Leather and Footwear Technical Expert
Organizational Context
UNIDO promotes inclusive and sustainable industrial development for poverty reduction, globalization, and environmental sustainability, aligning with the 2030 Agenda and SDG-9. The organization's Medium-Term Programme Framework (MTPF) 2026-2029 focuses on fair supply chains, innovation, renewable energy, and climate action, with cross-cutting priorities in policy advice, skills development, digitalization, gender equality, and private sector investment. UNIDO operates through technical cooperation, research, normative functions, and partnerships.
Job Purpose
To assess the technical and market-related service requirements of Palestinian footwear manufacturers, evaluate the capacity of the Leather and Footwear Product Development Center (LFPDC) to meet these needs, and develop a practical service development and reactivation plan for the proposed Sustainable Shoe Village (SSV) Common Facility Centre (CFC). This aims to strengthen enterprise competitiveness, improve market compliance, and optimize existing sector assets.
Responsibilities
Conduct assignment initiation and stakeholder engagement planning. Assess technical and non-technical service requirements of footwear manufacturers, including production, design, skills, and market compliance needs. Evaluate the LFPDC's existing capacities, infrastructure, and service delivery against sector requirements. Develop a practical Service Development and Reactivation Plan, including a future service portfolio, operational improvements, staffing needs, partnership strategies, and a phased implementation roadmap. Present findings and finalize the consultancy report.
Work Experience
Required: Minimum five years of professional experience in the leather and footwear sector, including manufacturing, product development, industrial support services, or sector development. Demonstrated technical knowledge of footwear manufacturing processes, product development, design, quality assurance, standards, and skills development. Desirable: Experience in establishing/managing sector-support institutions (technology centers, labs, training centers), conducting institutional assessments, developing service plans, and working with governments, industry associations, or development projects. Experience in the MENA region is also desirable.
Skills
Core Values: Excellence, Integrity, Inclusion, Humility, Humanity. Core Behaviors: Connect & Collaborate, Analyse & Plan, Deliver Results with Positive Impact, Learn and Develop, Adapt and Innovate.