UNDP Jobs - 53087- Intern - Equator Initiative

Intern - Equator Initiative

Location :

New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Type of Contract :

Internship

Starting Date :

02-Feb-2015

Application Deadline :

23-Jan-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

Intern

Duration of Initial Contract :

3 to 6 months

Languages Required :

English French

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

The Equator Initiative brings together the United Nations, governments, civil society, businesses and grassroots organizations to recognize and advance local sustainable development solutions for people, nature and resilient communities. The Equator Initiative seeks to:

Recognize the success of local and indigenous initiatives,
Create opportunities and platforms to share knowledge and good practice,
Inform policy to foster an enabling environment for local and indigenous community action, and
Develop the capacity of indigenous peoples and local communities to scale-up their impact.

The Equator Initiative accomplishes these goals through three areas of work:

Every other year the Equator Prize recognizes outstanding community efforts to reduce poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. The Equator Prize shines a spotlight on successful community work on the national and international stages;
The WIN World Network of Indigenous Peoples and Local Community Land Sea Managers facilitates learning and sharing good practices in managing ecosystems, protecting the environment and supporting sustainable livelihoods. It supports indigenous peoples and local community land and sea managers to better conserve their biological diversity and use natural resources sustainably, improve knowledge transmission, and improve economic opportunities for their communities;
Knowledge Sharing is a main goal of the Equator Initiative. We have a large series of research papers, books, and other publications focusing on local approaches to poverty reduction and conservation, informed by community-based initiatives. 152 case studies in over 30 languages have documented the Equator Prize Winners’ innovative practices that deliver the win-win-win solutions that ensure social, economic, and environmental sustainability.

For further information please go to: www.equatorinitiative.org.

Duties and Responsibilities

The intern will be based in the New York office. Responsibilities may include but will not be limited to the following, as outlined below. Language skills are required. The intern will assist the Equator Initiative in all aspects of the work. S/he will report to the Equator Initiative Manager and/or Program Officer. Duties and responsibilities include:

Support research, compilation of information and writing of in-depth case studies on Equator Prize 2014 winners, particularly from (but not limited to) Francophone countries. This would include desk top review of materials submitted by winning organizations and preparation of summaries about such materials, independent research, drafting of case studies, and other tasks as needed.
Liaise with community based initiatives, governments, research institutes, and the private sector as needed;
Assist with formatting of case studies using InDesign;
Write reports and summaries for website and publications;
Assist with Equator Initiative social media and database entry;
Administrative duties and translations as identified to ensure the smooth operation of the Equator Initiative office.

Competencies

Core competencies:

Demonstrates commitment to the UN’s core values;
Respects individual, gender and cultural differences in dealing with others;
Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

Effective communications and computer skills (MS Office package, Internet research);
Team worker who consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
Detail-oriented, produces quality outputs in a timely manner when assigned a given task;
Ability to remain calm, in control and good humored even under tight deadlines.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in development or environmental (or related) field in progress;
Enrollment in a graduate-level degree programme at the time of application and during the internship is required.

Experience:

Interest in the fields of development and/or environment;
Strong writing skills required, experience with case study writing is an asset;
Working knowledge of InDesign is an asset, though not required.

Language:

Fluency in English and French are required;
Knowledge of Spanish, Arabic or Hindi is an asset.

Working Hours:

Full time (preferred) or minimum commitment of three full days per week.

Application:

Interested candidates should apply by 23 January 2015. Your application should include a cover letter and resume. Please upload both as one document as the system does not accept more than one document.

Conditions for internships:

The UNDP internship programme does not provide a salary or remuneration for the internship;
The intern will need to provide proof of health and life/accident insurance; UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship;