Title:  Project Coordinator

 ​​Requisition ID: 6399 
Grade: ISA-P3 
Country: Austria 
Duty Station: Vienna 
Category: International Consultant 
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: Non-staff Regular
Contract Duration: 8 months (with the possibility of extension)
Application Deadline: 07-Oct-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 of 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 in greater or lesser extent to all SDGs. Accordingly, the Organization’s programmatic focus is structured in four strategic priorities: Creating shared prosperity; Advancing economic competitiveness; Safeguarding the environment; and Strengthening knowledge and institutions.

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, Regional Offices and Hubs and Country Offices.

Under the overall direction of the Director General, and in close collaboration with all relevant organizational entities within UNIDO, 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 MSME Competitiveness, Quality and Job Creation (TCS/SME), which work towards increasing the competitiveness of industries in developing countries and countries in transition, especially emphasizing business development of MSMEs engaged in manufacturing and creating jobs therein. It aims at increasing competitiveness among MSMEs in two interconnected ways: first, by modernizing businesses through the transfer of advanced technologies adapted to local conditions, product innovation, productivity improvement and upgrading, developing market and value chain readiness as well as improved access to finance; and second, by improving the quality of MSME manufactured products and their compliance with market requirements through capacity building for the development of industrial production and trade-related quality infrastructure including for standardization, metrology, accreditation and of conformity assessment service institutions (testing, certification, inspection and calibration) and the strengthening of their capacities.

PROJECT CONTEXT

Africa Trade Competitiveness and Market Access (ATCMA) Programme – ECCAS (240111), ECOWAS (240104), COMESA (240108), SADC (240325) Components 

The EU-funded Africa Trade Competitiveness and Market Access (ATCMA) Programme, a Sub-Saharan African initiative aims at sustainably increasing intra-African and EU-Africa trade. In addition to a continental component, the programme comprises five regional components in the ECOWAS, COMESA, SADC, ECCAS and EAC regions, building on existing or previous regional programmes (WACOMP in West Africa, MARKUP in East Africa, PIQAC in Central Africa, RECAMP and SIPS in Southern Africa).   

The programme is implemented jointly by UNIDO and the International Trade Centre (ITC). ITC is the joint technical cooperation agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization (WTO) in charge of the sustainable promotion of trade and exports from developing countries and economies in transition. The ITC aims to make micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in developing countries more competitive in global markets, accelerate economic development and contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Thus, the organization contributes to creating jobs along product value chains and promising services sectors, especially for young people and women. 

The overall focus of this four-year Umbrella Programme is to address market access challenges faced by selected value chains in the West Africa region and enhance their competitiveness, through two pillars:  

1. Supporting countries to benefit from trade opportunities by enabling them to conform with standards and technical regulations, requiring quality infrastructure and conformity assessment services, as well as by streamlining regulatory and procedural frameworks at the regional and national levels. The programme will help the African countries to benefit from trade opportunities by being able to conform with standards and technical regulations, which requires establishing efficient testing, certification and accreditation mechanisms that conform to the requirements of the SPS and TBT agreements and benefit from international recognition. It will also strengthen governmental institutions in their capacity of creating a more conducive business environment for MSMEs. 

2. Maximizing MSME export potential and access to new markets by overcoming constraints or developing enablers like value addition, and export capacities: In order to maximise MSMEs export potential and support them to enter new markets, the Programme will also address other market access constraints or enablers: enhance value addition and export capacities through marketing, labelling, branding strategies, sustainability and environmental issues, technology transfer and processing for export, business promotion through market linkages and capacitate trade and investment support institutions. Support will be provided both at institutional and policy level, as well as at private sector level, with a primary focus on selected key export-oriented regional priority value chains. Particular focus on intra-African exports as well as exports to the EU will be given, so regions can fully exploit their trade-driven growth potential, with a view to contribute to sustainable growth and jobs creation.  

The programme is thematically structured into five components leading to 5 outputs as follows: 

In relation to Specific Objective 1: 

Output 1.1: Market access barriers identified and reduced 

Output 1.2: Strengthened quality compliance and standards  

Output 1.3: Value-chain revision mechanism facilitated 

In relation to Specific Objective 2: 

Output 2.1: Enhanced value addition and diversification 

Output 2.2: Enhanced SME capacities and opportunities for business and export 

While UNIDO is in charge of implementing output 1.2 and 2.1., ITC is responsible for the implementation of output 1.1, 1.3 and 2.2 

To ensure an overall coherent umbrella ATCMA framework, coordination and complementarity between the Continental component and sub-regional components will be ensured throughout the overall programme implementation.  

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision of the Project Manager and in close cooperation with the ATCMA Programme team at HQ and field locations, the Project Coordinator will be responsible for the planning, coordination, and monitoring of cluster development activities under the ATCMA Programme (ECOWAS, SADC, ECCAS, and COMESA components). Main tasks are:

Programme coordination & planning

• Prepare annual and periodic work plans for cluster development activities in coordination with sub-programme teams and partners.
• Ensure alignment of planned activities with ATCMA objectives, donor requirements, and regional strategies.
• Maintain regular coordination with the ATCMA team at HQ and Programme Management Units as well as regional partners and other stakeholders to ensure smooth implementation of cluster development activities.

Supervision & management of experts

• Draft Terms of Reference and job descriptions for cluster development short-term experts.
• Supervise and provide guidance to technical experts, ensuring delivery of outputs in line with work plans and quality standards.
• Review technical inputs, reports, and deliverables submitted by experts and partners, providing feedback and ensuring consistency.

Monitoring, reporting & quality assurance

• Monitor the implementation of cluster development activities across regions, ensuring timeliness, quality, and coherence.
• Consolidate progress updates and prepare periodic monitoring reports for UNIDO, the EU, and other stakeholders.
• Support the Monitoring Experts in collecting relevant Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for cluster development activities aligned with EU OPSYS requirements and the specific M&E framework of UNIDO.

Knowledge management & capacity support

• Ensure lessons learned and good practices on cluster development are documented and shared across sub-programmes.
• Promote synergies and exchange of experiences across regions to maximize programme impact and replication potential.
• Ensure that UNIDO methodologies, tools, and approaches for cluster development are harmonized across sub-programmes.
• Contribute to knowledge-sharing activities, workshops, and policy dialogues on cluster development at regional and international levels.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education: Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in engineering, sciences, economics, business administration, international relations or other relevant discipline with specialization in areas relevant to the recruiting Division of SME Competitiveness, Quality and Job Creation (TCS/SME), is required.

Technical and Functional Experience:

• At least five (5) years of professional experience in technical cooperation project management or portfolio project management including some exposure at the international level, is required.
• Professional experience in project execution/coordination in the areas of value chain development, MSME development and/or cluster development, is required. 
• Knowledge of cluster development approaches, is desirable.
• Ability to research and analyse information independently and recommend solutions is required.
• Professional experience in project management and implementation of EU-funded projects and programmes, is desirable.
• Experience in evaluating the needs, conditions and problems in developing countries, is desirable.

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