Background

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.

The regional project "Knowledge Management and Capacity Building in Russia-UNDP Partnership" (KM project) is being directly implemented by the Istanbul Regional Hub (IRH) with the project management and implementation support by the Partnership Support Office in the Russian Federation based in Moscow and in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation and funded by the Government of the Russian Federation.

For more information on the Russia-UNDP Partnership and on the KM project: http://expertsfordevelopment.ru/ and http://www.eurasia.undp.org/content/rbec/en/home/about_us/partners/russia-undp-partnership.html.

The Phase II of the KM project aims to scale up several mechanisms of Russian expertise sharing to support achievement of sustainable, scalable development impact in partner countries, including through implementation of the Internship programme for highly qualified graduate students enrolled in a Master’s programme or equivalent with Russian citizenships.

The aim of the Internship programme is to enhance the theoretical knowledge of interns through substantive engagement with sustainability practices and policies of the Organization while assisting with the initiatives and plans that are already in place and those that are in the pipeline.

During the assignment the UNDP will provide a framework by which students from diverse academic backgrounds may be assigned to UNDP offices in an online format, where their educational experience can be enhanced through practical work assignments; expose them to work of the Organization with the objective of deepening their knowledge and understanding of UNDP goals, principles and activities; and provide UNDP offices with the assistance of graduated students specialized in various professional fields.

In light of the travel restrictions imposed by a growing number of countries in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19 virus, internships in this round will be organized in remote mode.

The KM project team will provide Interns with guidance on the assignment in remote mode at UNDP Country Offices (CO) in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan or IRH in accordance with the ToR for the period of 3 months.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of programme officers/project managers in UNDP COs or IRH, selected interns will provide research, analytical and technical support to the implementation of UNDP projects and initiatives:

Selected interns are also expected to perform the following duties:

• Conduct research in the thematic priority areas that are determined jointly by a supervisor and an intern if applicable;   
• Preparation of informational briefs and notes on the project/programme implementation; 
• Compiling international best practices, lessons learned, and experiences;
• Provide substantive support to the UNDP programme clusters’ activities (including a webinar, online conferences, and other events);
• Provide support to the development of outreach materials on key thematic development areas (articles, stories, factsheets)
• Support the team’s day-to-day operations and other ad hoc tasks.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability; 
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism; Demonstrates ethics and integrity.

Functional Competencies:

• Strong analytical and writing skills;
• Good organizational skill, ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines;
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
• Good communication and ability to work in a team;
• Demonstrated interest in the work of the United Nations, and of UNDP in particular;  
• Demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and sensitivity to differing opinions and views;
• Proficiency in the MS Office applications.

Required Skills and Experience

All applications are reviewed, and the eligible candidates are selected on the basis of a CVs, a motivation letter, and an interview

Interns are selected on a competitive basis in accordance with the minimum qualifications required: 

Education:

• Enrollment in a Graduate Programme (Master’s or equivalent) in the field of international relations, economics, local/regional development, communications, social sciences, public health and social protection, social/labor economics, environmental sciences, climate, energy, or other relevant fields.
• Recent Master's graduates can also be considered (candidate must start the internship 1 year after graduation).

Language skills:

• Written and spoken proficiency in English and Russian.

Computer skills:

• Proficient in MS Office (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.),
• Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator skills are a plus for positions on communications.

Experience:

• Work and volunteer experience in the fields and the thematic areas above is highly desirable. 

Additional Information:

Conditions

The interns participated in the programme in previous years cannot apply to the programme once more.

Interns are entitled to receive a monthly stipend throughout the whole period of internship at the level set by UNDP at duty station in accordance with the UNDP Internship policy in effect since 01 January 2020, including for remote internship in the period of COVID-19 restrictions. Stipends will be paid in local currency (in Russian Ruble in the programme).

Interns will accrue leave at the rate of 1½ days per month. Any accrued leave days not used by the end of the internship will be forfeited.

Any unjustified absences during the internship period exceeding a total of nine days, will be deducted from the monthly stipend.

Interns are responsible for securing adequate medical insurance for the duration of their internships in the duty station and must provide a medical certificate of good health prior to starting the internship. 

Any costs arising from accidents and illness incurred during an internship assignment will be the responsibility of the intern. For applicants which are non-residents of the duty station, the insurance must include adequate coverage in the event of an injury or illness during the internship duration which:

• Requires transportation to the home country or country of residence for further treatment;
• Results in death and requires preparation and return of the remains to the home country, or country of residence.

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:

Interns are selected on a competitive basis. Qualified candidates are requested to send the following application documents grouped in a single PDF file as the system allows to upload maximum one document.

The application should contain:

·      Brief Cover Letter (in English) stating interest in and qualifications for the position;

·      Current and complete CV in English;

·      Preferable position(s) for internship from the list given in the Duties and Responsibilities section with a justification of the choice;

·      Confirmation of duration and the period of availability for internships in UNDP COs/IRH in remote mode.

Upon completion of the competitive selection process by UNDP Office in Moscow, CVs and cover letters of the best candidates will be sent to UNDP COs or IRH for consideration and final approval. The UNDP COs or IRH might wish to organize additional Skype interviews with the best candidates.

Prior to starting online internships, selected candidates will be requested to submit the following documents:

·      Original of an official letter from the University confirming enrollment in a graduate-level degree programme;

·      Original of statement of good health;

·      Copy of medical and life/accident insurance valid for the location in Moscow (compulsory medical insurance policy or voluntary medical insurance policy are applicable). UNDP will not reimburse the medical insurance of the intern during his/her internship.

Upon completion of internships, the interns will be requested to present results of internships and submit the following documents:

·      Back to Office Report (BToR) detailed;

·      Research paper in the thematic priority areas, if applicable;

·      Reference/Recommendation letter from a supervisor in the UNDP COs or IRH.

Due to the large number of applications received, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.

Other Relevant Information

• Interns cannot apply for any UN vacancies during the period of internship.
• Should an offer of employment be envisaged, a 3-month break from the end of the internship must be respected.
• Interns must keep confidential any and all unpublished information made known during the course of the internship and not publish any reports or paper on the basis of information obtained except with the written approval and authorization of UNDP.

Due to the Donor requirement, the position is open for Russian citizens only.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

• Interns are considered gratis personnel. They are not staff members.
• Interns may not be sought or accepted as substitutes for staff to be recruited against authorized posts.
• Interns may not represent UNDP in any official capacity.
• 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 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.