National Business Development Trainer

​Requisition ID: 3860 
Grade: SB5 - Local Professional (Mid-Level & Senior) 
Country: Sudan 
Duty Station: Gedaref 
Category: National Consultant 
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: NonStaff-Regular
Contract Duration: 6 months
Application deadline: 28-May-2024, 11:59 PM (CEST)  

Vacancy Announcement
TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT OF PROJECT PERSONNEL
Only nationals or permanent residents of the country of the duty station are considered eligible.
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.

Directorate of SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation (IET) 

The Directorate of SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation (IET) 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). 

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 will explore innovative approaches to maximize the potential that exists in agribusiness development, addressing emerging global trends, in particular food security, poverty alleviation and climate change. It will explore 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 bio economy.

Food Security and Food Systems Unit (IET/AGR/FSS)

The Food Security and Food Systems Unit (IET/AGR/FSS) promotes the development of food industries and food value chains and the production of local food products in less-developed countries to end hunger and ensure food and nutrition security while generating income and employment adhering to principles of sustainable industrial development. It provides a range of technical assistance services that allow food enterprises – including in the informal sector and especially SMEs – to extend their production, improve their products, comply with quality and other standards, become more competitive and deliver adequate and nutritious food to local populations and for export. Where opportune, it also promotes the development of food safety compliance infrastructure and building related food safety systems capacities.

PROJECT CONTEXT

The UNIDO Project 220085 “Agribusiness for food security in Sudan”, has the overall objective to enhance food security, increase target agricultural communities and households’ incomes while creating jobs, particularly for women and youth in the selected states in Sudan. The specific objective is to provide technical assistance to upgrade strategic agro-food value chains and increase equitable economic opportunities for women small farmers and producers in Gedaref State in Sudan.

Whereas the UNIDO project 190352, “Resilience of Agropastoral Populations in Eastern Sudan” seeks to create sustainable job opportunities and improve access to renewable energy sources in Kassala State of Sudan, with particular attention towards women and youth. Particularly, the project aims to increase the added value of some selected value chains, with the aim of support industrialization in the target area through an integrated approach enhancing the start-up of MSMEs (with particular attention towards youth and women), valorization of local typical agri-food value chains, aggregation of farmers into larger productive bodies, access to financial and non-financial services as well as to renewable energy technologies for agro-productive purposes.

The projects will contribute towards “SDG 1”: End poverty in all its forms everywhere”. They will also contribute to “SDG 5”: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, and “SDG 9”: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. It also falls into UNIDO’s poverty reduction portfolio (EC1) and in particular Agribusiness and Rural Enterprise Development (GC11); its thematic area is poverty reduction through productive activities (PRP).

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and close cooperation with the National Project Coordinator in the field, and UNIDO’s service provider, the National Financial Literacy and Business Development Trainer and Advisor will support the design and roll out of trainings for selected women smallholders’ farmers, MSMEs, cooperatives and related key actors aimed at improving their capacities for business development and access to finance in the Gedaref and Kassala States, Sudan.

The scope of the services is outlined as follows:

Main duties

• Conduct a desk review of existing financial literacy materials available in local language, as well as an overview of existing materials available in English language that has been previously used/compiled by project team. This should include both written resources, pictorial, apps and other tools including digital resources that are available for financial literacy.
•  Work with the selected service provider to develop a financial literacy toolkit, which includes resource materials, teaching aids, curriculum, interactive learning materials, digital resources and other relevant materials to increase financial literacy among rural women.

Concrete/ Measurable/Outputs to be achieved

Financial literacy toolkit and related documents.

Main duties

Develop training plans and rapid need assessments for the roll out of targeted trainings in close cooperation with the service providers, including training schedules, designating, and liaising with master trainers, structuring ToTs, and cascade trainings within the localities, designing knowledge materials and training tools, and developing reporting and feedback forms.

Concrete/ Measurable/Outputs to be achieved

Training plan with related annexes to be included in the End of Mission Report.

Main duties

Deliver basic training programs to selected MSMEs and small holder farmers cooperatives beneficiaries including modules on basic and advanced financial literacy, development of a business model and access to finance.

Concrete/ Measurable/Outputs to be achieved

Training report to be included in the End of Mission Report.

Main duties

Support the establishment of savings groups among the women participants of the financial literacy training to promote collective action-based learning, foster income generation, entrepreneurship, and B2B linkages among women groups in rural localities.

Concrete/ Measurable/Outputs to be achieved

Brief report that including and feedback from beneficiary groups.

Main duties

    Provide ad hoc counselling services to the supported MSMEs/savings groups to foster the business startup and growth such as:

• Administrative support on legal and licensing issues to establish or expand a business. Business opportunity finalization;
• Market research: collection, analysis and compilation of relevant data;
• Identification and sourcing information on appropriate technology machinery/equipment, raw materials, etc.;
• Business plan preparation;
• Completing legal documentation and seeking necessary registrations, licenses and clearances;
• Finalizing the project implementation plan;
• Access to financial institutions.

Concrete/ Measurable/Outputs to be achieved

Counselling services Report that includes number of MSMEs/savings groups supported and type of services offered per company.

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.

Managerial and Leadership Competencies (as applicable)

WE ARE STRATEGIC, DECISIVE, PRINCIPLED AND INSPIRATIONAL: As managers, we are strategic and fair in driving our team’s performance. As leaders, we are a source of inspiration, stand for norms and standards established in the UN Charter and duty bound to defend these ideals with a principled approach.

WE ARE INCLUSIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE: As managers, we are inclusive in our approach and maintain constructive engagement with all our stakeholders. As leaders, we embrace all personnel and stakeholders and are accountable mutually within UNIDO, within the system, to beneficiaries and the public and beyond.

WE ARE MULTI-DIMENSIONAL AND TRANSFORMATIONAL: As managers, we go beyond conventional methods to help our organizational units strengthen their own agility and adaptability to change. As leaders in the UN system, we have a vision which is integrated and engaged across the pillars of Peace and Security, Human Rights and Development.

WE ARE COLLABORATIVE AND CO-CREATIVE: As managers, we foster a team spirit and create meaningful opportunities to hear the voices of those around us, while realizing that only by working together can we accomplish our mission. As leaders we see the inter-dependency of imperatives of the UN Charter and personally champion a collaborative inter-agency, multi-stakeholders and cross-thinking approach.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's, higher or equivalent) in Finance, Economics, Business and Entrepreneurship, Agricultural economics, or any other relevant subject.

Technical and Functional Experience

A minimum of 7 years of professional experience in the field of rural development, financial inclusion, and livelihoods is required.

Experience in delivering trainings to MSMEs and female agribusiness associations is desirable.

It is considered an asset:

• Professional experience in training & coaching women living in rural areas.
• Professional experience in donor-funded initiatives having similar objectives.

Languages

Fluency in written and spoken Arabic and English is required.

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