State Field Coordinator (Abuja) at The United Nations Industrial Development Organization - UNIDO

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 Departments/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 Division of Circular Economy and Environmental Protection (TCS/CEP) contributes to greener and more circular industries and products by minimizing both resource use along value chains and the emission of pollutants to the environment.
• The Division promotes just transitions to circular economies, reduced release of pollutants into the environment and other green industrial and economic approaches to help Member States to grow economically while simultaneously addressing the three planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
• It does so by supporting resource efficiency increases in the manufacturing and use of products along value chains and during the life cycle of the product; by reducing or eliminating the emission of non-fuel-related greenhouse gas emissions; and by assisting in achieving the objectives of and compliance with multilateral environmental agreements. In doing so, its activities further improve competitiveness, as well as the development of and access to markets, particularly for SMEs.
• This contributes to climate-neutral, resilient, pollution-free industrial development, supporting co-existence that is in harmony with nature.
• This position is located under the Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency Unit (TCS/CEP/CER) which is responsible for supporting capacity development to scale up and mainstream the production of sustainable products and adoption of circular and resource-efficient cleaner patterns of consumption and production along value chains, circular economy policies, programmes and practices, including circular business models that improve the profitability of industries while creating social and environmental benefits.
• In addition, it promotes nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based approaches for inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) that support the co-existence of industries in harmony with nature.
• In addition, it facilitates the design of sustainable products made with fewer materials, with greater durability, reliability, reparability, reusability and recyclability, and supports the deployment of new business models that improve environmental performance.
• The State Field Coordinator will work under supervision of UNIDO HQ Project Manager at TCS/CEP/CER for the project 210184. The contract period might be extended until the end of the project subject to the incumbent performance and budget availability.

Project Context

• Project 210184 “Promoting sustainable plastic value chains through circular economy practices”
• The project aims to contribute to Nigeria’s inclusive and sustainable industrial development and reduce leakage of plastics to the environment through promotion of circular economy principles and practices to be integrated into effective implementation of plastic waste management and strengthening plastic value chains.
• It is expected to demonstrate the benefit of adopting circular economy practices and resource efficient production for plastic value chains in Nigeria.
• The project has three lines of activities, which interact with each other: 1) Support development of implementation guidelines of the national policy on plastic waste management; 2)
• Support to strengthening recycling capacity at target municipalities through reinforcing the value chain system, including provision of necessary equipment and pilot implementation of the guidelines on plastic waste management; and 3) demonstration of circular economy and resource efficiency practices, including recycling system and innovative technology at pilot companies or institutions to showcase their benefits.

Functional Responsibilities

• Under the supervision of the Project Manager at UNIDO Headquarters and the National Programme Coordinator at UNIDO Regional Office in Nigeria, and in close communication and coordination with the UNIDO project team, as well as international experts, the project counterparts, and cooperating institutions in Nigeria, the State Field Coordinator is required to carry out the following main duties in Abuja:

Minimum Organizational Requirements
Education:

• Advanced University Degree in Engineering, Waste Management, Environment Policies, Environment Management, Economics, Business Management, or other relevant discipline for the project coordination, is required.

Technical and Functional Experience:

• A minimum of three (3) years of practical work experience in coordination, partnership building, project management, data collection and analysis, in organizations that work with the environment management related field, is required.
• Experience in working with public and private institutions on waste management topic is desirable.
• Demonstrated excellent report writing skill is desirable. 
• Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required.  Fluency and/or working knowledge of local language is desirable.

Required Values and 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.