UNIDO, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, is hiring a Project Administrator in Vienna, Austria, on a 12-month temporary appointment at grade ISA-P2 (Requisition ID 8287). The post sits in the UNIDO Innovation Lab and supports the launch of the ScaleX Alliance for Cities. Applications close on 25 November 2026, and at Youth Works Hub we reviewed the full vacancy notice to set out every duty and requirement below.
Vacancy Details at a Glance
🔢 Requisition ID: 8287
🏅 Grade: ISA-P2
📍 Duty station: Vienna, Austria
🗂️ Category: International Consultant
📢 Type of job posting: Internal and External
📄 Employment type: NonStaff-Regular
⌛ Contract duration: 12 months
🧾 Appointment type: Temporary appointment of project personnel
🏢 Unit: Innovation Lab (TCS/DAI/LAB)
🧭 Overall guidance: Head of the UNIDO Innovation Lab
Who UNIDO Is Encouraging to Apply
The vacancy states that female candidates are encouraged to apply. UNIDO says it is fully committed to achieving and maintaining workforce gender parity and to fostering an open, accessible, inclusive and respectful workplace that values diversity, equal opportunity and a healthy work-life balance.
UNIDO welcomes and encourages applications from qualified candidates of underrepresented genders, candidates from less-represented regions or nationalities, and candidates with disabilities, for whom reasonable accommodation will be provided in accordance with applicable policies.
UNIDO's Mandate and the Declarations Behind It
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.
Its mission is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development in Member States. That mission is 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 in 2019, and the Riyadh Declaration, adopted at the twenty-first session in 2025.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recognize this mission as an integrated approach to all three pillars of sustainable development, and they 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 notice adds that the relevance of inclusive and sustainable industrial development applies to all SDGs.
The 2026-2029 Medium-Term Programme Framework
The medium-term programme framework (MTPF) 2026-2029 is UNIDO's core strategic document and is in line with UNIDO's Vision 2050. It sets a renewed vision to support Member States and shape their industries for development.
Its priorities are:
🚢 Fair and sustainable global and regional supply chains
🌾 Ending hunger through innovation and local value addition
⚡ Renewable and clean energy
🔌 Sustainable energy access
🌡️ Climate action
Its cross-cutting priorities are:
📊 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
🏦 Leveraging private sector investment and development finance
How UNIDO Delivers Its Programmes
Each programmatic field contains a number of individual programmes, implemented in a holistic manner through four enabling functions. These core functions are carried out in Divisions and Offices at Headquarters, Sub-regional Offices and Country Offices.
🛠️ Technical cooperation
🔬 Analytical and research functions and policy advisory services
📐 Normative functions and standards-related activities
🌐 Convening and fostering partnerships for knowledge and technology transfer, investment mobilization, networking and industrial cooperation
The Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development
The Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS) is headed by a Managing Director. It ensures the application of strategies and interventions for sustainable industrial development related to environment, energy, Micro, Small and Medium-Enterprises (MSMEs) and digitalization, and it oversees UNIDO's normative contribution to the SDGs through industrial policy advice and capacity development.
Through coordination in-house and with Member States and industry stakeholders, the Directorate ensures that its services contribute to effective and appropriate technical, business and policy solutions. These services focus on results and scaling up, and position UNIDO as a leading platform for industrial development in developing countries and global fora.
TCS is responsible for these divisions:
🏭 Division of Industrial Policy Advice and Capacity Development (TCS/IPC)
🍃 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)
🤖 Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence (TCS/DAI)
Leveraging the diverse skill sets of UNIDO personnel and the services of the two TC directorates, TCS collaborates closely with IET to develop and implement programmes and projects, aiming at enhancing synergy and complementarity and maximizing corporate performance and impacts on the ground. The Directorate also ensures close coordination among its Divisions and with relevant entities in all Directorates across the Organization.
Inside the Division of Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence
The Division of Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence (TCS/DAI) promotes digital transformation, Artificial Intelligence and associated technologies as part of innovation ecosystems made up of productive capacities in manufacturing, services and digital firms. Its purpose is to advance the competitiveness of industries and manufacturing firms in Member States.
The Division helps industries benefit from rapid progress in digital and convergent technologies associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). It works to ensure a smooth transition towards safe and secured cyber-physical industrial systems and a smart society, while mitigating adverse effects on employment and quality of work.
Productive transformation is central to its services, integrating industrial businesses, dynamic entrepreneurship and acceleration services, and applying technological innovation to smart manufacturing, smart energy, smart agribusiness and other areas. This work takes place in developing countries, transition and emerging economies, with an emphasis on giving developing countries the opportunity to technologically catch up instead of falling behind industries in more advanced countries.
The Division also supports Member States in leveraging digital and frontier technologies, promoting innovation ecosystems, and enabling responsible and inclusive industrial digitalisation.
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🌍 All opportunities in Austria →
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InnoLab and the ScaleX Programme
The position is located under the Innovation Lab (TCS/DAI/LAB). The UNIDO Innovation Lab, or InnoLab, supports innovation and digital transformation across UNIDO's technical cooperation and policy work, while also developing programmes and partnerships that accelerate the adoption and scaling of transformative industrial solutions.
InnoLab leads ScaleX, UNIDO's innovation acceleration programme. ScaleX supports startups, scaleups and SMEs to validate, adapt and scale industrial and urban innovation solutions through real-world testbeds, policy sandboxes, public- and private-sector demand, corporate partnerships and innovation ecosystems.
What the ScaleX Alliance for Cities Will Do
The ScaleX Alliance for Cities is being developed as a global collaboration platform bringing together cities, industry, universities, innovators, investors and development partners to address shared "glocal" challenges.
It will support Innovation Scaling Corridors: structured partnerships that enable cities and regions to identify common challenges, mobilise demand and capacity, test solutions, exchange learning and facilitate wider replication.
The Alliance is being developed in close partnership with Bridge for Cities, UNIDO's established platform for international city-to-city cooperation, knowledge exchange and sustainable urban-industrial development. The Western Balkans ScaleX initiative will provide initial experience and practical evidence to inform the Alliance's development and future implementation model.
The Role of the Project Administrator
Under the overall guidance of the Head of the UNIDO Innovation Lab, the Project Administrator provides coordination, administrative, partnership-development, communication and project-implementation support for the establishment and operationalisation of the ScaleX Alliance for Cities.
The incumbent supports the preparation of project documents, workplans, stakeholder-engagement activities, fundraising materials, meetings and events. The position also facilitates collaboration with Bridge for Cities and supports the implementation and documentation of the Western Balkans ScaleX initiative as an initial reference case.
Project Coordination and Implementation Duties
📅 Support the preparation and execution of annual workplans, activity schedules, implementation trackers, stakeholder-engagement plans and reporting arrangements for the ScaleX Alliance for Cities
📝 Assist in developing and updating project materials, including concept notes, implementation roadmaps, presentations, briefing notes, background papers and internal coordination documents
🗃️ Maintain systematic records of planned activities, deliverables, milestones, risks, decisions, partner commitments and follow-up actions
🧩 Support coordination with relevant UNIDO departments, offices and field networks, as well as external partners
🎤 Organise and support meetings, consultations, workshops, webinars, missions and events, including invitations, agendas, participant lists, briefing materials, presentations, minutes and follow-up notes
🗄️ Maintain project files, stakeholder databases, contact lists and documentation repositories
Working With Bridge for Cities
🌉 Support regular coordination with the Bridge for Cities team and the preparation of joint workplans, activity updates, meeting materials and follow-up actions
🔍 Assist in identifying opportunities to connect ScaleX activities with Bridge for Cities events, knowledge products, city networks and partnership activities
📣 Support the preparation of communication and visibility materials reflecting the collaboration between ScaleX and Bridge for Cities
📑 Maintain documentation relevant to Bridge for Cities' funding contribution and support the preparation of required updates or reporting inputs
Building City, Industry and University Partnerships
🗺️ Support mapping and engagement of prospective city, municipal, industry, university, research, startup, innovation-hub, financial and development partners
🏘️ Prepare concise city profiles, stakeholder briefs, partnership overviews and background materials on local challenges, industrial transition priorities and innovation opportunities
🧪 Assist in the development of city-industry-university collaboration opportunities, including applied research partnerships, innovation challenges, technology-deployment activities, test environments and entrepreneurship-support initiatives
✉️ Draft partner correspondence, meeting requests, background notes, concept materials and follow-up communication for review by the supervisor
📈 Update and maintain a partnership pipeline, including contacts, expressions of interest, potential contributions, agreed actions and next steps
Fundraising and Project Development Support
📚 Conduct desk research on potential donors, foundations, development finance institutions, corporate partners, city networks and relevant funding opportunities
💼 Support the preparation of donor concept notes, partnership proposals, presentation decks, draft budgets, briefing materials and other resource-mobilisation inputs
🧮 Assist in documenting prospective financial and in-kind contributions from partners
🗣️ Support the preparation of materials for meetings with donors, private-sector entities, city representatives and other strategic partners
🎯 Compile information and inputs needed for project design, results frameworks, activity plans and monitoring arrangements
Western Balkans Implementation and Knowledge Management
🏔️ Support implementation and documentation of the Western Balkans ScaleX initiative, including stakeholder coordination, activity preparation, meeting follow-up and communications
💡 Help capture and organise lessons, examples, partner feedback and emerging practices from the Western Balkans initiative that can inform future ScaleX Alliance activities
📰 Support the preparation of short case studies, learning notes, progress summaries and internal briefs
📘 Contribute to the development and maintenance of practical knowledge resources on city-led innovation, city-industry-university collaboration and Innovation Scaling Corridors
🏁 Prepare periodic progress updates and an end-of-assignment report summarising activities, outputs, partnerships, fundraising opportunities, key lessons and recommended next steps
Education Required for the Post
🏫 An advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in international development, urban development, public administration, economics, innovation management, industrial policy, international relations, business administration, communications or a related field is required.
📜 Alternatively, a first level university degree or an advanced technical college diploma may be acceptable if combined with an additional 3 years of professional hands-on experience directly relevant to the expertise required by the specific assignment.
Required Technical and Functional Experience
🏗️ At least three (3) years of relevant professional experience in project coordination, project administration, urban development, innovation, industrial development, local economic development, international development or related fields
🌇 Demonstrated experience working with cities, municipal governments, local authorities, city networks or urban-development programmes
🕸️ Experience supporting multi-stakeholder initiatives involving public institutions, industry, universities, research organisations, startups, innovation intermediaries, development partners or international organisations
📆 Experience in organising stakeholder consultations, workshops, events, meetings and project activities
🖊️ Experience preparing professional correspondence, meeting notes, concept notes, presentations, briefing materials and short reports in English
🖥️ Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office applications
Experience That Strengthens an Application
🔎 Experience in donor research, partnership development, proposal preparation or resource-mobilization support is desirable.
🚀 Familiarity with city-industry-university collaboration, local innovation ecosystems, entrepreneurship, sustainable urban development, industrial transition or SDG localisation is desirable.
🏛️ Previous experience with city-focused SDG programmes, United Nations entities, international organisations or development-cooperation projects is highly desirable.
🌱 Experience in developing- or transition-economy contexts is an asset.
Language Requirements
🔤 Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
💬 Working knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.
UNIDO Core Values
🥇 Excellence: Deliver high-quality results and continuously improve performance.
🛡️ Integrity: Uphold ethical standards and act transparently and responsibly.
👥 Inclusion: Promote respect, diversity and fairness.
🧘 Humility: Show self-awareness and value others' contributions.
💙 Humanity: Act with compassion and align work with sustainable development.
UNIDO Core Behaviors
📞 Connect and collaborate: Build trust through effective communication and teamwork, share knowledge and embrace diversity.
🧠 Analyse and plan: Use data and evidence to inform decision-making, plan proactively and prioritize effectively.
✅ Deliver results with positive impact: Take ownership and deliver high-quality outputs, and align work with UNIDO's mission and objectives.
📖 Learn and develop: Continuously develop skills and capabilities, seek feedback and share knowledge with others.
🔄 Adapt and innovate: Respond flexibly to change and embrace innovation and new approaches.
Integrity, Respect and Inclusion at UNIDO
UNIDO is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, diversity, inclusion and mutual respect. Employees are expected at all times to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity, both at work and outside. The notice says only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for jobs at UNIDO.
UNIDO prohibits all forms of sexual misconduct, abuse of authority and discrimination. Through people-centred policies, it supports its personnel in balancing professional and personal responsibilities through flexible working arrangements while maintaining the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations worldwide.
Selection Process and Conditions of Appointment
🌟 This appointment is limited to the specified project or projects only and does not carry any expectation of renewal.
🖱️ 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 candidates 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.
🔽 The Director General retains the discretion to make an appointment to this post at a lower level.
UNIDO Charges No Recruitment Fees
UNIDO does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. If you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, the notice tells you to disregard it. Vacant positions within UNIDO are advertised on the official UNIDO website. Youth Works Hub also explains how to spot a fake job offer in its guide to checking opportunities.
If you are looking at other entry routes into the UN system, read our guide to the UN Junior Professional Officer Programme. You can browse more international vacancies in the Jobs section on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
What will the UNIDO Project Administrator work on?
The Project Administrator provides coordination, administrative, partnership-development, communication and project-implementation support for the establishment and operationalisation of the ScaleX Alliance for Cities. The work also covers collaboration with Bridge for Cities and the implementation and documentation of the Western Balkans ScaleX initiative.
Where is this UNIDO job based?
The duty station is Vienna, Austria. The position is located under the Innovation Lab (TCS/DAI/LAB) in UNIDO's Division of Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence.
What type of contract is offered?
This is a NonStaff-Regular temporary appointment of project personnel, listed in the International Consultant category at grade ISA-P2. The contract duration is 12 months.
Can the 12-month appointment be renewed?
The notice states that the appointment is limited to the specified project or projects only and does not carry any expectation of renewal.
Does the vacancy state the pay?
No salary or fee figure appears in the vacancy notice. The notice gives the grade as ISA-P2 and the Director General retains the discretion to make an appointment at a lower level.
What degree do I need?
An advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in international development, urban development, public administration, economics, innovation management, industrial policy, international relations, business administration, communications or a related field is required. A first level university degree or advanced technical college diploma may be acceptable when combined with an additional 3 years of directly relevant professional experience.
How much professional experience is required?
At least three years of relevant professional experience in fields such as project coordination, project administration, urban development, innovation, industrial development, local economic development or international development is required. Candidates must also show experience working with cities, municipal governments, local authorities, city networks or urban-development programmes.
Is previous UN experience necessary?
Previous UN experience is not listed as a requirement. Experience with city-focused SDG programmes, United Nations entities, international organisations or development-cooperation projects is highly desirable.
Which languages are needed for the Project Administrator post?
Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Working knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.
Is the vacancy open to external candidates?
Yes, the type of job posting is Internal and External. UNIDO encourages female candidates to apply and welcomes qualified candidates of underrepresented genders, candidates from less-represented regions or nationalities, and candidates with disabilities.
Will UNIDO contact every applicant?
No, correspondence will be undertaken only with candidates who are being considered at an advanced phase of the selection process.
Does UNIDO charge an application fee?
No, UNIDO does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process.
Deadline
⏳ 25 November 2026 (11:59 PM, Vienna, Austria time)
Links
🔗 Application on UNIDO Careers: https://careers.unido.org/job/Vienna-Project-Administrator/1375731455/
🏠 UNIDO website, with details on how to apply: https://www.unido.org
🚨 Questions about persons or companies claiming to recruit on behalf of UNIDO and requesting payment of a fee: recruitment@unido.org
