UNCDF Jobs - 46095- UNCDF Internship - Financial Inclusion Practice Ar

UNCDF Internship - Financial Inclusion Practice Area

Advertised on behalf of

UNCDF

Location :

New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Type of Contract :

Internship

Starting Date :

26-May-2014

Application Deadline :

19-May-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

Intern

Duration of Initial Contract :

6 months

Languages Required :

Expected Duration of Assignment :

6 months

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

UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s 48 least developed countries. It creates new opportunities for poor people and their communities by increasing access to microfinance and investment capital. UNCDF focuses on Africa and the poorest countries of Asia, with a special commitment to countries emerging from conflict or crisis. It provides seed capital – grants and loans – and technical support to help microfinance institutions reach more poor households and small businesses, and local governments finance the capital investments – water systems, feeder roads, schools, irrigation schemes – that will improve poor peoples’ lives. UNCDF programmes help to empower women, and are designed to catalyze larger capital flows from the private sector, national governments and development partners, for maximum impact toward the Millennium Development Goals.

Duties and Responsibilities

The key result expected is support to the policy agenda of the Financial Inclusion Practice Area as directed by the Policy Advisor through research, analysis, and writing and other support as needed. Specifically, the key activities of the intern will involve the following:

Conducting research on responsible finance issues, particularly client protection and financial education, and monitoring and analyzing partner performance;
Assisting in the planning and preparation of the Responsible Finance Forum V, which will be focused on responsible digital finance, to be held at end of August in Perth alongside the Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion meeting of the G20;
Advancing positioning of inclusive finance in the post-2015 agenda for sustainable development;
Contributing to the development of a women’s economic empowerment project document, through research and writing;
Supporting the Policy Advisor and the Gender Working Group on the implementation of the UNCDF gender strategy;
Organizing, uploading, and maintaining key policy, client protection, and gender documents on UNCDF intranet.

Other tasks as requested by the Policy Advisor.

Working Arrangements:

The intern will work full-time unless agreed otherwise with supervisor, and may work in the UNCDF office or telecommute as agreed with her/his supervisor;
In the office, work space will be provided, and the intern will have access to a computer whenever possible. While telecommuting, the intern will be responsible for using her own computer;
The intern will not be provided with a corporate email.

Competencies

Strong communication skills;
Good organizational and analytical skills;
Ability to work effectively in a team and in an international environment;
Excellent organizational, inter-personal, communication and administrative skills;
Able to take initiative and work independently;
Excellent research and writing skills;
Respect for Diversity;
Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty;
Commitment to UNCDFs vision, mission, and strategic goals;
Ability to work under minimum supervision and tight deadlines.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Enrolled in Masters programme in economics, finance, business or public administration or related field.

Experience:

Demonstrated experience, part or full-time, paid or volunteer, in microfinance, inclusive finance, or related fields of finance, development, mobile money or technology for development, research, advocacy, and policy development would be desirable;
Demonstrated research and analytical capacity;
Proven ability to manage diverse and complex tasks;
Excellent computer capabilities.

Language:

Strong writing and speaking abilities in English;
Proficiency in French or Spanish desirable.

Conditions:

Interns are not financially remunerated by UNCDF. They are not staff members. The costs associated 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 own arrangements for travel, accommodation, visa, etc.;
Please submit a CV;
Kindly submit the form provided at the bottom of the page in http://www.uncdf.org/en/internship-programme;
Please precise the subject of your research/thesis in your cover letter/motivation.