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INTERN

Location : UNDP HQ (New York) and home-based
Application Deadline :22-Jun-12
Type of Contract :Internship
Post Level :Intern
Languages Required :
 English  
Starting Date :
(date when the selected candidate is expected to start)		27-Jun-2012

Background
UNDP’s Environment and Energy Group (EEG) is based in UNDP’s Bureau of Development Policy (BDP) and responsible for providing leadership and technical support to delivery of the Environment and Sustainable Development pillar of UNDP’s Strategic Plan.  Its main focus is to help countries develop the capacity to fully incorporate environmental sustainability into development at national and local, but also global and regional, levels.  The principal areas of work are in environmental mainstreaming, environmental finance, adaptation to climate change, and local governance of resources, including energy.

Climate change is a priority area for the Environmental and Energy Group at UNDP.  Building on a history of climate change projects, tools, and resources, UNDP’s objective is to play a leading role in the UN’s climate change efforts and mobilize greater and more diverse resources for climate change initiatives.  In UNDP’s Climate Change Strategy, four pillars are identified:
  1. Support the design of integrated climate change strategies;
  2. Promote adaptation actions;
  3. Drive investment towards lower carbon technologies and sustainable land use practices; and
  4. Integrate climate change into UN and UNDP develop assistance. 
Each pillar contributes to UNDP’s effort to build a new development paradigm – a paradigm that mainstreams climate change into development planning at all levels, links development policies with the financing of solutions and helps countries move towards more less carbon intensive, yet sustainable economies.

The Green, Low-Emission and Climate-Resilient Development Strategies Team (Green LECRDS) within EEG manages UNDP-supported initiatives in countries financed  by the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund, Adaptation Fund (AF), bilateral, and other sources of financing.  UNDP’s assistance to countries to formulate and implement Green LECRDS will allow developing countries to respond more effectively to climate change. Green LECRDS will help guide conventional and innovative sources of sustainable development and climate financing, and assist sub-national and national governments in implementing, monitoring, and catalyzing low-emission and climate-resilient development projects and programmes.  The intern will work closely with the Green LECRDS team to further develop knowledge platforms and products which capture and share lessons learned and best practices from these country-led initiatives. 

Duties and Responsibilities
The Intern will primarily be involved in the content building of the UNDP Adaptation Learning Mechanism (UNDP-ALM) platform and development of various knowledge products. S/he will report directly to the Principal Policy and Technical Advisor (PPTA) of the  Green LECRDS Team, and will work closely with the team’s Senior Technical Advisor on Adaptation and Results and Knowledge Specialist. Under guidance by the PPTA and Green LECRDS team, the main tasks of the Intern include the following:
  • Maintain, add, and update content to the UNDP-ALM platform and promote its use and implementation, particularly the stimulation of exchange of information and experiences within and among the various user groups;
  • Prepare draft communications to send to users of the UNDP-ALM platform, including how to access and upload resources;
  • Assist in the preparation of training materials for UNDP-ALM users;
  • Assist in ensuring the resource library is populated with high-quality content in multiple languages and that updates are disseminated to site visitors;
  • Support the development of content management procedures for UNDP-ALM to ensure users can easily load and search for content;
  • Conduct research on and create Project Briefs for various projects under the Green LECRDS portfolio?• Assist with development of various knowledge products for the Green LECRDS portfolio, including but not limited to, Projects Briefs, Case Studies, Newsletters, etc.
  • Assist with social media outreach and information dissemination-related activities;
  • Other tasks as agreed beforehand with the supervisor.

Competencies
Interns’ Expenses:
Interns are not financially remunerated by UNDP. All costs connected with an intern's participation in the Programme must be borne by:
  • The nominating institution, related institution or government, which may provide the required financial assistance to its students; or
  • The student, who will have to obtain financing for subsistence and make his/her own arrangements for travel (including to and from the office), visas, accommodation, etc.
Insurance:
UNDP accepts no responsibility for the medical and life insurance of the intern or costs arising from accidents and illness incurred during an internship. As interns are not covered under any insurance, including MAIP, they should not travel to hazardous locations in the course of their internship with UNDP.

Applicants for internship must show proof of valid medical and life/accident insurance for the duty station for which they will work. It must include adequate coverage in the event of an injury or illness during the internship which requires transportation to the Home Country or Country of Residence for further treatment; or ?results in death and requires preparation and return of the remains to the Home Country, or Country of Residence.

Subsequent Employment:
The purpose of the Internship Programme is not to lead to further employment with UNDP but to complement an intern’s studies. Therefore, there should be no expectation of employment at the end of an internship. Should an offer of employment be envisaged, a 3-month break, from the end of the internship, must be respected. Interns cannot apply for posts during the period of internship.

Required Skills and Experience
  • Current enrollment in a graduate-level degree programme in environmental studies or related fields;
  • Strong communication and research skills;
  • Excellent computer literacy skills;
  • Ability to write leaflets, brochures, newsletters, as needed;
  • Results driven, able to meet targets/deadlines;
  • Good knowledge of climate change and development;
  • Written and spoken proficiency in English.
In case an applicant is successfully selected, s/he will be requested to provide electronic versions of:?
  • A copy of his/her most recent resume or curriculum vitae;
  •  A duly completed “UNDP internship application form” (to be provided upon selection);
  • A letter from his/her University confirming current enrollment and graduation date;
  • A copy of his/her school transcript;
  • Copy of his/her insurance coverage;
  • A letter of endorsement from a senior faculty member who has directly supervised you in the recent past and who is fully acquainted you performance; and
  • A brief paper setting out the reasons why s/he is seeking an internship with UNDP and what is expected from the experience.
Please only apply if you know that you can have the above documentation available within one week after selection.

Third-party claims:
UNDP is not responsible for any claims by any parties where the loss of or damage to their property, death or personal injury was caused by the actions or omission of action by the interns during their internship.

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.


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