Background

As a trusted multilateral partner serving 177 countries and territories around the world, UNDP is uniquely positioned to help advocate for change, connect countries to the knowledge and resources they need to develop and to coordinate the efforts of the United Nations at the country level.

The Results-Based Management (RBM) strategy of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a comprehensive approach to planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating development programmes, portfolios, and projects. RBM focuses on achieving measurable results and impacts by improving, with other internal interventions, the organization’s effectiveness, accountability, and ability to be agile and anticipatory in achieving greater development impact.

There are three areas of focus for the RBM Strategy:

•              To provide guidance in the RBM approach of UNDP on a digital platform,

•              To update and integrate the PPM policies with the RBM approach as required,

•              To provide practice building through a dedicated RBM Hub.

The Strategic Plan (2022- 2025) commits UNDP to “investing in enabling capacities and approaches that can scale up development impact… to build the agile, anticipatory organization its partners expect”. The Strategic Plan further commits UNDP to: “Impact measurement: traditional, linear results-based management has not evolved to measure new ways of working and the outcomes of a portfolio approach. Work is underway to develop systems of monitoring, evaluation, and results measurement better suited to these new ways of working, that value learning as results, and can track transformative change and its enablers, like changing social norms, over longer timespans.” (Para 82)

The upgrade of the RBM strategy, with UNDP investments in People, Digital, Knowledge, Enterprise Risk Management, and Quantum amongst others, will be a significant drive towards achieving this vision in UNDP and, through a holistic approach for all six areas of investment, transforming UNDP into a more agile and anticipatory organization geared towards development impact.

 

The roll out of the RBM Strategy calls for a rigorous engagement approach which this internship opportunity will coordinate.

Duties and Responsibilities

Working on a day-to-day basis and under the overall supervision and guidance of the Policy Specialist, Results Based Management, the intern will focus on the following:

 

  1. Coordinating the Engagement Plan

The consultant will be required to coordinate the roll out of the engagement plan. This includes, but is not limited to:

 

  • Monitoring and developing the work plan,
  • Arranging workshops and online meetings,
  • Carry out surveys and interviews around the effectiveness and appropriateness of the engagement plan,
  • Make recommendations to changes in the engagement approach based upon the analysis.

 

  1. Developing Digital Material

The consultant will be required to deliver digitally engaging materials to support the implementation of the engagement plan. These include but are not limited to:

 

  • PowerPoint slide decks,
  • Images and short videos,
  • SharePoint and website design,
  • Podcasts.

 

  1. Developing Content

The consultant will be required to draft content based in line with the engagement plan. This includes but is not limited to:

 

  • Blogs,
  • Person profiles,
  • Reports,
  • Social media content ie: twitter feeds etc.

Competencies

  • Excellent IT skills and quantitative analysis skills
  • Strong research and writing skills, as well as strong analytical aptitude and strong communication skills;
  • Ability to manage workload with minimum supervision and collaborate with a wide range of colleagues while meeting deadlines;
  • Excellent interpersonal skills: being able to listen and collaborate with a wide range of players, being able to work independently, being pro-active and taking initiative;
  • Be able to work both independently and as part of a team;
  • Personal Competencies:
  • Commitment to UNDP's mission, vision and values;
  • Sensitivity to cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age differences;
  • Highest standards of integrity and discretion.

Required Skills and Experience

Qualifications:

Candidate must be enrolled in a degree programme in a development related field such as economics, public administration, public policy or international relations/international development studies.

Applicants must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:

  1. Be enrolled in a post graduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme, or higher);
  2. Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (such as a bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
  3. 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.

Language:

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

 

 

Conditions of internship:

Internships within the UN system are subject to following conditions, which the candidates should familiarize themselves with prior to applying:

  • Starting from January 2020 interns will receive stipends according to UN rules and regulations.
  • Any further 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 arrangements for travel, accommodation and other costs.
  • UNDP accepts no responsibility for the medical and life insurance of the intern or costs arising from accidents and illness incurred during an internship. The Intern must provide proof of enrolment in a health insurance plan;
  • UNDP does not provide assistance with travel and/or housing and the Intern will be responsible for obtaining the necessary visas and arranging travel to and from the duty station where the internship will be performed;
  • The purpose of the Internship Programme is not to lead to further employment within the UN System, but to complement an intern’s studies. Therefore, there should be no expectation of employment at the end of an internship. The Intern will not be eligible to apply for, or be appointed to, any post in UNDP during the period of internship or for the six months immediately following the expiration date thereof;
  • Interns will need to use their own laptop/notebook.
  • Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity.
  • UNDP only accepts interns for a minimum of 6 weeks and a maximum of 6 months