The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 46 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

UNCDF’s financing models work through three channels: inclusive digital economies, connecting individuals, households, and small businesses with financial eco-systems that catalyze participation in the local economy, and provide tools to climb out of poverty and manage financial lives; local development finance, that capacitates localities through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance to drive local economic expansion and sustainable development; and investment finance, that provides catalytic financial structuring, de-risking, and capital deployment to drive SDG impact and domestic resource mobilization. By strengthening how finance works for poor people at the household, small enterprise, and local infrastructure levels, UNCDF contributes to Sustainable Development Goal-SDG 1 on eradicating poverty and SDG 17 on the means of implementation. In addition, by identifying those market segments where innovative financing models can have a transformational impact in helping to reach the last mile and address exclusion and inequalities of access, UNCDF contributes to a broad diversity of SDGs.

The Pacific Insurance and Climate Adaptation Programme (PICAP) is jointly administered by the UNCDF, the UN University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). It is a multi-year regional programme presently covering Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu with plans for phased expansion to other Pacific countries. The Programme aims to equip governments and communities in Pacific Small Island Developing States with climate and disaster risk financing (CDRF) solutions that help them address the growing impacts of climate change. The Programme receives funding support from the Governments of New Zealand (MFAT), Australia (DFAT), and additionally from the India-UN Development Partnership fund administered by the UN Office for South-South Cooperation and the Government of Luxembourg through the Drua Incubator.

The Communication Officer and the PICAP team is committed to providing the intern with the training, guidance, and support necessary to complete the above duties and responsibilities effectively and within the internship period. This will include, but not be limited to, scheduled meetings (weekly) to assess output progress, systems training (if required), and completion of necessary university reports to meet any academic requirements.

Under the guidance and supervision of UNCDF’s Communications Officer, and in close collaboration with the PICAP team, the intern will assist in the following tasks:

UNCDF/UNDP Core competencies:

• Communication
• Delivery
• Innovation
• Leadership
• People and Time Management

Functional & Technical Competencies:

• Demonstrates strong writing skills, particularly the ability to present persuasive, coherent, and well-founded arguments.
• Demonstrates drive to achieve results quickly without compromising quality and seeks and finds solutions to  problems encountered.
• Demonstrates ability to manage multiple tasks and work in self-sufficient manner with limited supervision.
• Ability to convert complex and abstract ideas into simple visual concepts.
• Demonstrates intellectual curiosity and deep desire to learn.
• Demonstrates a consistent commitment to pro-actively helping fellow members of the team.

Education:

Applicants to the UNCDF/UNDP internship programme must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:

• currently in the final year of a Bachelor’s degree; or
• currently enrolled in a Master’s degree; or
• have graduated no longer than 1 year ago from a bachelor’s or master’s degree or equivalent studies; or
• enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship programme and undertake the internship as part of this programme.

Field of study: All academic backgrounds welcome, but priority will be given to candidates with Social Sciences, International Relations, Economic Development, Economics, Finance, Journalism, Political Science, Communications, or related field  or equivalent.

Work Experience & Desired Skillset:

• Experience in development projects mainly in the area of event management and marketing
• Experience in working with policy makers, Government Ministries, or regional organisations
• Self-starter; organized; able to multitask, balance multiple responsibilities, and work to deadline.

Language skills:

• Fluency in written and spoken English required;
• Knowledge of other UN languages is an advantage.

 INTERNSHIP CONDITIONS

• UNCDF/UNDP will provide a stipend in accordance with the provisions of the UNDP Internship policy. All expenses connected with the internship will be borne by the intern or her/his sponsoring entity;
• UNCDF/UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship;
• Interns must be a citizen of the Fiji and reside in Fiji during the internship period;
• Interns are not eligible to apply for, or be appointed to, any post in UNDP during the period of the internship;
• Interns must provide proof of enrolment in health insurance plan;
• Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity;
• Interns are expected to work full time, but flexibility is allowed for education programmes;
• Intern will provide their own IT equipment (Computer)

VII. 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 group all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document. Candidates who are selected must submit the following documents prior to the interview:

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

UNDP/UNCDF only accepts interns for a minimum of 6 weeks and a maximum of 6 months.
UNDP/UNCDF 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/UNCDF in any official capacity.

Subsequent Employment

The purpose of the Internship Programme is not to lead to further employment with UNCDF/UNDP but to complement an intern’s studies. Therefore, there should be no expectation of employment at the end of an internship.

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