2050. It sets a renewed vision to support Member States and shape their industries for development. The priorities include fair and sustainable global and regional supply chains, ending hunger through innovation and local value addition, renewable and clean energy, sustainable energy access and climate action. 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-related activities; and (iv) convening and fostering partnerships for knowledge and technology transfer, investment mobilization, networking and industrial cooperation. Such core functions are carried out in Divisions/Offices in its Headquarters, Sub-regional Offices and Country Offices.

PROJECT CONTEXT

UNIDO is committed to pursuing its work through comprehensive and cohesive approaches, including through the economic empowerment of women and youth. Programmatically, our work includes increasing young people’s employability and providing them with the necessary tools to create and develop sustainable enterprises. In addition to our external facing work, internally UNIDO looks to ensure its work benefits from diverse perspectives, including young talent from across the globe.

The Industrial Futures Talent Initiative (IFTI) is a 24‑month early‑career professional programme developed by the Division of Human Resources Management to strengthen UNIDO’s young talent pipelines, with a particular focus on talent from non-represented Member States from less represented regions, as part of strategies to  improve geographical representation and enhance gender balance across the Organization. IFTI is designed to provide meaningful professional experience for early-career talent to engage in and contribute to UNIDO programmes, projects and activities, initially at Headquarters in Vienna.

The initiative targets young professionals from non‑represented UNIDO Member States from the Global South. Participants will gain exposure to UNIDO’s technical cooperation, policy, and corporate work.

This vacancy announcement will be used to recruit candidates for two intake rounds, in 2026 and 2027. A single competitive, merit‑based selection process will be conducted, and candidates will be ranked based on their overall results. Offers will then be issued in sequence according to this ranking. Across both intake rounds, a total of approximately 6–8 candidates will be selected (around 3–4 candidates per year), subject to the continued availability of funds.

Programme Components:

Exposure to Technical, Economic, and Industrial Developments: Participants will be exposed to the most up-to-date developments in their field of specialization within the organizational entity to which they are assigned.

Project Design and Management: Participants will further develop their skills in project design and management through participation across the work cycle.

On-the-Job Training: Participants will engage in every phase of the working process.

Diverse and Multi-Cultural Environment: Participants will work effectively in a diverse and multi-cultural environment.

Mentoring Programme Participation: Participants will be assigned to specific projects and portfolios under the supervision of an experienced staff member. They will be assigned a mentor as well as a buddy to facilitate the development of networks within UNIDO.

The IFTI Project Associates will contribute to the effective implementation of IFTI by supporting programme activities, project design, monitoring, and knowledge management within the assigned technical or corporate unit.

The remuneration package offered by UNIDO for the IFTI Project Associate position in its Headquarters in Vienna, Austria is approximately EUR 4,000 gross per month. In addition, the selected candidate will be eligible for applicable allowances, including an air travel allowance (economy‑class travel to and from the duty station) and a 50% medical insurance subsidy.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision of the respective Project Manager and working closely with the project team, the incumbent applies theoretical knowledge and administrative skills to support technical cooperation activities and gain broad exposure to UNIDO’s programme and project functions.

The incumbent shall perform the following duties:

• Compile general background information from readily available sources on economic, industrial, environmental, and social factors relevant to assigned sectors, countries, or programme areas; prepare supporting flow charts, schedules, graphs, and tables; coordinate the collection and verification of documents and data with substantive and support units; assemble and edit basic data required for planning and negotiation; and check project documents for clarity, consistency, and completeness.
• Describe progress of ongoing project(s), investigate designated project activities, and discuss findings with the supervisor to identify implications for the work of the project unit; analyze the rationale and context of project activities and consider alternative methods for project design, management, problem identification, and problem resolution.
• Maintain institutional memory and documentation systems to record project and programme history, including activities under the respective project portfolio.
• Assist in monitoring exercises related to project execution; retrieve substantive information on project status, outcomes, outputs, KPIs, risks, and milestones from the SAP Portfolio and Project Management module.
• Draft reports, briefing notes, presentations, and other written outputs; contribute to research activities and ad‑hoc assignments as required.
• Support the organization of briefings, study tours, missions, mentoring activities, and learning events for participants and other visitors.
• Contribute to programme components such as exposure to technical and industrial developments, project design and management, on‑the‑job training, and participation in mentoring and buddy systems, as outlined in the respective programme framework.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education and work experience: A minimum of first‑level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) is required.

Technical and Functional Experience:

• At least two (2) years of relevant professional work experience in a field, including practical exposure to technical cooperation, industrial development, environmental sustainability, or economic competitiveness, is required.
• Experience working in or with developing countries, particularly in the Global South, is desirable.
• Experience in project design, monitoring, or research in areas aligned with UNIDO’s mandate (industrial policy, sustainability, competitiveness) is desirable.
• Familiarity with multicultural work environments and interest in sustainable industrial development, as emphasized in the IFTI eligibility criteria, is an asset.
• Experience supporting early‑career talent programmes, youth development initiatives, or diversity and inclusion efforts is desirable.

Other requirements:

• Age between 23 and 28 at the time of application is required.
• Demonstrated interest in sustainable economic and industrial development is required.
• Nationality of the UNIDO Member States mentioned in the Organizational context above is required.

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

Women bring essential perspectives to UNIDO’s mission, and we actively encourage talented women from the above-mentioned non‑represented UNIDO Member States from the Global to apply and help shape the future of inclusive and sustainable industrial development.

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