Head, Climate Technologies Innovation Unit Head, Climate Technologies Innovation Unit Vienna, Austri

Title: Head, Climate Technologies Innovation Unit

Requisition ID: 4033
Grade: P4
Country: Austria
Duty Station: Vienna
Category: Professional and Higher
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: Staff-Full-time
Appointment Type: Fixed Term - 100 series
Indicative Minimum Net Annual Salary: USD 122,098 USD
Application Deadline: 04-Jul-2024, 11:59 PM (CEST)

Vacancy Announcement
Female candidates from all Member States 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 Divisions/Offices in its Headquarters, Regional Offices and Hubs and Country Offices.

The Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS) under the overall direction of the Director General, and in close collaboration with all relevant organizational entities within UNIDO, 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 Directorate houses the technical Divisions of Capacity Development, Industrial Policy Advice and Statistics (TCS/CPS); Circular Economy and Green Industry (TCS/CEG); Energy and Climate Action (TCS/ECA), Climate Innovation and Montreal Protocol (TCS/CMP); SMEs, Competitiveness and Job Creation (TCS/SME); Digital Transformation and AI Strategies (TCS/DAS); and the Montreal Protocol Division. The Directorate also ensures close coordination and collaboration among the Divisions as well as with relevant entities in the Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO) and the Directorate of SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation (IET).

The position is located under the Climate Innovation and Montreal Protocol Division (TCS/CMP) mandated to work in close coordination with other organizational entities within UNIDO, assists Member States in emergence, deployment, and large-scale up-take of innovative climate solutions for low-carbon and climate resilient industrialization . The division promotes systems innovation approach to achieve transformational change in climate change by innovating across key levers of change that include technology, finance, policy, and regulation. In particular, the Division is responsible for the dual mandate of a) accelerating innovation and building climate technology innovation ecosystems to promote low-carbon and climate-resilient development pathways and b) planning, developing and implementing interventions to facilitate compliance with the Montreal Protocol and, in particular, its Kigali Amendment and to support countries in achieving their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). In addition, the Division is responsible, in close collaboration with other relevant entities of the Organization, for facilitating the transfer of low-carbon and climate-resilient solutions and building markets to ensure their widespread use by industry and local communities, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and building resilience in recipient countries.

The Climate Technologies Innovation Unit (CTI) is responsible for supporting Member States in fostering innovation across technologies, finance, policy and regulation to promote the emergence, deployment and large-scale up-take of low-carbon and climate-resilient solutions and business practices. In addition, the Unit is responsible, in close collaboration with other relevant entities in the Organization, for facilitating the transfer of and establishing markets for low-carbon and climate resilient technologies, ensuring wide use by industry and local communities, thereby contributing to climate mitigation, adaptation and building resilience in recipient countries. The Unit positions UNIDO strategically in the global discourse on climate technology innovation support and acts as the focal point in UNIDO for partnership with the technology mechanism of the UNFCCC.

The Head of The Climate Technologies Innovation Unit works under the overall guidance of the Managing Director for the Directorate pf Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS) and the direct supervision of the Chief of the Climate Innovation and Montreal Protocol Division. The Head supervises the staff under his/her supervision and is expected to deliver (a) work that is innovative and original; (b) in creating an enabling environment which expands across functions and sectors; (c) in building partnerships which result in advocating and championing UNIDO’s programmes and (d) in achieving results within Programme teams. The measure of success is systemic and catalytic delivery of results.

The UNIDO Staff Performance Management System reinforces the collaboration within formal units as well as among cross-functional teams. In this context, the incumbent collaborates with his/her supervisor and colleagues, within as well as outside the unit. Within the formal teams, the incumbent may be expected to backstop other team members as required.

Staff -members are subject to the authority of the Director-General and in this context all staff are expected to serve in any assignment and duty station as determined by the needs of the Organization.

Main Responsibilities

Technical: Lead the team in TCS/CMP/CTI :

1. Elaborate coherent policies and regulatory frameworks conducive to the emergence, deployment and large-scale adoption of low-carbon and climate adaptation technologies and solutions;
2. Promote the transfer of appropriate climate technologies and strengthen the capacity of local enterprises to undertake the manufacture, assembly. Repair and maintenance of climate technologies and solutions;
3. Strengthen the capacity of national innovation ecosystems to support local innovators and entrepreneurs in creating low-carbon and climate adaptation technologies and solutions;
4. Promote local and global standard, quality infrastructure and technology verifications system in order the build and strengthen confidence in climate technologies and solutions;
5. Strengthen the capacity of counterparts to access public and private financing for investments in climate technologies and enterprises;
6. Support the design and rollout of innovative financial mechanisms to support the emergence, deployment and large-scale adoption of low-carbon and climate resilience building technologies and solutions;
7. Actively participate in and collaborate with global forums and partnerships in climate technology innovation on financing, policies, regulations etc; and
8. Lead the development of innovative programs and projects and mobilize funding from multi/bilateral funds and facilities that include the Global Environment Facility, the Adaptation Fund, the Green Climate Fund and carbon financing to formulate and implement climate technology innovation programs and projects.

   Managerial/Supervisory:

   1. Collaborate with senior managers in UNIDO, to form a community of interest, serving as active public relations ambassadors, utilising all means, both tradition and new approaches to continuously improve the resource mobilization capacity, partnerships, and commitment to increasing the visibility and relevance of UNIDO.
      1. Align the work programme of the Unit with the organisational priorities cascaded from the Chief and in this context, formulate, cascade, implement and report on the priorities of the Unit.
      2. Assign responsibilities to staff under his/her supervision, having a clear overview and monitoring mechanism; ensure that expectations of results and performance are clear; motivate staff under their supervisions and hold them accountable.
         1. Ensure appropriate monitoring of results, performance and completion of related reporting and feedback mechanisms.
            1. Support the Chief on other special project and assignments.

               Core 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.