Background

UNDP is preparing the Social and Environmental Standards (SES) that will apply to UNDP projects and programmes, and has established a Social and Environmental Compliance Unit (SECU) within the Office of Audit and Investigations (OAI) to help ensure compliance with the SES. UNDP is also creating a Dispute Resolution process to help project and program-affected people, UNDP’s partners (governments, NGOs, businesses), and other stakeholders jointly address grievances or concerns related to UNDP-supported projects or programmes.
 
The preparation of the SES, the operationalization of the SECU within OAI and the implementation of the Dispute Resolution function are ongoing and require support.
 
SECU is seeking an intern to aid in these functions. The intern will work on and learn about some or all of the following, depending on tasks required throughout the summer: Global administrative law/standards, international accountability mechanisms, social and environmental safeguard processes and international/cross-cultural alternative dispute resolution.
 

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Legal and Policy Analyst at SECU, the intern will provide support in the creation of the SECU, the creation of the Dispute Resolution function, the outreach and implementation of the SES and general administrative, research and support tasks.
 
In carrying out this overall function, the Intern:
  • Assists in legal and/or policy and/or factual research;
  • Assists in editing, formatting, and drafting relevant documents;
  • Assists in identifying, collating and analysing potential evidence;
  • Assists in outreach, inreach, event-coordination and communications regarding the SECU, the SES and the Dispute Resolution function;
  • Assists in administrative tasks, web-design, social media and other activities;
  • Assists in the intake and processing of SECU complaints and/or Dispute Resolution requests;
  • Undertakes other related functions as requested by the Legal and Policy Analyst at SECU or others at OAI;
  • If multilingual, assists in translation quality control of relevant documents;
  • Possesses a willingness to be adaptive, take on extra responsibility, be proactive and willing to help on whatever needs assistance.

Work duration and requirements:

  • Internship is located at UNDP Headquarters in New York;
  • Internship will be 4 days per week;
  • Internship ideally to start early June and end in September.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

  • Excellent communication skills;
  • Ability to handle multiple tasks;
  • Demonstrates ability to use and apply the following technical process of aides,  Microsoft office suite, Database applications. 

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent required; and current enrollment in a related graduate program such as law, international development, international affairs, human/environmental rights law, international public policy or other related field; and enrollment in classes that will start after the summer internship has ended.
Experience:
  • Knowledge of Microsoft Office programs (word, power point, excel) required;
  • Interest and/or experience in law/regulatory schemes/compliance/administrative decision-making/accountability/alternative dispute resolution desirable.
Language:
  • Fluency in written and spoken English required; proficiency in French and/or Spanish highly desirable;
  • Knowledge of Microsoft Office programs (word, power point, excel) required;
  • Interest and/or experience in law/regulatory schemes/compliance/administrative decision-making/accountability/alternative dispute resolution desirable.
Note:
  • The UN is unable to sponsor visas;
  • Interns are not financially remunerated by UNDP;
  • The intern must find his/her own lodging and secure funding from outside sources, or fund him/herself for the duration of the summer;
  • Official letter from the University confirming enrollment in a graduate-level degree programme;
  • UNDP only accepts interns for a minimum of 6 weeks and a maximum of 6 months.
  • Have a valid visa to work in the US;
  • Letter of endorsement from a faculty member who has worked with the student in the recent past and who is knowledgeable on the student’s performance;
  • The costs associated with the latter 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, etc.;
  • Proof of medical and life/accident insurance valid for the location in which the internship will be carried out (i.e. New York, USA);
  • 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.

How to apply:

Interested individuals must submit the following documents:
  • Cover Letter:  Explain why you are applying for the internship;
  • Completed P11 or Resume.
Personal History Form (P11), which can be downloaded from www.sas.undp.org/Documents/P11_Personal_history_form.doc.
Submit a resume and cover letter to: paul.goodwin@undp.org
 
This Notice is also advertised in UNDP Procurement Site through the link:
http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=15790&view=admin 

For more information about UNDP’s Internship Terms & Conditions, visit: http://www.undp.org/internships/.

Application period will close 21 May 2014 at midnight.