Background

UNDP works in some 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work, carried out at HQ, Regional, and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Crisis Bureau (CB) guides UNDP’s corporate crisis-related strategies and vision for crisis prevention, response and recovery. The Bureau has the responsibility for support to prevention, crisis response, resilience and recovery work under the auspices of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. The Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility of developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan.

In this context, the Joint Directorate for the GPN, the GPN Communications Unit provides communications support to the leadership of the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) and the Crisis Bureau (CB) and serves as the principal management adviser to the Directors and Deputy Bureau Directors of both Bureaux. The Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) is responsible for positioning UNDP as the world’s leading global development network, promoting its global authority and thought leadership on sustainable development and the interconnected issues of poverty, inequality, and climate change.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of Communications Specialists in BPPS and CB and overall supervision of Strategic Communications Advisor, the intern will:

  • Coordinate with programme teams for compilation of GPN quarterly external events calendar.
  • Support in preparing GPN weekly internal newsletter/s.
  • Support in preparing weekly social media roundups and analytics.
  • Provide assistance in curating and presenting stories, images and videos.
  • Assist in drafting and editing press releases, think pieces etc.
  • Prepare presentations for meetings.
  • Assist in posting press releases and statements online.
  • Assist in uploading content/creating webpages on corporate website
  • Assist in uploading content/content management for GPN/BPPS/CB intranet
  • Research content and produce social media messages.
  • Assist in coordinating for translations request by BPPS and CB teams.
  • Assist in maintaining and updating a list of spokespersons for BPPS and CB.
  • Support in creative graphic designs, infographics, develop event flyers using Canva.
  • Assist in coordinating internal and external communications request and work as delegated by the GPN communications lead and specialists.
  • Additional communications and knowledge management support as required.

Competencies

  • Ability to plan, prioritize and deliver (concurrent) tasks on time.
  • Strong service and team-work orientation; also, able to work independently with limited supervision.
  • Strong attention to detail.
  • Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN's values and ethical standards.
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
  • Demonstrates enthusiasm and commitment to learning; and
  • Demonstrates commitment to UNDP vision, mission, and values and knowledge of UN work environment an advantage.

Required Skills and Experience

ELIGIBILITY

Education:

Applicants to UNDP internships must at the time of application meet one of the following academic requirements:

  • Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher);
  • Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent);
  • Have graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation;
  • Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship program and undertake the internship as part of this program.

In addition to meeting the requirement above under eligibility, the preferred fields of study for this internship includes international relations/international development studies, communications, journalism or public information.

 

EXPERIENCE

Required:

  • Experience in coordinating or canvassing inputs from, or promoting collaboration across multiple stakeholders or groups towards a common objective.
  • Previous research experience, volunteer work and/or advocacy on issues related to environment, human rights, peace and security, gender or other development sectors at local, national, regional or international level.

Desirable:

  • Experience working in/with international setting or organizations.
  • Previous experience and/or exposure to working with the United Nations, an international institution, IGO, INGO, NGO, CSO, etc.
  • Experience creating content for the web and/or managing different media platforms (e.g. SharePoint)

 

LANGUAGE SKILLS

  • Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
  • Competency in other UN language(s), especially French and/or Spanish is a strong asset.