International Editor

​​Requisition ID: 3021 
Grade: ISA-Specialist 
Country: Home Based 
Duty Station: Home Based 
Category: International Consultant 
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: NonStaff-When Act. Employed
Contract Duration: 25 days (over period), with possibility of extension
Application Deadline: 2-Nov-2023, 11:59 PM (CEST)  

Vacancy Announcement
TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT OF PROJECT PERSONNEL
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 Departments/Offices in its Headquarters, Regional Offices and Hubs and Country Offices.

The Directorate of SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation (IET), headed by a Managing Director, is responsible for the development of innovative UNIDO services in the areas of agro-industry and agribusiness, sustainability standards and fair production, and climate-relevant or climate-improving technologies. It is also, in collaboration with ODG, responsible for developing innovative technical cooperation concepts, identifying new sources and means of finance and entering into new partnerships with a broad range of relevant stakeholders.

The Directorate houses the Divisions of Coordination and Integration Support (IET/CIS), Quality, Impact and Accountability (IET/QUA), Agribusiness and Infrastructure Development (IET/AGR), Innovative Finance and International Financial Institutions (IET/IFI), Fair Production, Sustainability Standards and Trade (IET/PST), Public-Private Partnerships (IET/PPP), and Climate and Technology Partnerships (IET/CTP).

The Division of Fair Production, Sustainability Standards and Trade (IET/PST) develops and implements an innovative service package in response to UNIDO's mandate for fair and responsible local industrial production and trade, with a particular focus on building the required skills and capacities, and fosters a conducive business operating environment to ensure that such production and trade are as inclusive as possible, promoting – among others – the development of human capital through vocational training and industrial skills development..

The Sustainability Standards and Responsible Business Unit (IET/PST/SSB) fosters the uptake of sustainability standards in Member States across local, regional and global value supply chains. To this end, it induces responsible investments into sustainable value chains working with multinational corporation (MNC) networks and other platforms such as the UNGC, UNPRI and others to advance socially-minded, gender-responsive and responsible business.

The Unit supports Member States in establishing robust empirical systems and norms at the country and regional level to monitor the contribution of value chains to economic, social and environmental sustainability standards and advances cooperation between firms, institutions and policy actors to advance required reforms.

The Unit also supports the transition of public and private procurement and consumption patterns to become greener and more socially balanced and incentivizes supply chains to become investment ready.

The position is located under Sustainability Standards and Responsible Business Unit (IET/PST/SSB)

PROJECT CONTEXT:

Preparation of a conceptual feasibility study for an industrial and innovation park at Ibigwe field in Imo State, Nigeria (SAP ID 200185)

The purpose of this project is to support Waltersmith Petroman Oil Ltd (Waltersmith) with the development of an industrial park at Ibigwe field in Imo State of Nigeria, which will serve to create a value chain for petroleum in Nigeria, a country known for exporting most of its crude oil and importing downstream products for the domestic market. The project will prepare a conceptual Feasibility Study for the industrial park in line with the step-wise approach presented in UNIDO’s recently published “International Guidelines for Industrial Parks”.

Prior to partnering with Waltersmith, UNIDO, subject to UNIDO Policy on Business Sector Partnerships (DGB/2017/17), conducted a compulsory due diligence exercise in June 2020, clearing the way for further engagement.

Waltersmith has acquired 65 ha of land for the industrial park, which hosts a recently inaugurated refinery with a capacity of 5,000 barrels/day. Waltersmith has launched the expansion of the refinery and targets a processing capacity of 50,000 b/p of refined oil products, i.e. kerosene, diesel, petrol and jet fuel, which will pave way for other petrochemical industries to establish at the proposed industrial park.

The park will also include a gas power plant that will provide reliable and affordable power to the park, which in itself will be an attraction for future tenants. The 65 ha is phase 1 of the industrial park and Waltersmith plans the acquisition of an additional 300-500 ha of land that could accommodate more companies and industries.

To execute the prefeasibility study UNIDO and Waltersmith deployed both social and experimental study methods to relevant economic, environmental and social data. A combination of desktop research, field interview sessions, consultations, focus group discussions (FGD), stakeholders’ workshops and administration of questionnaires were used to elicit stakeholders’ perspectives, concerns and expectations, as well as identify key factors likely to attract industries to co-locate, locate and or relocate to the proposed park when developed.

Similarly, areas of interest and thematic feature datasets were collected and analyzed. Data analyzed, as and where appropriate, using both descriptive and inferential statistics.

Subsequent to the Prefeasiblity Study, UNIDO will conduct a Feasibility Study on the construction of the proposed industrial park at the project site at Ibigwe Field, inclusive of economic, social and environmental imperatives. The Feasibility Study will consist of a number of diverse elements/deliverables, including a market demand component; a social and environmental report; a legal and regulatory analysis; site evaluation and a master plan; a financial and economic impact analysis inter alia.

Preparing such a study will necessitate the convening of a specialist project team of experts and the coordination of various said deliverables. Inter alia these inputs will form the basis for the finalized Feasibility Report, which will provide advice to Waltersmith on potential costings and future challenges related to this development. 

The International Editor (Specialist-level) will work under the overall technical guidance of and formal reporting to the recruiting Project Manager.

He/she will also work closely with the Senior International Industrial Parks Specialist, whose main task at this phase of the Project will be to provide the structure of the Feasibility Study as the guiding document to capture and organize the various inputs he receives from the local domain experts on areas, inter alia,  related to stakeholder mapping and analysis, market /industry assessment, comparative and competitive site assessments and a competitive positioning, rationale and value proposition analysis.

The International Editor’s (Specialist-level) main duties include the following:

The International Editor (Specialist-level) is expected to prepare a brief final report of their activities at the end of the assignment.

Education: Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in journalism, communication or another relevant discipline is required.

Technical and Functional Experience: 

• At least 7 years of experience in editing, press and public information work, sound knowledge of development issues and of the Organization is required.
• Specific experience in drafting/editing Feasibility Studies would be considered an important asset;
• Specific experience in the area of industrial park development, planning and performance evaluation would be an asset;
• Experience in developing countries, specifically in Nigeria would be an asset;
• Proven Intercultural skills

Languages: Excellent English language skills, in writing and speaking, is a requirement.  

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