Title:  Mining sector expert

​Requisition ID: 7020 
Grade: ISA-NOC 
Country: Zambia 
Duty Station: ZAM - Other cities 
Category: National Consultant 
Type of Job Posting: External
Employment Type: NonStaff - WAE
Contract Duration: 50 working days over a period
Application deadline: 6-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.

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

UNIDO’s skill development portfolio in Zambia includes project ID 250232 “SMART-mine: advancing skills in technology for responsible mining in Zambia – Inception Phase”.

Project ID 250232 is the Inception Phase to design the full-fledged proposal, called hereafter Smart-mine in short.  It focuses on obtaining joint project approval from partners while fostering public-private development partnerships (PPDPs) to enhance skills development in Zambia. UNIDO will employs the Market Systems Development (MSD) approach to design an intervention that will address barriers in the mining labor market and skills development systems, particularly for women and youth in the Copperbelt province. The initiative will analyze the mining labor market, skills development systems, and gender equality to create recommendations for systemic changes, including improving institutional linkages and aligning training with labor market needs. Skills development areas will be focused on smart technologies that contribute to responsible mining, with priority technology nodes covering the following thematic areas: mechanical systems, water management, and data-driven innovations. By validating technology priorities and identifying institutional partners for PPDPs, UNIDO aims to create a comprehensive proposal for the SMART-Mine Implementation Phase. Ultimately, this phase seeks to establish a more inclusive and technologically advanced mining economy, enhancing opportunities for youth and women while contributing to poverty reduction in Zambia.

Public–Private Development Partnerships (PPDPs) are a key modality through which UNIDO promotes demand-driven and sustainable skills development. PPDPs bring together public authorities, private companies, and development partners to jointly address systemic skills gaps by aligning training provision with labor market needs, leveraging private sector expertise and incentives while embedding interventions within national systems and policies. For UNIDO, PPDPs serve as mechanisms to catalyze long-term institutional change rather than stand-alone training initiatives.

MAIN DUTIES

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager (PM) based in Vienna and in coordination with the Lead Project Development Expert and National Administrator based in Zambia, the Mining Sector Expert will be responsible for guiding the technology approaches for the technical studies and assessments carried out under the SMART-Mine inception phase.

S/he will provide quality technical contributions to the design, data collection and reporting processes associated with these studies. This will involve close collaboration with the project’s Skills Development Expert and MSD Consultant(s) who are in charge of the delivery of the following studies: i) a rapid skills assessment for mining and validation of key technology areas (i.e. project technology nodes) report, ii) a Market Systems Analysis (MSA) developed under the Market System Development (MSD) approach and iii) a rapid institutional capacity assessment of vocational training centers in the project target province.

The Mining Sector Expert will also play a key role in supporting the design of relevant Public-Private Development Partnerships (PPDPs), and private sector stakeholder engagement efforts to secure their participation in the subsequent SMART-Mine implementation phase. This work will be carried out in close coordination with the Lead Project Development Expert as direct supervisor.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education: Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in mining engineering, industrial engineering, business administration, economic studies, or a closely 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.

Experience, technical and functional expertise

• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience, including in technical, operational, commercial or advisory roles within mining companies, mining contractors, equipment manufacturers or mining service providers, is required.
• Proven, practical understanding of the Zambian mining sector, including operational realities, workforce dynamics, regulatory considerations, and current competitiveness challenges is required.
• Strong and up-to-date knowledge of modern mining technologies and innovations, such as automation, data-driven operations, remote monitoring, advanced processing technologies, and responsible mining solutions, and their implications for job profiles, is required.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to translate operational and technological realities into practical insights are required.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to credibly engage senior industry stakeholders and clearly articulate the business case for participation in skills and workforce initiatives, are required.
• Experience in technical cooperation projects is an asset.
• An established professional network within the mining sector and industry associations in Zambia would be a strong asset.
• Familiarity with skills development challenges in Zambia, or similar African contexts, would be an asset.

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