Chief Technical Advisor

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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.
PROJECT CONTEXT
The Island of Mindanao in the Philippines has undergone social unrest in the past decades due to the Moro Conflict. Since 1960s, political tensions and open hostilities have developed between Philippines’ Government and Moro Muslim rebel groups. To defuse these tensions, lengthy peace negotiations have led to the formation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in 2019. Philippines’ and BARMM’s political commitment will be fundamental to ensure Bangsamoro’s institutional strengthening. Collaboration of foreign donors to ensure institutional strengthening and delivery of peace dividends will also be fundamental in the coming years to enhance BARMM’s socio-economic conditions & human security.
UNIDO action fits in this context by supporting the development of BARMM’s Agribusiness Sector. The action aims to support agribusinesses in post-conflict Bangsamoro to increase their sales to the Filipino market and their exports to the market of Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) (General Objective).
To contribute to the achievement of this objective the action will ensure that:
1. BARMM’s institutions enforce the implementation of the reviewed Halal and sea products’ standards and certification procedures (Outcome 1);
2. Local testing laboratories are upgraded to ensure compliance to the reviewed Halal and sea products’ standards (Outcome 2); and
3. Supported local agribusinesses obtain the certification for the reviewed Halal and sea products’ standards (Outcome 3).
To achieve these outcomes the support will be threefold:
1. Institutional support is provided to BARMM to review and to implement Halal and sea products’ standards and relevant agreements (Output 1); 2. Capacity development program is carried out to help local testing laboratories to be upgraded (Output 2); and 3. Skills development and technology transfer program is delivered to selected local agribusinesses to comply with Halal and sea products’ standards (Output 3). Capacity development activities for the relevant stakeholders will include an integrated skills development and a technology transfer program.
UNIDO’s intervention will be part of a larger EU intervention: EU Bangsamoro Agri-Enterprise Programme (EU BAEP) – towards peaceful, cohesive, secure & inclusive development in Bangsamoro. EU BAEP is designed to deliver on two major outcomes: Outcome 1: Local agricultural production is improved in quality, diversity, consolidation and its response to the needs of the market; Outcome 2: BARRM has an elaborate policy and strategy for further development and investment promotion in Agri-business. Outcome 2 will include: Output 2.1 (The capacities and systems for specific agricultural and sea product quality procedures are improved); Output 2.2 (BARMM agri-business development and investment promotion strategy is elaborated and implemented).
FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
The CTA will work under the overall guidance and supervision of the Project Manager (PM) and the Industrial Development Expert (IDE) at UNIDO HQ and assume responsibility for implementing all project activities in close coordination with project partners.
The incumbent will undertake the following duties:
Project inception
– Peruse the project document and other relevant documents, including but not limited to national/regional strategies, sector-based analyses and UNIDO/UN-wide strategic cooperation frameworks (eg. UNIDO Country Programming Framework – CPF …).
– Review the revised Theory of Change/logical framework, the monitoring and evaluation manual (including revised indicators, baseline data, targets, timeframes …) as well as the eligibility criteria for project beneficiaries, as prepared by the project administrator.
– Review and approve the updated work plan for year 1.
– Draft terms of reference for the completion of preliminary assessments, plans and reports: Halal food analysis, Sea products analysis, Gender, human rights, nutrition and inclusion analysis, Environmental and social management plan, Human security risk assessment, Communication and visibility plan, Enterprise development report
– Supervise recruitment/contracting procedures (including evaluation of offers/bids).
– Review draft deliverables and provide inputs for their finalization.
– Lead the preparation of the project inception report and finalize it based on comments and inputs received from project partners.
– Coordinate the preparation of relevant documentation for and represent UNIDO and the project team at the inception workshop
Project implementation
– In coordination with project partners, develop, implement and monitor project work plans.
– Manage the day-to-day implementation of the project, assume full responsibility for the provision of project implementation services and ensure the timely delivery of project outputs and activities as per the project document and approved work plan.
– Define resource requirements and prepare necessary inputs (e.g. job descriptions, identification of relevant candidates/suppliers, evaluation of performance, terms of reference, technical specifications, training plans and arrangements) on time, at the right level of quality, and within the agreed budget.
– Supervise the use of project budget at field level, including contract management and the completion of payment procedures, and ensure adherence to UNIDO’s relevant rules and regulations.
Team management
– Supervise and provide guidance to international and national project staff to ensure efficiency and efficacy of implementation.
– Oversee the work of selected contractors and – where necessary – improve quality and timeliness of inputs and services.
Project external relations
– Establish and maintain relations, build trust and ensure exchange of information with the local authorities (both at national and provincial levels), donor representatives, private sector institutions, companies operating in the target value chains and other development partners.
– Brief counterparts on the objectives, the planned approach, institutional arrangements and respective responsibilities.
– Present the project, project progress and results to the donor and partners to keep them updated at regular intervals; prepare relevant documentation and present the project progress at annual steering committee meetings.
– Ensure compliance with the donor visibility requirements and proper implementation of the project’s communications and visibility plan and strategy.
– Participate in key sector coordination meetings convened by the Government or development partners relevant to the action.
Monitoring and evaluation / reporting
– Supervise and review the collection and analysis of project results; ensure that results measurement findings are used to improve project management, inform donor reporting, and disseminate information to the project stakeholders.
– Ensure the administrative and financial monitoring of the project and its activities.
– Prepare regular progress reports, ad hoc reports and assist in the development of visibility and information dissemination material upon request of the donor and project counterparts.
– Assume responsibility for the annual technical reports of the project in line with the standardized template and in accordance with the donors’ requirements.
– Support the PM/IDE in coordinating mid-term and final evaluation.
– Perform other ad-hoc duties as required by the project.
MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Education: Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in international development, agribusiness management, agricultural development, business administration, economics, enterprise development, food systems, engineering, or other relevant discipline is required.
Technical and Functional Experience and skills:
– A minimum of seven (7) years of international professional experience in the area of industrial development within private or public sector organizations is required.
– Experience related to agricultural value chain/enterprise development is required.
– Good understanding of food systems, including quality standards and certification procedures is required.
– Regional experience in Southeast Asia is required; prior experience in the Philippines is desirable.
– Relevant experience in conducting agricultural/agro-industrial analytical studies in developing countries is desirable.
– Good understanding of the skills and training needs and challenges in productive sectors in developing countries is required.
– Experience in working in developing countries, including in complex contexts and/or remote areas, and as part of multicultural teams is desirable.
– Experience in working with the UN system, international organizations or non-governmental organizations and/or with the donors community, is desirable.
– Willingness to travel to and within the Philippines is required.
Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required.