Background

UNDP partners with national governments and people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. Active in more than 170 countries and territories, UNDP offers a global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. UNDP helps countries to build and share development solutions in the following main areas:

  1. Sustainable Development

  2. Democratic Governance and Peacebuilding

  3. Climate and Disaster Resilience

In all its work, UNDP works to ensure the protection of human rights and the empowerment of women, minorities and the poorest and most vulnerable.

Since its establishment in 1995, the UN/UNDP Brussels Office has played a pivotal role in nurturing the partnership with the European Commission and the EU institutions more broadly, and it acts as the key institutional anchor of efforts to sustain and maximize emerging opportunities with the EC. The UN/UNDP office both represents UNDP vis-à-vis the EU and the Government of Belgium and plays an active role in facilitating a unified and coherent action of the more than 20 UN organizations represented in Brussels. Since 2004, the EC-UNDP inter-institutional relationship has been guided by a Strategic Partnership, focused on governance, and conflict prevention and recovery.

The European Parliament is a key actor in decision-making and setting of overall agendas in the European Union. Therefore, the UNDP office in Brussels is monitoring closely debates and decisions adopted by the European Parliament, in such areas of development policy, EU external assistance, EU foreign affairs, and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Director, the intern shall perform the following tasks:

  • Conducting research on debate in the European Parliament, including on but not limited to the Sustainable Development Goals, Development Policy, EU instruments for external assistance, EU foreign affairs;

  • Collecting and cataloguing information;

  • Drafting and consolidating documents;

  • Assist in the organization of conferences, forums, or other collaborative events.

Competencies

  • Strong organizational and research skills;

  • Excellent analytical, communication and writing skills;

  • Excellent interpersonal skills;

  • Demonstrated keen interest in the work of the UN/UNDP;

  • Computer proficiency in standard software applications (MS Office, Excel, Word, Powerpoint);

  • Demonstrates integrity and fairness, by modelling the UN/UNDP’s values and ethical standards;

  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

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

(a)       be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher);

(b)       be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent);

(c)       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.

Experience with parliaments and political parties a strong asset.

Language:

Fluency in written and spoken English. French, Spanish or German an asset.

 

 

Notes

Interns’ Expenses/Arrangements:

Please note that interns are not financially remunerated by UNDP. All costs associated with an intern’s participation in the programme must be borne by the nominating institution, related institution or government, which may provide the required financial assistance to its students; or by the intern, who will have to obtain financing for subsistence and make his/her own arrangements for travel (including to and from the office), visas, accommodation, etc.

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.

Application Procedure:

The application should contain:

  • Motivation letter specifying reasons why candidate is seeking the internship and what is expected from the experience;

  • Recent Curriculum Vitae;

  • Official letter from the University confirming enrollment and specifying expected graduation date (for students);

  • Official letter from the University confirming graduation date (for graduates).

(NB: incomplete applications will not be considered)

UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship.
 

Prior to being offered a Letter of Acceptance for Internship, the selected candidate will have to provide the following additional documents:

  • A Medical Certificate of Good Health from a recognized physician. If the intern is expected to travel outside the country of their residence, other than to Europe and North America, the physician must indicate whether s/he is fit to travel and has the required inoculations for the country to which they are to travel;

  • Proof of valid Medical Insurance cover valid for the duration of the internship programme in Belgium;

  • For applicants who are not resident in Belgium, the insurance cover must include adequate coverage in the event of an injury or illness during the internship duration which:

    (a)       requires transportation to the home country or country of residence for further treatment;

    (b)       results in death and requires preparation and return of the remains to the home country, or country of residence.

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.