UNDP Jobs - 56181- Internship with the Biodiversity Finance Initiativ

Internship with the Biodiversity Finance Initiative - BIOFIN

Location :

Istanbul, TURKEY

Type of Contract :

Internship

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

26-May-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

Intern

Duration of Initial Contract :

6 months

Languages Required :

English

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

Objective: Development of a resource database on environmental/biodiversity finance for BIOFIN project stakeholders
Start Date: 1 September 2015 (flexible starting dates)
Supervisor: BIOFIN Project Specialist

BIOFIN aims to develop a methodology for quantifying the biodiversity finance gap at national level, for improving cost-effectiveness through mainstreaming biodiversity into national development and sectoral planning, and for developing and implementing comprehensive national resource mobilising strategies. These methodologies are being piloted in 29 countries globally. For the participation countries, BIOFIN is developing a resource database on biodiversity finance, through research and compilation of key materials on environmental/biodiversity finance - relevant publications (books, articles, case studies, etc), websites in different sectors and from other initiatives - to actively support the global methodological work and country piloting, which then will be made available through two global web platforms – BIOFIN and the NBSAP Forum, reaching out to between 29 and 150+ countries globally.

Duties and Responsibilities

The main responsibility of the Intern will be to further develop the resource database on biodiversity finance, through the following tasks:

Review and map existing resources from the BIOFIN team, UNDP experts, relevant websites and publications of related initiatives and define key resources for inclusion in the database in consultation with the BIOFIN team;
Develop the resource database further and integrate key resources into the BIOFIN and NBSAP Forum web platforms;
Review international best practises to identify case studies that can serve as examples for BIOFIN work;
Write stories and news articles on BIOFIN activities;
Support the BIOFIN Communication team by promoting and maintaining BIOFIN online communities updated (Website / Twitter / Facebook page) and track social media / website analytics;
Liaise with national BIOFIN teams to identify national level resources and obtain inputs for news stories and case studies;
Assist with the organisation of meetings / conferences and planning events such as BIOFIN regional and global workshops;
Other tasks as required to support the work of BIOFIN.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Excellent communication, organizational and analytic skills;
A well-organized individual with the ability to multi-task;
A team player: ability to work productively and effectively with others;
Excellent IT literacy and good understanding of web development;
Elevated drafting abilities;
Desire to work with and gain the confidence and respect of people with different language, national and cultural backgrounds.
Respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter and the UNDP Statement of Purpose.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Enrolment in a degree programme in a graduate school (second university degree or higher) in fields such as Biology, Geography, Economics, Environmental Economics, Finance, Business Administration, Communication, ICT or other related fields.

Experience:

Previous related work experience in a national or an international entity would be an asset but is not required.
Experience in developing websites/programming or using social media channels is an asset.

Language:

Proficiency in written and spoken English;
Spanish, Portuguese or French language knowledge is a strong asset.

Learning

The intern will develop a good overview of global biodiversity financing practises and a basic understanding of UNDP project management concepts.

Duration of the assignment:
The overall duration of the internship is 6 months, estimated start on 1 September 2015.

Financial Issues

Internships within the UN system are unpaid and subject to conditions the applicant must get familiar with prior to signing his/her internship agreement.
The 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 own arrangements for travel, accommodation etc.

Application procedure

The application should contain:

Brief Cover Letter (in English) stating interest in and qualifications for the post;
Current and complete CV in English;

Please combine all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.

Candidates who are selected for must submit prior to the interview the following documents:

Official letter from the University confirming enrollment in a graduate-level degree programme;
Proof of medical and life/accident insurance valid for the location in which the internship will be carried out. Selected intern must have medical and life insurance.

Conditions

UNDP only accepts interns for a minimum of 6 weeks and a maximum of 6 months.
UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship.
Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity.
It is important to note that interns are responsible to arrange for their own visa and residence documents, and need to plan for these well in advance.

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.
More information available at: http://www.undp.org/internships/.