Project Coordinator

Organizational Context

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. 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 the Deputy to the Director General and 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 Division of Climate Innovation and Montreal Protocol (TCS/CMP) under the supervision of the Managing Director of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS), and in close coordination with other organizational entities within UNIDO, the Division of Climate Innovation and Montreal Protocol (TCS/CMP) assists Member States in the emergence, deployment, and large-scale up-take of solutions for low-carbon and climate resilient industrialization. The division promotes system innovation approach to achieve transformational change in climate change by innovating across key levers of change including technology, finance, policy, and regulation. The Division is responsible for the dual mandate of accelerating innovation and building climate innovation ecosystems to promote low-carbon and climate-resilient industrialization; and planning, developing and implementing interventions to facilitate compliance with the Montreal Protocol and, in particular, its Kigali Amendment and to support countries in achieving their NDCs. In addition, the Division is responsible, in close collaboration with other relevant entities of the Organization, for facilitating the transfer of innovative low-carbon and climate adaptation solutions and building markets to ensure their widespread use by industry and local communities, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience in recipient countries. It collaborates closely on relevant and converging issues with TCS/CEG, TCS/ECA and IET/CTP.

Job Purpose

Accelerating the climate transitions is crucial for mitigating the most severe impacts of climate change and to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in developing countries. Almost half of the emissions reductions needed to meet global net zero emissions climate targets by 2050 will come from technologies that are not yet commercial (i.e. they are currently at the demonstration or prototype phase) (IEA, 2022). Delivering the scale and pace the transition needs therefore requires accelerated technology innovation in clean energy across multiple sectors. The Accelerate-to-Demonstrate (A2D) Facility is implemented by UNIDO and was launched in May 2023 with an initial GBP 65 million funding from the UK Government (the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero) to accelerate the commercialization of innovative clean energy technologies in developing countries. The A2D Facility initially focuses on key thematic areas that are off-track for meeting net zero climate targets by 2050, such as critical minerals, clean hydrogen, smart energy and industrial decarbonization. The A2D Facility supports the following types of activities: Demonstration projects: supporting activities to implement and operate demonstration projects of innovative climate solutions (such as equipment purchases, construction, testing and operation) in developing countries. Capacity building: supporting in-country or virtual workshops with key stakeholders (such as innovators, adopters, financiers, industry, experts, governments and/or other relevant stakeholders), which aim to directly support the process to accelerate the commercialization of innovative climate solutions in developing countries through the implementation and operation of demonstration projects. Data collection and dissemination: supporting the collation and dissemination of performance data and results from supported demonstration projects, and supporting knowledge management and dissemination activities for the areas-of-focus for the A2D Facility.

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the A2D Facility Manager, performs the following duties: Appraise, review and adjust project proposals to ensure consistency with national, sub-regional, regional and sectoral priorities and programmes, and with available resources; formulate and present such proposals on the basis of technical and substantive inputs in accordance with required format for final review and approval; appraise, adjust and present project proposals, such as through the A2D Facility’s calls-for-proposals, and develop and obtain approval on proposals for expanding the A2D Facility; Ensure robust and regular internal reporting, record-keeping and external dissemination of activities, publications and results at Facility-level and project-level, including ensuring that the donor’s annual “Logframe” milestones are met for the supported projects by collecting and verifying data and information from supported projects, ensure robust quarterly reporting from supported projects, feed into quarterly meetings with the donor and provide updates on project-level progress and wider developments in the thematic area, and promptly feed into briefings and commissions at both the Facility-level and project-level where required; Locate and analyze specific economic, environmental and social data and distill and synthesize information relevant to supported the A2D Facility and its projects, and identify, describe and justify project possibilities related to supported and planned projects and consistent with approved technical cooperation programmes and on-going activities; Organize relevant events, workshops, webinars, side events, presentations and other outreach activities at both the Facility-level and project-level to enhance the visibility of the A2D Facility’s results, opportunities and projects; Lead the project management of new, and where applicable, existing, supported projects, including monitoring, reporting, risk management, quality management, financial and procurement management, stakeholder engagement, governance, environmental and social safeguards, and gender equality and social inclusion; Develop a strong understanding of the wider landscape on multilateral and bilateral international and regional initiatives, workstreams, reports, projects and other activities for the thematic areas-of-focus and climate innovation more broadly, and develop a strong understanding and robust networks of wider existing and planned projects, programmes, initiatives, workstreams, events, workshops and other activities of relevance to the thematic areas-of-focus both within UNIDO and in other organizations; Support Facility-wide activities, briefings, documents, strategies, events, workshops and network-building where required; Perform any other duties and assignments as requested by the A2D Facility Manager, Division Director or Managing Director.

Work Experience

At least five (5) years of professional experience in technical cooperation project management or portfolio project management of climate-related or innovation-related projects, including some exposure at the international level, is required . Experience in technical cooperation project management or portfolio project management in developing country contexts, and in evaluating the needs, conditions and problems in developing countries, is desirable . Ability to research and analyse information independently and recommend solutions is required . Ability to write in a clear and concise manner is required . Ability to work effectively in multi-cultural teams is desirable . Knowledge and experience in the thematic areas-of-focus of the A2D Facility, such as clean hydrogen, industrial decarbonization, smart energy or critical minerals, or related areas such as sustainable cooling and transport decarbonization, is desirable . Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required . Fluency and/or working knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish) is desirable .

Skills

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.

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