Background

The United Nations is an impartial and trusted partner in Uganda, supporting the Government to achieve its development goals. The United Nations Country Team (UNCT), is comprised of 22 resident and non-resident UN agencies. The UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative (RC/RR) leads the UNCT and is the highest representative of UNDP in Uganda. The RC/RR is also the Designated Official for security for UN Uganda.

The Government of Uganda and the UN have agreed to adopt the ‘Delivering as One’ (DaO) modality in Uganda to better adapt UN’s support to the national context. ‘Delivering as One’ is an initiative by the United Nations aimed at making the UN better coordinated and more efficient and effective. Within countries the UN aims to achieve this through having One Leader, One Programme, One Budget, and by Operating and Communicating as One. The UN Resident Coordinator is assisted in her coordination role in the field by United Nations Area Coordinators (UNACs) in the areas where the UN has a strong presence on the ground. The UNAC system is a UNCT-integrated coordination system at the field level that convenes UN agency representatives through regular Area Coordination Team meetings. The UNAC system seeks to accelerate the implementation of Delivering as One at the field level in Acholi and West Nile, Karamoja and South West. The three intern positions will support the UNAC System in Moroto, Gulu and Mbarara respectively.

The interns will report to the UN Area Coordinator and will work in close collaboration with the UN Field Coordinator based in the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the Resident Coordinator and the direct supervision of the UN Area Coordinator and the RCO Field Coordination and Business Operations Specialist, the Field Coordination intern(s) will support the UNACs in a wide range of field coordination-related tasks, including:

Support the UN Area Coordinator to:

• Organize UN Area Coordination meetings and take regular minutes;
• Follow up on implementation of action points agreed upon during the regular UN area Coordination meetings;
• Support the UNAC and the UN Field Coordination Officer in compiling related information for field/area-based reporting;
• Share relevant updates from Kampala with the field;
• Draft all correspondences related to UNAC activities in the field;
• Provide secretariat support to the UNAC during engagements with various stakeholders;
• Help UNAC in drafting and reporting the UNACs work plans / achievements;
• Mobilize field staff participation in organized field level trainings and events;
• Draft the UNAC Monthly report to be shared to RCO, for review by the Area Coordination Team and UNAC;
• Support the preparatory activities for the observance of the key UN and international days celebrated in the region, in coordination with the Field Coordination Officer and UN Communications Group;
• Support UNACs’ in their engagement with the Programme Reference Group, Outcome Results Groups and other inter-agency groups;
• Perform other functions/tasks as may be assigned to the intern directly by the UNAC or by the RCO Kampala;
• Engage with a diverse group of partners and close collaboration with all UN entities in the country.

Training components and learning elements

• The intern is expected to develop excellent secretariat skills including meeting planning and preparation, organization, minute taking and follow up;
• The intern is expected to learn the structures of the UN coordination mechanisms at country level;
• The intern will have the opportunity to participate in various high-level meetings coordinated or organized by the UNAC and RCO.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Advocates and promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

 Functional Competencies:

• Consistently approaches work with professionalism, energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates strong ability to manage relationships with diverse stakeholders;
• Demonstrates excellent oral and written communication skills, adapting to diverse stakeholders and audiences;
• Demonstrates strong planning and organization skills;
• Contributes to teamwork within RCO and displays flexibility about assigned tasks;
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
• Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view

Required Skills and Experience