UNIDO Representative and Director, Sub-Regional Office Egypt

Requisition ID: 7662
Grade: D1
Country: Egypt
Duty Station: Cairo
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: 147,559 USD
Application Deadline: 29-Jun-2026, 11:59 PM (Vienna, Austria time)

Vacancy Announcement
Female candidates from all Member States are particularly encouraged to apply.

UNIDO welcomes applications from qualified persons with disabilities. Reasonable accommodation will be provided to applicants and employees with disabilities to support full participation in the recruitment process and in the performance of their duties.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty and hunger reduction, inclusive and fair globalization and environmental sustainability. The mission UNIDO, as described in the Lima Declaration adopted at the fifteenth session of the UNIDO General Conference in 2013, the Abu Dhabi Declaration adopted at the eighteenth session of UNIDO General Conference in 2019 as well as the Riyadh Declaration adopted at the twenty-first session of UNIDO General Conference in 2025, is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development in Member States. The relevance of this mission 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 inclusive and sustainable industrial development, however, applies to all SDGs.

The medium-term programme framework (MTPF) 2026 - 2029 is UNIDO’s core strategic document and it is in line with UNIDO’s Vision 2050. It sets a renewed vision to support Member States and shape their industries for development. The priorities include fair and sustainable global and regional supply chains, ending hunger through innovation and local value addition, renewable and clean energy, sustainable energy access and climate action. Cross-cutting priorities focus on industrial and economic policy advice, skills development, fostering digitalization and artificial intelligence, gender equality and the empowerment of women, supporting youth, promoting cleaner production and circular economy, and leveraging private sector investment and development finance.

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-related activities; and (iv) convening and fostering partnerships for knowledge and technology transfer, investment mobilization, networking and industrial cooperation. Such core functions are carried out in Divisions/Offices in its Headquarters, Sub-regional Offices and Country Offices.

The Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO) is responsible for UNIDO's relations with Member States and all external partners, including through the policymaking organs. It plays a central role for interaction and collaboration with traditional and non-traditional donors; oversees the regional bureaus as well as the network of field offices, Liaison Offices and Investment and Technology Promotion Offices. The Directorate is responsible for the Liaison Offices in Brussels (GLO/BRO), Geneva (GLO/GVO) and New York (GLO/NYO) as well as following Divisions: Policymaking Organs (GLO/PMO), Funding Partner Relations (GLO/FPR), Investment and Technology Promotion Offices and Institutional Partnerships (GLO/ITP), and Regional Bureaus and Field Coordination (GLO/RFO). The Directorate also ensures close coordination and collaboration among the Divisions as well as with organizational entities in all Directorates across the Organization.

Under the supervision of the Managing Director of the Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO), the Division of Regional Bureaus and Field Coordination (GLO/RFO) coordinates the field representation and interventions of UNIDO in Member States and regions. The Division is responsible for determining programmatic priorities for UNIDO's services and ensuring that UNIDO responds to the specific needs and requirements of Member States and development partners at the country and regional levels. It facilitates the development of regional strategies, country programmes, including Programmes for Country Partnership - PCPs, and monitors their implementation. The Division encompasses all the UNIDO field offices and the five Regional Bureaus: Africa (GLO/RFO/AFR), also hosting the IDDA Secretariat; the Arab Region (GLO/RFO/ARB); Asia and the Pacific (GLO/RFO/ASP); Europe and Central Asia (GLO/RFO/EUR); and Latin American and the Caribbean (GLO/RFO/LAC).

The Field Offices are responsible for representing UNIDO in their host country and countries of coverage, as applicable; and for maintaining close relations with all relevant stakeholders. They are responsible for contributing to the delivery of the development priorities of the host country and countries of coverage and identifying the donors’ technical and funding priorities, and for contributing to and/or leading technical cooperation projects and programmes as well as country programming documents. The Field Offices are also responsible for coordinating and reporting on UNIDO’s activities in their host country and countries of coverage, as applicable and for contributing to regional and sub-regional strategies and policies to ensure the strategic and programmatic consistency of UNIDO’s work, including its cooperation with and contributions to the local United Nations System.

The UNIDO Sub-Regional Office (SRO), headed by the UNIDO Representative (UR) in Egypt based in Cairo covers the UNIDO Programmes in Egypt, Djibouti, Libya, Somalia, and the State of Palestine. The UR is responsible for representing UNIDO in the host country and countries of coverage, to promote the Organization as an effective partner for development, and to maintain close contacts with local stakeholders at the country level as appropriate, including government institutions and international entities.

The UR works under the overall guidance of the Director, Division of Regional Bureaus and Field Offices (GLO/RFO), and under the direct supervision of the Chief, Regional Bureau for the Arab Region at HQs.
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 team and colleagues, in the country as well as in the region and in headquarters.

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.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Specific roles and responsibilities of the UNIDO Representative (UR) are to lead the UNIDO Sub-Regional Office in line with the terms of reference for UNIDO Field Offices (DGB/2024/07).

Key aspects of the UR’s responsibilities include:

• Represent UNIDO in the host country and countries of coverage without UNIDO field presence, to promote the Organization as an effective partner for development, and to maintain close contacts with local stakeholders at the sub-regional and country level as appropriate, including government institutions, stakeholders, development partners, donors and international entities including United Nations entities.
• Lead the activities of the SRO and contribute to the delivery of sub-regional and national development goals, and identify donors’ technical and funding priorities in the countries and sub-region of coverage.
• Contribute to and/or lead the identification, development, implementation, resource mobilization activities as well as monitoring and evaluation of integrated technical cooperation projects and programmes at national and sub-regional levels, including the Programmes for Country Partnership (PCPs), and related activities in close collaboration with relevant technical divisions and other organizational units.
• Lead/coordinate and report on UNIDO’s activities in the host country, countries of coverage without UNIDO field presence and the sub-region, contribute to the development of regional strategies and policies to ensure strategic and programmatic coherence, and support UNIDO’s engagement with United Nations Resident Coordinator Offices (UNRCs), United Nations Country Teams (UNCTs), Common Country Assessments (CCAs) and United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs).
• Strengthen dialogue and partnerships with government counterparts, the private sector, other UN organizations, and bilateral and multilateral partners, including Development Finance Institutions. Advocate and highlight the relevance and work of the Organization and ensure the dissemination of UNIDO communication and media content to governments and stakeholders.
• Support the Country Offices in the sub-region, as required, in their daily operations, including guidance in the preparation of business plans and the management of financial and human resources of the field offices.
• Manage the Field Office’s financial and human resources in coordination with relevant divisions while ensuing compliance with applicable requirements related to staff security and safety, safeguarding of UNIDO assets, property and information, including through appropriate contingency planning in line with UNDSS guidance.
• Ensure coherent and systematic delivery of UNIDO’s services by monitoring activities and field-level programme results, maintaining appropriate oversight of project personnel in the host country and countries of coverage in coordination with relevant managers and offices, and preparing and submitting required business plans and periodic reports for the countries or region concerned.
• Develop a results-oriented and gender-mainstreamed yearly business plan, periodically report on progress, and use results and performance data for evidence-based decision-making and adaptive management.
• Apply Results-Based Management (RBM) in work planning, implementation, and reporting.
• Carry out other tasks and perform other functions as assigned by the supervisory structure.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND DESIRABLE CRITERIA

Education:

A first-level university degree (bachelor’s or equivalent) in economics, business administration, international relations, public administration, or other relevant field with specialization in development economics, is required. An advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) or Doctorate in the same fields are accepted with a reduced requirement for years of professional experience.

Experience:

• A minimum of professional experience aligned with the educational level is required, as follows: Language:
  Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Fluency in or working knowledge of Arabic is desirable. Knowledge of other official languages of the United Nations is desirable. REQUIRED 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.
  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
  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.
  NOTE: For further information on salaries, refer to the International Civil Service Commission website: https://icsc.un.org/
  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 careers site for details on how to apply: https://careers.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
  • First-level university degree (Bachelor’s): at least 15 years of relevant professional experience.
  • Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent): at least 12 years of relevant professional experience.
  • Doctorate: at least 10 years of relevant professional experience.
  • Progressively responsible professional experience, including international levels (outside of own country) in the field of economic development, involving technical cooperation at senior level, is required. perience in evaluating the needs, conditions and problems of developing countries is required.
  • Experience in supervising/managing both technical and non-technical teams in aspects of the project cycle (project formulation, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation) is required.
  • Experience in collecting, analyzing, and using performance and results data to support evidence-based decision-making and adaptive management is required.
  • Experience in representational functions (outside own country) and experience working in or with the UN system are required.
  • Experience in working with intergovernmental bodies, leading with results on strategic partnerships, and resource mobilization is desirable.