Project Driver

​Requisition ID: 8191 
Grade: ISA -G3 
Country: Somalia 
Duty Station: Bosasso 
Category: Local Support Personnel 
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: NonStaff-Regular
Contract Duration: 6 months 
Application deadline: 03-Nov-2026, 11:59 PM (Vienna, Austria time)

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

UNIDO 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, therefore, 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.

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 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 to a greater or lesser extent to all SDGs.

The medium-term programme framework (MTPF) is UNIDO’s core strategic document. As the Organization moves from the 2022–2025 cycle to the 2026–2029 MTPF, it sets a renewed vision to support Member States shape their industries for development. The new priorities include renewable and clean energy, sustainable access and climate action, ending hunger through innovation and local value addition, and fair and sustainable global and regional supply chains. 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 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, Sub-regional Offices and Country Offices.

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 cooperation concepts, identifying new sources and means of innovative finance, and entering into new partnerships with a broad range of relevant stakeholders.

The Directorate is responsible for the Divisions of Agribusiness and Infrastructure Development (IET/AGR), Fair Production, Sustainability Standards and Trade (IET/PST), Climate and Technology, Partnerships (IET/CTP), Innovative Finance and International Financial Institutions (IET/IFI), and Public-Private Partnerships (IET/PPP). Leveraging the diverse skill sets of UNIDO personnel and the services provided by the two TC directorates, IET collaborates closely with Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS) 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 Division of Agribusiness and Infrastructure Development (IET/AGR) in Agro-Innovation and Bioeconomy Unit (IET/AGR/AIB).

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 maximise 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 bioeconomy.

Rural Development, Agro-Innovation and Bioeconomy Unit (IET/AGR/RAB)

The Rural Development, Agro-Innovation and Bioeconomy Unit (IET/AGR/RAB) supports Member States to transform rural areas and improve rural livelihoods by advancing and professionalizing agro-industrial production, infrastructure supply and employment, integrated with innovative approaches for climate-smart agriculture and agro-industrial production. It provides TC services to develop formal and informal enterprises and entrepreneurs that produce and source agricultural and aquaculture-based products – directly or through business development service agents – with support for business planning, technology adoption, investment planning, product improvement, quality compliance and marketing.

Through partnerships with innovative firms, R&D departments and development partners, the Unit draws from the latest technology development in agricultural machinery, agro-processing and digitalization and renders adapted solutions to agro-industry development, emphasizing services to less developed countries. It will also engage with innovative carbon sequestration and biodiversity improvement schemes that help farmers and agro-industry firms to finance and apply new technologies of CO2 reduction and biodiversity improvement. It will also foster climate adaptation in agricultural and agro-industry production, using more sustainable technology and production schemes.

PROJECT CONTEXT

Project 230195: Enabling economic and livelihoods opportunities in the Somali fisheries sector

The purpose of the project is to model a value chain development intervention in the Somali fisheries sector resulting into initiatives that can be further replicated and expanded into other locations across Somalia. The project will contribute to Somalia Blue Economy development ambition: working with downstream actors of the fisheries value chain, the project will directly support a selected fisheries folk community in order to facilitate their access to market-based and locally accessible high value technical and technology assistance support services (outcome 1) and working with policy makers and partners to identify, promote and support Somalia Blue Economy development and business/investment/partnerships opportunities (outcome 2). Overall, the project is expected to “Contribute towards the creation of jobs and enabling economic opportunities in the Somali Blue Economy through the promotion of inclusive and sustainable fisheries value chain development initiatives” (Objective).

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision of the Project Manager, the Driver provides reliable and safe driving services ensuring high accuracy of work. The Driver demonstrates a client-oriented approach, high sense of responsibility, courtesy, tact and the ability to work with people of different national and cultural backgrounds. The Driver provides driving services to the project/programme staff, consultants and experts and UNIDO staff on mission. The incumbent shall carry out following main duties.

• Drive project personnel and on demand, other authorized people, in a safe, secure and reliable manner;

• Respect traffic regulations and the rules of the United Nations on driving in the country of the assignment;

• Daily and regularly inspect the condition of the project vehicles. Arrange for the regular professional service maintenance and repair of the UNIDO vehicles. This includes maintaining a high-level of cleanliness and ensuring that oil, water, battery, brakes and tyres all meet the authorized safety regulations;

• Log all official travel, daily mileage, gas consumption and oil changes, in an official form;

• Search and identify the lowest cost and most reliable source of high quality spare parts and service shops, in order to facilitate the purchasing of the parts;

• Ensure the security and guard the project vehicles;

• Ensure that immediate steps, as required by rules and regulations, are taken in case of involvement in an accident;

• Deliver and collect official mail and other documents as required, ensuring that all deliveries and collections are made in a timely manner;

• Meet official personnel at the airport;

• Perform any other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education: Completed secondary education. Driver’s training with a valid driver’s licence is required.

Technical and Functional Experience:

• A minimum of three (3) year of working experience as a driver, is required.

• Good/safe driving record, is required.

• Knowledge of driving rules and regulations, and skills in minor vehicle repair, is required.

• Good knowledge of the area and up-to-date information on current conditions of roads and highways, is required.

• Proficiency in map reading and land navigation systems, is required.

• Willingness to travel occasionally also to remoter locations outside of duty station, is required.

• Experience with for the UN staff, and international organization, diplomatic mission of international NGO is highly desirable, with proven experience in movements clearances, radio/mobile communications, escort procedures; checkpoint interactions; diplomatic conduct and handling international visitors.

• Completion of a recognized defensive driving training is desirable.

• Knowledge of local security rules and ability to adapt routes based on security advisories is desirable.

• Demonstrated experience operating four-wheel-drive (4x4) vehicles in off-road and rural environments is desirable.

• Basic first aid certification is desirable.

• Good knowledge of vehicle service providers, fuel stations, and spare-parts suppliers in Bosaso and surrounding areas is desirable.

• prior UNDSS training on Safe and Secure Approaches in Field Environments SSAFE is desirable/added advantage

Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English and Somali is required. 

CORE VALUES AND BEHAVIORS  

Core Values 

EXCELLENCE – Deliver high-quality results; continuously improve performance.  

INTEGRITY – Uphold ethical standards; act transparently and responsibly.  

INCLUSION – Promote respect, diversity, and fairness.  

HUMILITY – Show self-awareness; value others’ contributions.  

HUMANITY – Act with compassion; align work with sustainable development. 

Core Behaviors  

CONNECT & COLLABORATE – Build trust through effective communication and teamwork; share knowledge and embrace diversity.  

ANALYSE & 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; 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; embrace innovation and new approaches.

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.

Integrity, Respect and Inclusion

UNIDO is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, diversity, inclusion and mutual respect. Employees of UNIDO are required at all times to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity. UNIDO prohibits all forms of sexual misconduct, abuse of authority, and discrimination.

Through people-centred policies, UNIDO supports its personnel in balancing professional and personal responsibilities through flexible working arrangements while maintaining the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations worldwide.

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: [email protected]