Background

UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development. UNCDF’s financing models work through two channels: financial inclusion that expands the opportunities for individuals, households, and small businesses to participate in the local economy, providing them with the tools they need to climb out of poverty and manage their financial lives; and by showing how localized investments—through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance—can drive public and private funding that underpins local economic expansion and sustainable development. By strengthening how finance works for poor people at the household, small enterprise, and local infrastructure levels, UNCDF contributes to SDG 1 on eradicating poverty and SDG 17 on the means of implementation. By identifying those market segments where innovative financing models can have transformational impact in helping to reach the last mile and address exclusion and inequalities of access, UNCDF contributes to a number of different SDGs. 

UNCDF’s ‘Shaping Inclusive Financial Transformations’ (SHIFT) program aims to catalyze access to formal financial services to advance women’s economic empowerment and gendered financial inclusion for millions of women in the ASEAN and SAARC markets in the next four years. SHIFT leverages product innovation, data analytics, technical training and policy advocacy services at different levels to change the behavior of market players. Data crosscuts into all SHIFT’s activities as the shaping of inclusive financial transformations cannot be accomplished without the use of good data and research to inform and facilitate markets and address the gender research gap. SHIFT advocates evidence-based financial inclusion policies and practices that expand access and usage of financial services for women by facilitating, informing and incentivizing FSPs, regulators and governments and by stimulating collective dialogue between them.

As of now SHIFT programme has been investing in directly enhancing income, employment and overall livelihoods of low-income, women, micro and small businesses populations in Bangladesh, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam.  Indirectly it has been benefitting stakeholders and enterprises in other ASEAN and SAARC countries.

The program works through its four inter-related outputs:

1. Fund Facility: Support financial service providers to develop new prototypes and bring to scale viable business models that serve low-income individuals, micro-entrepreneurs, and small and medium businesses, especially women within these markets, in the ASEAN frontier economies;
2. Learning and Skills Development Portal: Support business development service providers by leveraging ICT solutions to develop and bring to scale viable e-learning models for professionals in financial institutions to improve productivity and professionalism;
3. Data and Analysis Hub: Produce, consolidate and communicate data and information on supply, demand and regulation in financial markets to strengthen the evidence base and investment decisions of providers, regulators and policy makers, specifically targeted towards low-income individuals, micro-entrepreneurs, and small and medium business, especially women within these markets;
4. Policy and Advocacy: Influence policy makers, financial service providers and governments to enable financial markets to be more responsive to the wider development priorities of governments and its people.

Objectives of the assignment

The Intern will closely work with the Fund Facility Coordinator of SHIFT ASEAN and SAARC programme in supporting the implementation of the Challenge Fund Third Window, support Challenge Fund communication and knowledge management, support the implementation of the Challenge Fund Windows, and support the development of a concept for the Challenge Fund Fourth Window.

Duties and Responsibilities

Challenge Fund and Innovation fund support:

• Support for conducting background study on digital transformation of the financial sector needs
• Support developing concept notes on digital transformation of financial sector players
• Support developing digital transformation strategy for the financial sector players
• Investments related pipeline development work
• Building network of incubators and accelerators in the region
• Documenting work and insights on Innovations across UNCDF Inclusive Finance work
• Provide support to other ad-hoc assignments

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Commitment to UNCDFs vision, mission, and strategic goals;
• Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty;
• Excellent organizational, inter-personal, communication and administrative skills;
• Able to work effectively in a team and in an international environment.

Functional Competencies:

• Demonstrable skills in research, analytical thinking, and communication;
• Excellent writing and editing skills in English;
• Proven ability to manage diverse and complex tasks, with tight deadlines;
• Able to take initiative and work independently, with minimum supervision;
• Strong organizational, communication and interpersonal skills with ability to work under pressure within an international setting;
• Interest in the UN system and general knowledge of development issues is a plus;
• Ability to perform a variety of administrative tasks.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Candidate must be enrolled in a degree programme in Economics, Policy Relations, Finance or another related field or equivalent studies.
• Applicants to the UNCDF internship programme must meet one of the following requirements:

1. Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher);
2. Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent);
3. 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:

• Demonstrated experience, part or full-time, paid or volunteer, in economics, policy related work, finance, inclusive finance or related fields;
• Demonstrated research and analytical capacity;
• Excellent computer capabilities.

Language:

• Strong writing and speaking abilities in English.

Duration of Assignment:

• Internship period MAY – OCT 2019 (6 months), starting date 02 MAY 2019

Work Arrangements:

• The intern will work full-time with the UNCDF digital innovation hub located in Bangkok
• Office space and other support facilities will be provided but the intern is expected to use her/his own computer.

Internship Conditions:

• Interns are not financially remunerated by UNCDF. The costs associated with the latter 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/her own arrangements for travel, accommodation, etc. Proof of medical and life/accident insurance valid for the location in which the internship will be carried out (i.e. Bangkok, Thailand);
• The purpose of the Internship Programme is not to lead to further employment with UNCDF but to complement an intern’s studies; therefore, there should be no expectation of employment at the end of an internship.

Application:

• In your application, please (i) state in one paragraph why you would like to be considered for the internship, and (ii) indicate your preferred start and end date, as well as your availability timeframe
• Please submit your Resume/CV and an application using the UNCDF Internship Application form: http://www.uncdf.org/download/file/127/2509/internshipdoc
• Applications should include the application form and a resume.  Applicants are welcome to submit any additional work samples or portfolios in one single file, preferably PDF;
• Please note that the UNDP jobsite system allows only one uploading of application document, so please make sure that you merge all your documents (CV/Resume, cover letter etc into a single file before uploading).

Interested Candidates can apply at any time indicating the timeframe of their availability in the internship form. However, only those candidates selected for interviews/further assessment by hiring managers will be contacted. 

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.

If you are experiencing difficulties with online job applications, please contact jobs.help@undp.org