Senior Expert in Climate Innovation & Adaptation – Roster

Job Description

Grade: P5 (Senior Specialist)
Country: Home Based
Duty Station: Home Based
Category: International Consultant
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: Non Staff-When Act. Employed
Contract Duration: 1-12 months
Application Deadline: 20-June-2025, 11:59 PM (Vienna, Austria time)

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 Divisions/Offices in its Headquarters, Regional Offices and Hubs and Country Offices.

The Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS), headed by a Managing Director, ensures the Organization’s application of strategies and interventions for sustainable industrial development related to environment, energy, Micro, Small and Medium-Enterprises (MSMEs), and digitalization. The Directorate also oversees the Organization’s normative contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through industrial policy advice and capacity development.

Through coordination in-house and with Member States and industry stakeholders, it ensures that the services provided in these areas contribute to effective and appropriate technical, business and policy solutions and are focused on results, scaling up and positioning UNIDO as a leading platform for industrial development in developing countries and global fora. The Directorate is responsible for the Division of Industrial Policy Advice and Capacity Development (TCS/IPC), and technical Divisions of Circular Economy and Green Industry (TCS/CEG), Energy and Climate Action (TCS/ECA), Climate Innovation and Montreal Protocol (TCS/CMP); MSME Competitiveness, Quality and Job Creation (TCS/SME); and Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence (TCS/DAI).

Leveraging the diverse skill sets of UNIDO personnel and the services provided by the two TC directorates, TCS collaborates closely with IET to develop and implement programmes and projects, aiming at enhancing synergy and complementarity and maximizing UNIDO corporate performance and impacts on the ground. The Directorate also ensures close coordination and collaboration among the Divisions as well as with relevant entities in all Directorates across the Organization.

The position is located under Climate Technology Innovation Unit (TCS/CMP/CTI).

 The Climate Technology Innovation Unit 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 adaptation 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 adaptation solutions, 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 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

 

PROJECT CONTEXT 

The aim of this call for expression of interest is to establish a two-year roster of qualified senior experts to support the strategic expansion, design, and implementation of technical cooperation projects within the CTI portfolio. Selected candidates will contribute technical and strategic expertise to the ideation and development of proposals that advance the mandate of UNIDO Climate Technology Innovation Unit.

The Climate Technology Innovation Unit (CTI) of UNIDO is dedicated to advancing innovation in technologies, finance, policy, and regulation to facilitate the emergence, deployment, and widespread adoption of low-carbon and climate-resilient solutions. To support this mission, we are seeking to engage experts who can provide specialized support for our numerous upcoming projects. UNIDO’s activities are implemented through a comprehensive approach designed to achieve effective outcomes and impacts.

The CTI Unit plays a pivotal role in supporting Member States in fostering innovation across various domains. It facilitates the transfer and establishment of markets for low-carbon and climate-resilient technologies, ensuring their widespread use by industry and local communities. This contributes significantly to climate mitigation and resilience.

The CTI Unit is actively developing and securing funding for technical cooperation projects aimed at supporting Member States with innovative climate solutions and building climate-resilient livelihoods. The demand for UNIDO’s support in climate innovation, mitigation, adaptation, and resilience is expected to increase rapidly.

To meet this demand, UNIDO seeks highly qualified experts who can contribute to the growth of the CTI adaptation portfolio through project development, knowledge generation, and implementation.

 

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES  

Under the supervision of the Head of CTI or Project Manager, lead the development of strategies to support the growth of the CTI’s portfolio in line with emerging multilateral and bilateral donor’s priorities as well as Member States priorities. Under the supervision of the Head of CTI or Project Manager lead Project Design and Development, Strategic Portfolio Development and Thought Leadership. The incumbent is required to undertake adjusting and presenting project proposals, identifying problems and utilizing information as an input to corrective actions to promote effective project management, develops and administers technical cooperation projects.

The incumbent shall strategically support the CTI Unit in the strategic growth and positioning of its global portfolio by identifying new project opportunities and producing targeted knowledge outputs. Including but not limited to:

• Scoping and ideation of new project concepts aligned with emerging climate priorities, donor trends, and country needs.
• Development of strategic growth pathways and recommendation for new strategic partnerships to expand and diversify the CTI project portfolio across emerging priority thematic areas and regions.
• Authoring of high-quality thought leadership pieces, including policy briefs, insight reports, and strategic communications materials to raise the visibility and profile of CTI within the global climate innovation ecosystem.
• Lead horizon scanning and donor intelligence efforts to identify entry points for engagement and partnership.
• Recommendations on positioning CTI within broader international frameworks and initiatives related to climate innovation, resilience, and industrial development.
• Strategically contribute to the implementation of selected projects under the CTI Unit’s portfolio, including initiatives such as the Climate Adaptation Innovation and Learning (CAIL) programme, which supports the development of regional innovation ecosystems for climate adaptation, and the Programme for Climate Adaptation and Resilience Building Solutions (PARS), which assists countries in scaling up integrated adaptation responses through technology, policy, and capacity-building interventions.
• Independently lead on the implementation of core components of projects which require novel thinking, tools and strategies, including activities of stakeholder engagement, preparation of technical documentation, analysis of climate-related and policy data to support evidence-based project development and strategic decision-making
• Lead development of adaptation strategies, concept notes, and proposals, including the integration of AI-enabled tools, digital innovations, and private sector engagement to advance low-carbon and climate-resilient industrial solutions.

 

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS  

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in environment, engineering, sciences, economics, business administration, international relations or other relevant discipline with specialization written in functional responsibility, is required.

Technical and Functional Experience:

• A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in the design, leadership, and management of complex technical cooperation programmes or portfolios, including substantial exposure at the international level, is required.
• Demonstrated ability to lead high-impact analytical work, align initiatives with institutional priorities, and deliver innovative, evidence-based solutions is essential.
• Proven track record in resource mobilization and strategic partnership development, including with multilateral funds, governments, and the private sector, is required.
• Strong drafting and communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex concepts with clarity and strategic relevance, are essential.
• A demonstrated capacity to lead and collaborate effectively in multicultural, multidisciplinary environments is expected.

 

Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

Fluency and/or working knowledge of another official UN language, is desirable.

In addition to the above mentioned Technical and Functional Experience, the following Adaptation Foresight and Innovation Expertise are desirable:

• Climate Adaptation Finance Innovation: Design of novel financing instruments such as adaptation bonds, resilience credits, and outcome-based finance mechanisms aligned with private and public sector bankability standards.
• Systemic Resilience Modelling for Industrial Value Chains: Development of analytical frameworks to assess cascading climate risks across regional or transboundary value chains, with recommendations to enhance industrial climate resilience.
• Adaptation Metrics, Taxonomies, and Investability Indices: Development and application of classification tools and performance frameworks to assess and improve the bankability, impact potential, and tracking of adaptation investments.
• Private Sector Adaptation Innovation Scaling: Technical support to scale climate adaptation solutions developed by startups, SMEs, and private innovators, including risk de-risking strategies and commercialization pathways.
• Locally-Led Innovation Ecosystems for Adaptation: Support to establish adaptation incubators, accelerators, and challenge mechanisms rooted in national and subnational systems and tailored to local innovation ecosystems.
• Anticipatory Action and Risk Layering for Livelihood Resilience: Integration of early warning systems with adaptive safety nets, insurance tools, and social protection mechanisms to protect vulnerable communities from climate shocks.
• Artificial Intelligence for Adaptation Planning and Decision Support: Application of AI tools for predictive analytics, climate risk modelling, and optimization of adaptation strategies, enabling data-driven decision-making and enhanced targeting of industrial resilience interventions.
• Adaptation and Nature Tech Convergence: Technical design of projects that combine nature-based solutions with digital tools such as remote sensing, IoT, or blockchain to enhance climate monitoring and resilience outcomes.
• Governance and Institutional Innovation for Adaptation: Development of adaptive governance frameworks, innovation-friendly regulations, and inter-ministerial coordination mechanisms for systemic adaptation response.
• Urban Climate Risk Foresight and Planning: Design of integrated foresight and scenario tools for cities and peri-urban areas facing climate-driven risks, with a focus on informal settlements and vulnerable infrastructure.
• Climate Adaptation Policy and Regulatory Innovation: Support to governments in designing legal frameworks and policy packages to enable transformational adaptation and climate-resilient development.
• Insurance and Risk Transfer Mechanisms for Adaptation: Development of community-based insurance systems, risk pooling instruments, and other financial mechanisms to transfer and manage climate risk.
• Behavioral Science and Social Innovation for Resilience: Application of behavioral insights to improve the uptake of adaptive technologies and practices through culturally aligned strategies.
• Digital Participation and Citizen-Led Monitoring of Adaptation: Development of civic tech and participatory monitoring tools to enhance accountability, inclusion, and community-driven innovation in adaptation projects.
• Food Systems Transformation for Climate Resilience: Analysis and intervention design across climate-sensitive food system components including production, transport, market access, and dietary resilience.
• Blue Economy and Coastal Adaptation Innovation: Support for coastal resilience through integrated blue economy approaches, including nature-based infrastructure, marine innovation, and small-scale fisheries adaptation.
• Human Mobility, Displacement, and Managed Retreat: Development of scalable adaptation solutions for communities experiencing or at risk of climate-induced displacement, including planned relocation strategies.
• Transboundary Climate Risk and Cooperation Mechanisms: Facilitation of joint adaptation planning across shared natural resources, ecosystems, and economic corridors to address transboundary climate risks.
• Climate Data Infrastructure and Sovereign Digital Capacity: Support to build national digital infrastructure for climate adaptation monitoring, resilience tracking, and integration of traditional and non-traditional data sources.
• Industrial Adaptation Foresight and Transition Planning: Development of foresight tools and just transition strategies for industries exposed to climate risks, with sector-specific adaptation roadmaps.
• Gender, Youth, and Inclusive Adaptation Innovation: Design of gender-transformative adaptation approaches and youth-led innovation models that integrate inclusivity into industrial resilience, aligned with donor expectations and local equity goals.
• Adaptation Strategies in Fragile and Conflict-Affected States (FCAS): Development of tailored methodologies and delivery models for implementing climate adaptation innovation in volatile or post-conflict environments with limited infrastructure or governance capacity.
• Climate-Resilient Infrastructure and Engineering Innovation: Technical support for the design, retrofitting, and deployment of climate-proof industrial, transport, and energy infrastructure using modular and adaptive engineering approaches.
• Adaptation for industrial decarbonization: Development of adaptation strategies that go beyond resilience to support regenerative ecosystems, carbon sequestration, and climate-smart industrial transformation—focusing on the intersection between climate adaptation and the decarbonization of industrial sectors and supply chains..
• South-South Technology Transfer, Licensing, and Intellectual Property for Adaptation: Advisory on legal frameworks, IP models, and equitable licensing mechanisms to enable large-scale, cross-border deployment of adaptation technologies and innovations.
• Climate Security and Conflict Prevention for Industrial Systems: Risk analysis and mitigation design for adaptation interventions in regions facing climate-induced resource conflicts, particularly in water-, energy-, and land-intensive industrial zones.
• Integration of Indigenous and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK): Co-creation of adaptation projects that ethically integrate TEK with innovation ecosystems, including financing mechanisms and safeguards for cultural heritage and benefit-sharing.
• Foresight Intelligence and Policy Scanning for Adaptation Innovation Trends: Development of structured foresight, horizon scanning, and innovation intelligence frameworks to anticipate emerging donor priorities, policy shifts, and technological frontiers.
• Human-Centred Design for Adaptation Innovation: Application of participatory design methodologies to co-create adaptation solutions with end-users, ensuring contextual relevance, cultural fit, and sustained uptake across industrial and community systems.
• Ocean Energy and Climate-Resilient Blue Infrastructure: Technical expertise in Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), tidal, and wave energy systems to support adaptation efforts in coastal and island contexts, including integration into blue economy adaptation strategies
• Energy Storage Technologies for Climate Adaptation: Design and deployment of resilient energy storage systems—including battery, thermal, and mechanical storage—to enhance the reliability of clean energy access in climate-vulnerable industrial and community settings.
• Engagement with UNFCCC Technology Mechanisms (TEC and CTCN): In-depth understanding of the functions, processes, and strategic entry points of the UNFCCC Technology Executive Committee (TEC) and Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) to align UNIDO interventions with global technology policy and support mechanisms.
• Understanding of key donor requirements and priorities. This include but not limited to
• Global Environment Facility (GEF): https://www.thegef.org
• Green Climate Fund (GCF): https://www.greenclimate.fund
• Adaptation Fund (AF): https://www.adaptation-fund.org
• International Climate Initiative (IKI): https://www.international-climate-initiative.com
• UN Joint SDG Fund: https://jointsdgfund.org
• Vulnerable Twenty (V20) Group: https://www.v-20.org

 

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.

 

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