Date: Intern – IET/AGR 1

​​Requisition ID: 5019
Grade: Intern
Category: Internship
Employment Type: NonStaff-Regular
Country: Austria
Duty Station: Vienna
Entry Date: As soon as possible
Internship Duration: 3-6 months
Application Deadline: 15-Jan-2025, 11:59 PM (Vienna, Austria time)

Vacancy Announcement

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 SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation (IET) is under the overall direction of the Director General, and in close collaboration with all organizational entities within UNIDO, in particular the Office of Change Management (ODG/CHM), the Office of Legal Affairs and Compliance (ODG/LEG), the Strategic Planning and UN Engagement Division (ODG/SPU), and the Office of Evaluation and Internal Oversight (EIO), 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 (PPP), and Climate and Technology Partnerships (CTP). The Directorate also ensures close coordination and collaboration among the Divisions and relevant entities in the Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO) and the Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS).

This internship position is located under the Division of Agribusiness and Infrastructure Development (IET/AGR). Under the overall guidance of the Director General, the direct supervision of the Managing Director, Directorate of SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation (IET), and in close coordination with other organizational entities within UNIDO, the Division of Agribusiness and Infrastructure Development (IET/AGR) supports Member States in their efforts to pave the way to sustainable rural development and a structurally transformed and modernized agribusiness sector.

Capitalizing on the experience gained by UNIDO in this field over decades and on tried-and-tested and to-be-developed service modules, the Division explores innovative approaches to maximise the potential that exists in agribusiness development, addressing emerging global trends, in particular food security, poverty alleviation and climate change. It explores new ways to contribute to global efforts to reduce hunger, accelerate food systems transition, and generate income and employment, especially among women and youth. The Division provides technical cooperation services to assist the modernization of agriculture and agro-industry, especially in less-developed countries, ensuring that enterprises add value to primary agricultural production, substitute the imports of food and other value-added agricultural products, and participate effectively in local, regional and global value chains. Where needed, it will develop infrastructure and agro-industrial parks and capacities for agro-industrialization, value addition, quality assurance and food safety. It will also bring innovative approaches to Member States to fully benefit from carbon-neutral and biodiversity-enhancing agricultural and agro-industrial production and development opportunities in the green and blue bioeconomy.

The duration of an internship at UNIDO is between three to six months, is UNPAID and full-time. Interns work under the supervision of a staff member, in the division or office that they are assigned to. Interns shall cover all costs associated with their internship, including visa, travel to and from the duty station, insurance, transportation, accommodation and living expenses.

GENERIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Intern shall work under the direct supervision of an officer designated by the Director IET/AGR and shall be engaged as follows:

1. Exposure to the regular core functions of the Division and as such shall have the opportunity to observe the day-to-day operations and engage in on-the-job training in specific actions delegated by the Supervisor.
2. Assist in background research and preparation of internal documents on the themes of agro-industrialization and agro-food park development and operations.
3. Assist Project Managers in IET/AGR with day-to-day duties in relation to internal tasks for Division, as well as project development and implementation.
4. Engaged in a specific self-contained assignment described below:

Agro-industrialization has a pivotal role to play in the growth of developing countries and economies in transition by fostering the broader industrialization required to meet the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goal 1 on no poverty, Goal 2 on zero hunger, Goal 3 on good health and well-being, Goal 8 on decent work and economic growth, Goal 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure, Goal 12 on responsible consumption and production, Goal 13 on climate action, and Goal 17 on partnerships for the Goals. Agro-industry has the potential to generate wide-reaching benefits such as creating demand-driven opportunities for on-farm and off-farm employment, bridging rural and urban markets, providing higher quality food and greater overall food security, expanding consumption, and generating knowledge spillovers that can be applied to other manufacturing activities. Furthermore, eco-design principles can safeguard the environment through smart and closed-loop infrastructure design and operations, as well as through the promotion of good agricultural practices throughout the supply chain.

To assist countries with this challenge, UNIDO has leveraged over four decades of institutional knowledge in industrial parks to create the concept of integrated agro-food parks (IAFPs). The concept is defined as “an agribusiness development corridor integrating value chain actors with high-quality infrastructure, utilities, logistics and specialized facilities and services to create economies of scale for sustainable market-driven agribusiness development and rural transformation.” Accordingly, IAFPs function as spatial industrial development policy instruments that connect a concentration of producers, agribusinesses and institutions in the same and complementary agro-industrial subsectors through centrally managed physical industrial platforms offering high-quality infrastructure, logistics, and specialized facilities and services to a community of tenants.

IET/AGR prepares numerous documents to support its technical assistance services in line with the UNIDO mandate. The intern will support the draft of these documents through background research and document review.

5. Engage in other special emerging projects that may enhance the learning experience of the intern.

The Intern will be required to prepare an end-of-internship report, which will be submitted to and cleared by UNIDO Internship Coordination.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Age: Minimum 20 years on the first day of the internship.

Education: Enrolled in a university degree programme; or begin the internship within one year of completing a university degree; or completed a university degree and be sponsored as part of an academic or development programme.

Field of specialization: International relations, agriculture, environment, business.

Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) is an asset.

Other skills: Strong research and analytical skills, word processing, organizational skills.

CORE 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.

LEARNING ELEMENTS

Become acquainted with the most up-to-date technical, economic and industrial developments in the relevant field of specialization of the IET/AGR. Furthermore, intern is expected to deepen their knowledge in the fields of new product/services and process design.

Gain experience in working in an international organization environment, agro-industrial development, international development project design and execution.

On the job training: participation in every phase of the working process.

Gain experience in working effectively in a diverse and multi-cultural environment.

UNIDO Interns are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity at all times, both at work and outside. Only candidates who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for internships at UNIDO.

All applications must be submitted through the UNIDO Online Recruitment System.
Correspondence will be undertaken only with candidates who are being considered at an advanced phase of the selection process.

Visit the UNIDO employment website for details on how to apply: www.careers.unido.org

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: internship@unido.org