UNDP Jobs - 89573- Research Intern – Knowledge and Innovations Team

Research Intern – Knowledge and Innovations Team

Location :

Istanbul, TURKEY

Type of Contract :

Internship

Starting Date :

02-Mar-2020

Application Deadline :

27-Jan-20 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

Intern

Duration of Initial Contract :

5 Months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

March 2020 - July 2020

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. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Development challenges are increasingly complex and unpredictable. With Agenda 2030, ever greater collaboration across sectors and partners is required to deliver impact at scale and to make the most of limited resources. UNDP has been helping countries to connect the dots on the toughest sustainable development issues they face, and, in a rapidly changing world, is constantly seeking to improve the work done, to diversify its sources of funding and to pilot more effective business models. New ways of doing development and use of innovative solutions driven by citizens are emerging. From social impact investors to new government units focusing on behavioral change, new players are pioneering methods that turn traditional approaches on their head. At UNDP, the goal is to capture these methods and help partners roll out solutions to key issues such as participation and inclusion, open and transparent governance, inclusive growth and sustainable management of natural resources.

UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub (IRH) is UNDP’s main knowledge and advisory hub for the countries serviced by UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Europe and CIS (RBEC). The Regional Centre is in charge for regional programme implementation. Through its regional programme, the IRH provides advisory support and knowledge management and innovation services to UNDP Country Offices in 22 countries and territories in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, including those in Central Asia.

UNDP IRH is looking for a knowledgeable and dedicated intern to join the Knowledge and Innovation Team for support in the area of innovations work including horizon scanning, building innovation capacity, research and development to generate new demand and positioning the organization in emerging areas, and leverage new data for development.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Regional Innovation Specialist, the intern will work closely on a daily basis across K&I team members to have the following tasks:

Research relevant programmes, projects, knowledge products and resource materials, and drafting/consolidating documents/briefs for the team/broader audience in relation to knowledge management and innovation;
Drafting background notes in the area of innovations to UNDP Country Offices and missions of team members;
Assist the team in developing advocacy and communication materials for the regional programme and regional projects, including support to preparation of policy notes;
Assist the team in writing articles, blogs for newsletters, website, and web based platforms/knowledge networks on innovations;
Assist the team in the preparation of materials and presentations for online tools: Teams, TGFF Website, Ministry of Data etc;
Assist in the preparations (both substantive and logistics) for the thematic events;
Any other related tasks deem necessary and appropriate.

The deliverables of the intern will be subject to review in 6 weeks from the start of the internship.

Competencies

Team-player;
Good planning, coordination skills;
Ability to work under pressure;
Attention to critical details;
Respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter and the UNDP Statement of Purpose;
Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment;
Good communication skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Minimum Requirements, Qualifications, 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); or c) have graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) in a relevant discipline (International relations, Law, Political Sciences, Global/Regional Studies or other relevant field) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation;
Demonstrated interest on social innovations, human-centered design, and other innovative approaches for development
Strong theoretical and practical knowledge of innovative approaches for development, particularly in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region, is an advantage
Experience to conduct advanced internet search and work with multiple documentation sources to extract required data and information [literature review];
Experience with handling of web based management systems, web administration, data analysis and social innovation tools is an advantage;
Language skills: Excellent writing, editing, and oral communication skills in English; knowledge of Turkish and/or Russian is an asset.

Financial Issues:

Internships within the UN system are subject to conditions the applicant must get familiar with before signing his/her internship agreement.

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.

Selected candidate must submit following documents:

Official letter from the University confirming enrollment in a graduate-level degree programme;
Proof of medical and life/accident insurance valid for the location in which the internship will be carried out. Selected intern must have medical and life insurance.

UNDP only accepts interns for a minimum of 6 weeks and a maximum of 6 months.
UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship.
Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity.
It is important to note that interns are responsible to arrange for their own visa and residence documents, and need to plan for these well in advance.

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.
More information available at: http://www.eurasia.undp.org/content/rbec/en/home/about_us/jobs/internships/