Background

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges.
The lack of importance placed on the concepts of foresight and innovation, and its vital role in sustainable human development, was a vacuum that was identified by the UNDP CO in Sri Lanka. UNDP therefore joined with several partners from the Government, development sector, and the private sector to organize the First National Summit on Foresight and Innovation for Sustainable Human Development in 2016. This initiated a much-needed conversation about the topics of innovation and foresight and its relevance in planning for a better future.
As one of the main outcomes of the Summit, UNDP and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Research initiated the establishment of Sri Lanka’s first Social Innovation Lab. The lab will act as a safe space, which will allow for innovative policy prototypes to be developed, by harnessing citizens’ insights and testing in a controlled environment, while allowing the incorporation of feedback to further develop the tested policy. Within UNDP and the Ministry, however, it is additionally a change initiative, which is developing the following capacities and approaches among the public sector:

• Foresight – evidence mapping, market intelligence/horizon scanning, systems mapping;
• User insights – using citizen engagement for a more comprehensive understanding of issues, as well as prototyped solutions;
• Crowd intelligence – receiving challenges through social innovation camps, using crowd sourcing methods to find solutions;
• Co-design – user-innovation; human-centered design, service design.
• Via the aforementioned approaches, the Lab enables UNDP to partner with “unusual suspects” and assist the government, along with the Ministry, to better the public sector by reaching across sectors to provide policy recommendations and innovative solutions to meet the increasingly complex demands of Sri Lankan society.

Duties and Responsibilities

Applicants to the UN 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); in the field of communications, public   relations, languages, journalism or equivalent;
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.
Description of Tasks
The Intern will support the work of the Citra Social Innovation Lab, and work under the direct supervision of the Project Coordination Associate. The specific tasks are outlined below:

• Support the collection of data and information for Lab research and analysis;
• Contribute to the formulation and quality assurance (fact checking, coherence) of research notes, reports and publications;
• Support the translation of social psychological/political scientific/economic theory into practice;
• Assist in the collation of qualitative and quantitative data (prior experience not required);
• Provide coordination and administrative support to achieve the outputs of the Lab;
• Proactively scout for new innovative ideas and opportunities that will further the work of the Lab;
• Assist in the formulation, designing, planning and implementation of all tasks and activities of the Lab in any given cycle;
• Assist in any and all other tasks as required for the operation of the Lab.

Competencies

• Interested in working within an international organization;
• Sets priorities, produces quality outputs, meets deadlines, and manages time efficiently,
• Responds positively to feedback and differing points of view;
• Pays attention to detail;
• Good analytical skills in gathering and consolidating research for practical implementation;
• Outgoing and proactive with a goal-oriented mind-set;
• Effective communication skills when working individually and in a team-setting;
• Good in organizing and structuring various tasks and responsibilities;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.
   

Competencies

• Proactive
• Team Player
• Quick learner
• Good computer skills
• Polite and outgoing
   

Required Skills and Experience

Applicants to the UN 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); in the field of communications, public relations, languages, journalism or equivalent;
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.

Desired coursework/experience/interests

• Interest in behavioral scientific methods;
• Interest in using social psychological/political scientific/economic theory into practice;
• Experience with/interest in conducting field research;
• Experience using SPSS;
• Coursework in, or willingness to learn, experimental design, statistics, and survey research;
• Experience with/willingness to learn qualitative and quantitative research methods;
• Experience with working in cross-cultural environments;
• Knowledge of Sinhala and/or Tamil; proficiency in Tamil (oral and/or written) is highly desirable;

Please note that all applicants must be one of the following:

• Enrolled in a graduate school programme;
• In the final academic year of a first university programme;
• Within one year of graduation from a university degree;