The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a global organization with 17,000 staff working in approximately 170 offices globally towards supporting governments in developing strong policies, institutions and partnerships to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

UNDP's policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan. Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP's Strategic Plan.

In order to streamline its financial and investment engagement, UNDP launched the Finance Sector Hub, a finance and innovation platform, that draws on a critical mass of UNDP expertise, initiatives, and partnerships to support the mobilization and leveraging of resources for the SDGs and lead the implementation of the new UNDP private sector strategy and other initiatives. The Hub is an integral part of both the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) and the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA), as well as part of the GPN.

The Finance Sector Hub team in Geneva works across a range of work relevant to financing and investment for the SDGs, with strong links to financial, private and institutional sectors across Europe. In particular, it leads on UNDP’s work in insurance and risk financing as well as delivers initiatives that target the ecosystems of investment actors across Europe.

UNDP’s Work on Insurance and Risk Financing:

The collaboration between the insurance industry and the development sector has grown significantly over the last five years. Key initiatives, such as the Insurance Development Forum, InsuResilience Global Partnership and the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance, have evolved into significant policy and standard setting partnerships, bringing together countries, the development sector, and the private and mutual/cooperative sectors of industry. Increasingly, these partnerships are moving beyond policy to programming, with a strong focus on not only delivering insurance and risk financing solutions to countries and communities, but also on long-term transformational change of insurance markets.

UNDP’s growing work in this space has led to the creation of a flagship initiative on insurance and risk finance, and the creation of a dedicated facility for supporting UNDP Country Offices and country partners worldwide, within the newly created Finance Sector Hub. This work covers a range of critical areas where insurance and risk transfer solutions and collaboration with the industry can add significantly to achieving and delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs.) Covering inclusive insurance, sovereign risk financing, insurance investments, natural capital, health, SME development and more, UNDP will work towards developing and delivering insurance solutions together with countries and communities, as well as collaborating with partners to transform insurance markets through enhancing legislation, regulation and institutional capacity.

The objective of this internship is to contribute to the work of the team with research, analysis and project management support. The internship will be part of the finance sector hub team Geneva under the supervision of the Finance Sector Hub Special Advisor, working closely with the team. The intern will perform a combination of the following duties and responsibilities to support the wider Insurance and Risk Finance Facility Team:

• Maintain and actively update the internal knowledge management database;
• Research and analyse critical development issues across insurance and private sector activities, including participation in relevant meetings organized by partners in/around Geneva;
• Undertake preparatory and follow-up work for meetings and prepare documentation for records and support the management of the work by contributing to document management, retrieval and overall good practice;
• Support team efforts to manage communications and correspondence with key program stakeholders and colleagues in across and beyond UNDP;
• Support the online and social media strategies of the team; and
• Any other activities as requested.

• Effective Communication skills with staff at all levels of the organization and initiative taking abilities;
• Very good analytical and writing skills;
• Demonstrated abilities of sensitivity, tact and diplomacy;
• Demonstration of cultural sensitivity and appreciation for different cultures and practices;
• Ability to pay great attention to detail and exercise sound judgment;
• Ability to work well in a team and project a positive image;
• Self-motivation and ability to recommend options for resolution of issues;
• Strong service orientation.

Education:

Applicants to the UNDP Internship programme must, at the time of application, meet one of the following requirements:

• Be enrolled in a post graduate degree programme (master programme or higher) in economics/development studies/political science/international relations or related programme; or
• Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (bachelor degree or equivalent), in above relevant field; or
• Have recently graduated with a university degree, as defined in the above field and, if selected, the candidate must start the internship within one-year of graduation.

Experience:

• Strong computer skills (Word, Excel) and experience using online tools such as Sharepoint;
• Knowledge in any of the following areas an asset: insurance markets especially in developing countries, inclusive insurance, infrastructure investment, natural capital, FinTech.

Language:

• Excellent speaking and writing skills in English;
• Familiarity of another UN official language is an advantage.

Internships Conditions:

• Interns are not financially remunerated by UNDP.  Where an intern is not financially supported by an institution, foundation or government through scholarship programme, a stipend may be paid by UNDP in accordance with the UNDP Internship Policies with the intention to help cover basic daily expenses related to the internship;
• Interns are not covered by UNDP for medical and life insurance or costs arising from accidents and illness incurred during the internship. Interns must have their own international medical and life insurance and show proof of valid medical and life/accident insurance;
• 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;
• Interns are not considered staff members of UNDP and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity;
• Interns are not eligible to apply for positions or consultancies in UNDP during the period of the internship;
• The normal duration of an internship is from six weeks to 6 months maximum;
• The intern will be evaluated at the end of the contract and due recognition of work will be issued in writing.

In case an applicant is successfully selected, s/he will be requested to provide electronic versions of the following documents:

• Copy of the applicant’s most recent resume or curriculum vitae;
• Letter from his/her university confirming current enrolment and graduation date;
• Letter of recommendation from a professor;
• Copy of his/her school transcript;
• Copy of national passport; 
• Completed UNDP internship application form (to be provided upon selection);
• Signed UNDP Internship Agreement (to be provided upon selection);
• Medical Certificate of Good Health (to be provided upon selection); and
• Proof of medical insurance (to be provided upon selection).