Policy Expert

​Requisition ID: 1042 
Grade : SB5 - Local Professional (Mid-Level & Senior) 
Country: Colombia 
Duty Station : Bogota 
Category: National Consultant 
Type of job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: NonStaff-When Act. Employed
Application deadline: 14-Sep-2022  

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 particularly 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 Departments/Offices in its Headquarters, Regional Offices and Hubs and Country Offices.

The Directorate of Environment and Energy (EAE), headed by a Managing Director, aims to integrate and scale-up the energy and environment activities focusing on supporting governments and industries to provide sustainable and resilient soft and hard infrastructure for industrial development, supporting industries to contribute to climate neutral circular economy, and supporting governments and industries in fulfilling national commitments under multinational climate and environmental agreements. The Directorate consists of the Department of Environment and the Department of Energy.

The Department of Environment (EAE/ENV) contributes to ISID and the implementation of the SDGs, in particular of SDG 9, by greening existing industries and products, as well as by facilitating creation of new green industries and products, and by minimizing resource use along value chains and during the lifetime of products, facilitating uptake of circular economy practices.

The Department promotes the concept of circular economy, sustainable design of products with less materials, being easy to maintain and incorporating longevity, industrial resource efficiency to improve the effective use of natural resources including in particular materials and water; assists developing countries and countries with economies in transition to achieve the objectives of and compliance with multilateral environmental agreements; reduces the release of industrial pollutants into the environment; and improves sustainable access to water for productive uses.

The Department encourages industrial development for economic growth that is sustainable, resource efficient, beneficial to the climate, and resilient as well as protective of the natural environment and human health, and keeps workers, communities and consumers safe. Its activities serve to improve competitiveness, as well as development of and access to markets, particularly for SMEs.

The Department acts as the focal point in UNIDO for various multilateral environmental agreements and multilateral co-operation in the field of the environment: the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer; the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants; and the Minamata Convention on Mercury; as well as other relevant international initiatives and conventions such as the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), and multilateral co-operation in initiatives like the Partnership on Action for Green Economy (PAGE) and the Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP) and the Green Industry Platform (GIP). The Department coordinates its service delivery with the services offered by other technical departments, and other relevant organizational entities of UNIDO.

This position is located under the Industrial Resource Efficiency Division (EAE/ENV/IRE) which is responsible for supporting capacity development of industry, government, environmental service providers, IGOs and NGOs to scale up and mainstream the production of greener products and adoption of resource-efficient and cleaner patterns of production and circular economy policies and practices that improve profitability of industries while creating social and environmental benefits. Greening of products and industrial processes and introduction of new business models along supply and value chains, as well as the promotion of Eco-Industrial Parks are core activities.

PROJECT CONTEXT

Through the Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production (RECP) Programme, IRE has made outstanding contributions towards the identification, development, and testing of tools and methods for RECP to the diverse conditions in developing and emerging economies. The new Global Eco-Industrial Park Programme (GEIPP) is geared to scale up RECP to the level of eco-industrial parks seeking to integrate support at the enterprise and park scales and address critical policy issues. Key benefits for Eco-Industrial Parks include reducing an industrial park's environmental footprint; promoting efficiency gains; enabling community cohesion; providing better access to finance and technical support; and enhancing business competitiveness. Good international industry practice demonstrates a wide range of economic, environmental, and social benefits from Eco-Industrial Parks (EIPs).

The development objective of GEIPP, which is funded by Switzerland through the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), is to demonstrate the viability and benefits of Eco-Industrial Park approaches in scaling up resource productivity and improving economic, environmental, and social performances of businesses and thereby contribute to inclusive and sustainable industrial development in the participating developing and transition economies. GEIPP is structured into two main components:

Component 1 addresses country specific EIPs by implementing tailor-made initiatives for potential project activities in the following five countries: Colombia, Egypt, Peru, Ukraine, and Vietnam.

Component 2 serves as a transversal component in the GEIPP for global knowledge development. The objective of this component is to generate and disseminate knowledge from present and past endeavours, which can be used to tackle the required preconditions for EIP. It aims to generate and disseminate/transfer knowledge to the various country projects and special country measures within the country-level interventions (Component 1), to the stakeholders and UNIDO, and the interested public in general through global dissemination.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision and direct guidance of the UNIDO Project Manager, the UNIDO lead expert and in close coordination with the National Project Coordinator, the consultant will be in charge of preparing policy amendment proposals and provide expert advice to obtain the support of relevant institutions to obtain the approval of the proposed policies. The main duties and deliverables are described below:

MAIN DUTIES

1. Prepare a policy update proposal as recommended in the Regulatory Impact Assessment carried out at the beginning of year 2022, including the initiative to include the concept of EIPs in the National Development Plan.

• Carry out the first identification of potential proposals for the new National Development Plan framework to include the EIP and Circular Economy concept.
• Identify in the relevant national policy framework thy opportunity to promote the EIP concept.
• Submit the policy proposal to the relevant entities.
• Identify regulatory update needs presented by the competent entities.

     Concrete/measurable outputs to be achieved

• Evaluation report submitted
• Presentation of the reporting system

     Expected duration: 15 days

2. Prepare a normative document related to the conclusions of the RIA, including the proposal with the new Government in relation to the conclusions of the RIA, in particular the Regulatory Decree, which should have the contents developed in the RIA.

• Carry out a first identification of possible proposals in the regulatory framework relevant to national regulations.
• Identify the only relevant national regulation to promote the EIP concept.
• Present the regulatory proposal to the competent entities.
• Identify the new needs presented by the competent entities.
• Make a final proposal to the national government.

     Concrete/measurable outputs to be achieved

• Evaluation report submitted
• Presentation of the reporting system

     Expected duration: 15 days

3. Accompanying EIP's political lobbying.

• Support and participate in the preparation of meetings with relevant government institutions.
• Contribute to the preparation of reports to discussions and meetings related to EIP policy.
• Support in meetings in meetings related to the promotion of the National EIP Framework. The consultant will participate in meetings, among others, with the following institutions.
• Support in lobbying with the public and private sector to carry out socialization of the policy outcomes and awareness-raising for adoption.

     Concrete/measurable outputs to be achieved

     Progress report

     Expected duration: 5 days

4. Provide expert legal advice during the preparation of the EIP Colombian Technical Standard (NTC).

• Prepare the TOR of the potential contractor for the development of the NTC.
• Identify the norms applicable to the NTC.
• Submit the normative proposal to the competent entities.
• Make a final proposal to the national government.

     Concrete/measurable outputs to be achieved

• Evaluation report submitted
• Presentation of the reporting system

     Expected duration: 15 days

5. Support the evaluation in the identification of EIP indicators contributing to the existing national standards in the Colombian regulatory framework.

• Identification national standards indicators to promote the EIP concept.
• Prepare and present a proposal of EIP indicators contributing to national standards to the relevant entities.

     Concrete/measurable outputs to be achieved

• Evaluation report submitted
• Presentation of the reporting system

     Expected duration: 5 days

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education: Advanced university degree in Law, Economics, Industrial Engineering, Political Science, Public Management or Regulation, is required.

Technical and Functional Experience:

A minimum of five (5) years of professional experience in the development of policies, legislation, strategies, diagnosis, including in Colombia, is required

Experience with government authorities in Colombia at the national, regional and/or local levels is required.

Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English and Spanish is required. Fluency and/or working knowledge of another official UN language, is desirable.

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