Background
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.
Anchored in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and in line with the priorities outlined in the UNDP Strategic Plan, the Regional Bureau for Arab States supports the Arab States region to achieve sustainable development by eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, accelerating structural transformations for sustainable development, and building resilience to crises and shocks. Within this work, the Regional Bureau for Arab States responds to needs across development settings including Least Developed Countries, Middle Income Countries, Net Contributor Countries and countries affected by crisis, with a view to support the building of resilience, fight climate change, leverage the promise of innovation, and prioritize the advancement of women, youth and vulnerable groups as part of its commitment to the principles of universality, equality and leaving no one behind in an increasing challenging regional context.
Regional Bureau for Arab States
The Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS) serves as the headquarters for UNDP regional programme and country programmes in 17 countries in the region. The Bureau proactively engages with internal units and external partners/stakeholders such as the UN Secretariat, the Permanent Missions, donors and the Executive Board, to discuss and facilitate the work of UNDP in the region. The Regional Bureau conducts strategic analysis and monitors development trends to inform the forward-looking directions of the bureau and to support policies and programmes at regional, and country level in alignment with the SDGs, the UNDP Strategic Plan 2022-2025, and the RBAS Regional Programme Document 2022-2025. The Regional Bureau conducts strategic oversight of the regional and country programmes and focuses on positioning and programmatic and operational oversight to enhance country office, sub-regional and regional programming results and performance. It develops and implements partnership strategies for the region in addition to shaping the definition and implementation of the regional communications strategy and advocacy, as a means of positioning development issues and UNDP as a trusted development partner across the region.
RBAS Amman Regional Hub
The Hub provides expanded technical backing to Country Offices and ensures effective, timely and responsive support focused on UNDP’s programme priorities and tailored to the emerging and changing needs and priorities in the region. The Regional Hub in Amman offers a wide range of support to Country Offices including strategic policy advice, programme development and implementation, capacity development, policy research and analysis as well as operations support in the following thematic areas:
Strategic Innovation
The Strategic Innovation team supports UNDP Country Offices and regional initiatives to embrace new approaches and methodologies, in collaboration with 13 Accelerator Labs in the region (part of the global network of 91 Accelerator Labs) and UNDP’s Chief Digital Office. As detailed in the UNDP Strategic Plan, strategic innovation is one of three enablers (along with digitalization and development financing) of the organization’s new way of working to support three directions of change: structural transformation, resilience and leaving no one behind. The Team’s offers leverage multiple approaches to reach systemic change and ultimately great impact, including systems thinking and portfolio approaches as applied to issues such as youth, gender and human rights; behavioral science; futures thinking and foresight; and alternative finance.
Duties and Responsibilities
The intern will work under the overall guidance of the Innovation Team Leader who will provide day-to-day supervision.
Policy and Strategy Advice and Development:
- Prepare policy briefs, sector scan, status papers on development challenges based on desk review studies and analysis for evidence-based advocacy and policy development in the relevant field.;
- Assist in the development of new or ongoing initiatives, including review of policy literature in respect to the subject to enhance UNDP programming in the relevant field within the Arab Region;
- Document good practices, cases studies, innovations and pilot models for wider dissemination and sharing;
- Prepare Report/Note on the role of UNDP’s Programmatic Support in Structural Transformation in Arab States
- Assist in the documentation of the outcome of a number of regional consultations for positioning UNDP in the region.
Project Design, formulation and other project related functions:
- Assist in policy development in relevant area within UNDP in the Arab Region feeding into global policy development;
- Prepare conceptual framework / concept notes on new areas of work or development challenges;
- Assist in the development of technical support in development of new interventions or projects;
- Prepare and review project documents.
Knowledge Management & Communications:
- Prepare knowledge and communication products for advocacy and outreach, related to national, regional and global initiatives within the relevant team;
- Review knowledge and communications products (subject, design and content);
Disseminate knowledge and communications products; - Contribute to the preparation of social media content, the drafting of news, interviews and stories for knowledge platform, the development of relevant brochures, videos and infographics;
- Contribute to the development of press releases for printed and online media outlets, especially on the occasion of regional projects’ activities and events;
Draft or support drafting of blog posts and other externally-facing pieces on emerging trends in relevant field; - Capture stories which reflect on know how (procedures, processes, tactics) and know why (lessons learned, reasons for failures/success);
- Monitor any social media feedback regarding UNDP events/conferences in the region;
- Undertake regular website updates.
Research and Data Management:
- Undertake research on relevant initiatives in areas of interest;
- Conduct data collection and analyze data collected;
- Conduct desk reviews of existing research and literature on specific areas;
- Develop a repository of certain/specific initiatives from the region, with supporting resources such as presentations, press releases, blogs, etc.;
- Manage files and online database of related documents in a structured way.
Competencies
Core Competencies:
Professionalism:
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve a wide range of complex issues/problems.
• Ability to negotiate and to influence others to reach agreement.
• Ability to work under pressure.
Communication:
• Speaks and writes clearly, concisely, and effectively;
• Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately.
Teamwork:
• Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise.
• Is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda.
• Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position.
Planning & Organizing:
• Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies.
• Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required.
• Allocates appropriate amount of time and resource for completing work.
Accountability:
• Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honor commitments.
• Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards.
• Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules.
• Supports subordinates, provide oversight and take responsibility for delegated assignments.
• Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
Required Skills and Experience
Applicants to the UNDP internship programme must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:
(a) Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme, or higher);
(b) Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
(c) Have recently graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation;
(d) Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship program and undertake the internship as part of this program.
Experience:
- Excellent communication skills; Ability to write clearly and concisely;
- Initiative, sound judgment and demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with staff members of different national and cultural backgrounds;
- Good command of information and communication technology.
- Some knowledge of the Arab region would be helpful.
Languages:
Fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Arabic and French language skills would be an asset
Stipend
- Where an intern is not financially supported by any institution or programme, such as a university, government, foundation or scholarship programme, a stipend intended to help cover basic daily expenses related to the internship, such as meals and transportation at the duty station, must be paid by the receiving office.
- The monthly amount of the stipend will be determined for each duty station based on the stipend rates published yearly by the OHR Policy and Compensation Unit. The stipend will be paid on a monthly basis and part-time internship arrangements are prorated accordingly.
- Where an intern is financially supported by an institution, government or third party, UNDP will, subject to the rules of such institution, government or third party, pay the intern the difference, if any, between the external financial support provided and the applicable UNDP stipend.
- No other payments of any kind will be made to an intern by the office in connection with an internship agreement.
- Where an intern is engaged in-person and is not financially supported by any institution or programme, such as a university, Government, foundation or scholarship programme, a stipend intended to help cover basic daily expenses related to an in-person internship, such as meals and transportation at the duty station, must be paid by the receiving office.
- Where an intern is engaged remotely and is not financially supported by any institution or programme, such as a university, Government, foundation or scholarship programme, a remote stipend intended to help cover expenses related to the internship, such as internet connections or other means to remain in contact with the receiving office, must be paid by the receiving office.
- The monthly amount of the stipend for remote internships will be based on a standard global rate applicable for all remote internships. The amount of the stipend for in-person internships will be set for each duty station. The stipend will be paid on a monthly basis and will be pro-rated for part-time internship arrangements.
- Where an intern is financially supported by an institution, Government or third party, UNDP will, subject to the rules of such institution, Government or third party, pay the intern the difference, if any, between the external financial support provided and the applicable UNDP stipend.
- Interns will accrue combined sick and annual leave at the rate of 1 ½ days per month, which will be prorated to the nearest half day for part-time internships. Any accrued leave days not used by the end of the internship will be forfeited. Any unjustified absences during the internship period exceeding a total of nine days or as prorated for part-time internships, will be deducted from the monthly stipend.