Background

The Programme Development and Technical Cooperation Division (PTC) of UNIDO is responsible for providing technical cooperation services on technological and economic issues. Within PTC, the AGRI Branch through its technical assistance, links resources and markets in the agribusiness value chains and strengthens forward and backward industrial linkages in order to leg up the economic transformation of countries, improve employment and income opportunities, and reinforce sustainable livelihoods.

Technical cooperation and capacity-building services are provided to agro-based and agro-related businesses and industries, inter alia, in the food, leather, textiles, wood and agricultural equipment sectors. 

Duties and Responsibilities

To ensure social inclusion, 5 million jobs need to be created every year in the European Neighbourhood South Region. Potentially, the 6 million MSMEs in the partner countries, which already account for 90% of total employment, could generate those much-needed jobs; however, their competitiveness needs to be improved in terms of business, environmental and social performances.

The objective of the Creative Mediterranean project, funded by the EU with co-funding earmarked by the Italian Cooperation, is to foster entrepreneurial co-operation in the cultural and creative industries notably through the promotion of promising pilot cluster initiatives demonstrating contribution to inclusive growth in the South Mediterranean Region (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia). The project then aims at demonstrating the potential for the national and regional development of cultural and creative industries, thus opening the possibility through adequate replication and larger scale support from financial institutions to promote new employment opportunities and inclusive growth in the region. The Creative Mediterranean project will target the house/home ware decoration sector, which includes furniture, textiles, ceramics, wood work, leather products, etc. to allow for the creative approach to be rooted in the cultural heritage of each target country, thereby conveying the uniqueness of the products.

It is expected that the program will facilitate the development of a number of innovative clusters of Micro and SMEs in the Southern Mediterranean region (at least one per partner country) to take advantage of common opportunities arising from closer cooperation and integration, including capacity building to strengthen the capacity of local institutions to deliver tailored services and assistance. The project will also ensure a strong ownership by the national authorities in order to integrate the promotion of clusters and business linkages in the national and regional private sector development frameworks and, potentially, replicate the project experience on a wider scale.

Since the start of the project, the 13 selected clusters have benefitted from the technical assistance of the project in key areas such as: improvement in cost and quality competitiveness, production capacity, development of design capacities to respond to international markets, business linkages and access to new markets. Moreover, the project has partnered with local institutions in the seven participating countries to establish 8 cluster support services platforms (or Creative Hubs), which will offer services and spaces to the designers, in order to diffuse design knowledge and culture and improve creativity. It includes physical spaces like co-working areas and laboratories and activities as mentoring and incubation, lectures, conferences, exhibitions, technical trainings and special events.

The immediate objectives of this project phase, consolidation phase, are as follows:

• Strengthening the Creative Hubs to act as innovation and incubation service providers, and form a network of hubs connected in the region and internationally (to Impact Hubs, European Creative Industries Alliance, etc.).
• Building capacity for the Creative Hubs to provide market access and business development services.
• Establishing solid international market presence and export capabilities
• Capitalizing on and spreading the best practices of the project in CCI and cluster development in the region and mobilizing national support for the replication of large scale national programmes. 

UNIDO in partnership with the start-up incubator Antworks decided to create a Creative Hub in Beirut. The Hub is a platform that offers services and spaces to the designers, in order to diffuse design knowledge and culture and improve creativity. It includes physical spaces like co-working areas and laboratories, besides activities as mentoring and incubation, lectures, conferences, exhibitions, technical trainings and special events. Through the provision of diverse services to the actors of the creative sector (entrepreneurs, designers, students, mentors, investors, and the public in general the creative hub ensures contact and facilitates linkages between relevant actors of the sector. Moreover, creative entrepreneurs become more visible for customers and other important target groups helping and encouraging creative people in improving their capability to understand business and the prerequisites for conducting business. It offers all the conditions to enable entrepreneurship and to keep the community growing.

The incumbent is responsible for definition, management and implementation of the creative hub business plan under the supervision and overall guidance of the UNIDO Project leader and in coordination with the UNIDO team in Lebanon. His/her duties shall be performed in accordance with applicable rules and regulations of UNIDO and this Job Description. At the end of his/her assignment, the incumbent will have to submit the deliverables listed in the table below as well as a short final report summarizing activities carried out

Competencies

Functional competencies: 

• Having a confident and dynamic personality;
• Strong creative outlook;
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and strong problem solving skills;
• Ability to work as a member of a team with good inter-personal communication skills;
• Familiarity with the UN mandate and activities in Lebanon as well as with Lebanon’s current socioeconomic context;
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office;
• Strong planning and organization skills;
• Strong communication skills (oral & written).

Core values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for diversity

Core competencies:

• Results orientation and accountability;
• Planning and organizing;
• Communication and trust;
• Team orientation;
• Client orientation;
• Organizational development and innovation
   

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced University degree & relevant experience in marketing, communication or any other related field.

Technical and Functional Experience:

• At least 5 prior relevant experience (5+ year) in communications or marketing;
• Previous experience in the field of communication and marketing for UN agencies, NGOs, INGOs, private/public institutions would be a strong advantage;
• Highly articulate individual with excellent written communications and presentation skills are essential;
• A proven ability to lead communications strategies;
• Previous experience in  cultural products marketing.

How to apply:

The consultancy is open for all national consultants who meet the selection criteria and propose a competitive fee. Interested consultants are requested to apply only through this UNDP jobs portal. Submissions through any other media will not be considered.

The application must include all of the CV.

or Interested applicants should submit their CVs to: n.barakat@unido.org and point out to the reference of the announcement which is UNIDO – Junior Hub Coordinator