Background
Present in 166 countries and territories, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) supports governments in developing strong policies, institutions and partnerships to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. It does so in part through its comprehensive knowledge network, which includes expert practitioners that provide focused advice and support in strategic policy areas.
Drawing on the comparative advantages of UNDP in strengthening country capacities to manage and coordinate development cooperation, the team is situated in BERA and supports the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation, as part of the OECD-UNDP Joint Support Team.
UNDPโs work in this area is guided by principles of effective development cooperation and supports global policy dialogue and mutual learning on effective development cooperation, helping increase the availability of transparent data on development cooperation, while supporting countries in implementing and monitoring the effective development cooperation principles. In addition, cultivating networks of partners and development practitioners is another key element of UNDPโs support to the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall supervision and guidance of the Strategic Communications and Knowledge Management Specialist and working day-to-day reporting to various team members leading on different substantive issues, the interns will focus on the following:
Policy Analysis and Secretariat Support (40%):
Under the direct supervision of senior team members, provide specific support to activities of the 2023-2026 Work Programme as part of the OECD-UNDP Joint Support Team including research trends in development effectiveness / co-operation and identify linkages / key areas of support for UNDP's work in advancing the global development effectiveness agenda for 100 countries; andUnder the direct supervision of senior team members, contribute to policy research and development of policy / practice products such as issue briefs, discussions papers, country stories, blog posts and practice notes, as well as outreach, research and support related to the Global Partnership monitoring exercise.Under the direct supervision of senior team members, support the roll-out of the 4th GPEDC monitoring exercise including, drafting communications to, and supporting meetings with, participating governments as well as providing administrative and analytical support to the JSTโs follow-up with partner country governments.Knowledge Management and Communication (40%):
Act as the day-to-day focal point for the Global Dashboard on monitoring, and cultivating an online community of practice / knowledge-sharing platform for effective development cooperation practitioners, including through day-to-day management, outreach, synthesis of knowledge / lessons learned, updating key partner country contact lists.Support implementation of the 2023 GPEDC 2023-2026 Communication and Outreach Plan, including drafting of newsletters, stories of progress, key messages, talking points, social media content, updating the official Trello board, etc.Responsible for upgrading the official web homepage for a new, more user-friendly look and feelEvents Liaison (20%)
Provide logistical support to annual events organized under the auspices of the Global Partnership, including international workshops, side events, webinars and Steering Committee meetings, especially UN High-Level Political Forum, Summit of the Future, and Indonesia Summit.Responsible for drafting communication with multiple partners including OECD and GPEDC Steering Committee members, particularly the partner countries.
Competencies
Excellent organizational, event planning, and time management skills, attention to detail and proven ability to work independently with multiple partners, and with limited supervision and under tight deadlines;Proven research and writing skills, with track record in producing development research and other materials;Strong service and team-work orientation; evident cultural sensitivity and ability to work in a fast-paced multi-national environment;Demonstrated enthusiasm and commitment to learning; andCommitment to UNDP vision, mission, and values and knowledge of UN work environment an advantage.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Candidate must be enrolled in a degree programme in a development related field such as economics, public administration, public policy or international relations/international development studies.
Applicants must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:
Experience:
Previous experience in research and policy development, communications, advocacy, large-scale event planning is an asset, and experience in developing countries is desirable.Knowledge of, or direct experience working with effective development co-operation issues, is an asset.Language:
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English - competency in other UN language(s), especially French and/or Spanish, is a strong asset.IT skills:
Strong online research skills and good knowledge of the Microsoft Office Package. Skills in graphic design and video production as well as advanced excel, database management skills and Power BI in particular are considered an asset.
Working arrangements
UNDP will provide a monthly stipend. The interns will be responsible for providing his or her own laptop and internet access. Reporting and supervision will be conducted online through weekly team update meetings. UNDP will provide access to various UNDP tools as a means of communication with the team.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE / HOW TO APPLY
THE APPLICATION SHOULD CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING UPLOADED AS ONE FILE:
Current Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resumeOriginal text of up to 500 words addressing the following question: Why do you consider yourself an excellent candidate for this Internship and how do you hope that it will support your educational and professional interests and/or goals?Conditions of internship:
Internships within the UN system are subject to following conditions, which the candidates should familiarize themselves with prior to applying:
Starting from January 2020 interns will receive stipends according to UN rules and regulations.Any further costs associated with the internship must be borne by the nominating institution, related institution or government, which may provide the required financial assistance to its students; or by the student, who will have to obtain financing for subsistence and make his or her arrangements for travel, accommodation and other costs.UNDP accepts no responsibility for the medical and life insurance of the intern or costs arising from accidents and illness incurred during an internship. The Intern must provide proof of enrolment in a health insurance plan;UNDP does not provide assistance with travel and/or housing and the Intern will be responsible for obtaining the necessary visas and arranging travel to and from the duty station where the internship will be performed;The purpose of the Internship Programme is not to lead to further employment within the UN System, but to complement an internโs studies. Therefore, there should be no expectation of employment at the end of an internship. The Intern will not be eligible to apply for, or be appointed to, any post in UNDP during the period of internship or for the six months immediately following the expiration date thereof;Interns will need to use their own laptop/notebook.Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity.UNDP only accepts interns for a minimum of 6 weeks and a maximum of 6 monthsSelected candidates will be asked to submit the following documents prior to joining:
A signed UNDP Internship AgreementA supplementary agreement for remote internshipsCopy of updated CV/resumeOfficial letter from the university confirming current enrolment and graduation date;Copy of passport/national ID card;A copy of his/her school transcript;Letter of endorsement/recommendation from a ProfessorProof of valid medical/accident insurance including provision for medical evacuation and removal of mortal remains) for the duty station for which they will work;