Title: National Expert in Conformity Assessment

​Requisition ID: 3586
Grade: SB5 – Local Professional (Mid-Level & Senior)
Country: Mozambique
Duty Station: Maputo
Category: National Consultant
Type of Job Posting: External
Employment Type: Non-staff WAE
Contract Duration: 52 working days over a period of 5 months
Application deadline: 20-Mar-2024, 11:59 PM (CEST)

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.

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.

The Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS), headed by a Managing Director, oversees the Organization’s development of capacities for industrial development as well as industrial policy advice, statistics and research activities and the Organization’s normative contribution to Member States and global development community in achieving the SDGs. The Directorate also ensures the application of strategies and interventions for sustainable industrial development related to Environment, Energy, SMEs, Competitiveness and Job creation, as well as Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. Through coordination in-house and with Member States and industry stakeholders, it ensures that the services provided in these areas contribute toward effective and appropriate technical, business and policy solutions and are focused on results and on realizing any potential for scaling up and positioning UNIDO as a leading platform for industrial development in developing countries and global fora.

The Directorate houses the technical Divisions of Capacity Development and Industrial Policy Advice (TCS/CAP); Circular Economy and Environmental Protection (TCS/CEP); Decarbonization and Sustainable Energy (TCS/DSE); SMEs, Competitiveness and Job Creation (TCS/SME); and Digital Transformation and AI Strategies (TCS/DAS). The Directorate also ensures close coordination and collaboration among the Divisions as well as with relevant entities in the Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO) and the Directorate of SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation (IET).

This position is located under the SME Development and Job Creation Unit (TCS/SME/SDJ), supports small and medium manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) in Member States to take advantage of new technologies, business and organizational support, investment promotion, cluster development and partnerships to improve their businesses and improve their competitiveness.

PROJECT CONTEXT

As part of the Global Market Access Programme (GMAP) SAP 180025, concluded between UNIDO and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) in January 2020, a country project for Mozambique, the “Market Access of Mozambican Aquaculture Products (MAMAP)”, has been designed with a budget of €2.0 million with a duration of 3.2 years (including a 6 month inception phase) to support the aquaculture value chain development for market access through the enhancement of quality and standards conformity capacity of the sector in Mozambique. The project focuses on the aquaculture value chain, an important sector with great potential in the country. The project will addresses quality-related challenges along the aquaculture value chain for accessing local, regional and international markets. The project will pursue one outcome and three outputs:

Outcome: Enhanced market access for Mozambique’s SMEs of the aquaculture value chain, through strengthening their quality and compliance capacity

Output 1: Enhanced technical competence and sustainability of the National Quality Infrastructure System;

Output 2: Enhanced SMEs compliance with standards and technical regulations.

Output 3: Strengthened culture for quality.

MAIN DUTIES

The expert will work under the overall guidance of the Project Manager, Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) and Project Administrator to support Output 3 in relation to the Promotion and dissemination of Quality along the VC chain, based on the application of the UNIDO Quality along the Value Chain Methodology:

– Revise the QI4VC methodology and preparation of questionnaires;

– Conduct Value chain quality requirements assessment specifically in relation to:

Standards & technical regulation and conformity assessment requirements mapping

Quality Infrastructure Map, including relevant actors and service providers

– Diagnosis of institutional capacities performed through an in-depth mapping of the countries Quality Infrastructure System and technical capacities;

– Private sector diagnosis performed through a mapping of the current practices and capacities of the private sector to comply with standards and technical regulations;

– Conduct a Stakeholder’s workshop to validate general findings from the desk research and to fill any missing information;

– Ad hoc inputs as necessary to provide recommendations on the methodology based on the pilot application;

– Draft work plan based on the findings to serve as roadmap for the institutions and companies assessed;

– Final Report

Draft the final report to include all the above and data collected.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education:

Advanced university degree in Agriculture, environmental Chemistry, Environmental management, Natural sciences, Management sciences Food Sciences, engineering related sciences

Technical and Functional Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience working in conformity assessment bodies (testing & calibration labs), standardization or other related field.
• Experience in conducting surveys and data analysis by using statistical tools. Specific expertise in food safety would be an asset.
• Knowledge of UNIDO value chain approach for quality infrastructure.
• Knowledge of UNIDO project implementation modalities.
• Proven communication and drafting skills, both written and verbal.
• Excellent team player with the ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines.
• Computer literate with experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.).

Languages:

Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Proficiency in Portuguese is recommended.

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: [email protected]