The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recently entered into a partnership with the Global Compact Network Ceylon (GCNC), with an aim to share similar missions and cooperate on areas of mutual concern to enhance the effectiveness of their development efforts. This partnership will provide a framework of cooperation and collaboration between the two entities, in order to foster advocacy around the need for private sector engagement in development, with special emphasis on the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda. This partnership will result in collaborative efforts aimed at aligning private sector initiatives with the development sector and national priorities of the country.

Under the overall supervision of the UNDP Policy and Engagement Analyst and the direct supervision of the assigned GCNC focal point, the intern will be expected to perform the following duties. 

• Technical assistance and support to ongoing GCNC development efforts, and, where relevant, those pertaining to UNDP;

• Drafting concept/briefing notes and reports to prepare and facilitate partnership building and resource mobilization;

• Draft concept/briefing notes, conceptualize relevant programs based on the GCNC event schedule for 2022

• Assist in updating and maintaining GCNC website and social media handles and assist in the design of social media assets

• Assist in management of relations with the private sector, relevant ministries and other stakeholders;

• Assist to strengthen and manage relationships with current and potential GCNC partners, and participants by coordinating meetings and follow up actions;

• Support in coordinating and implementing relevant activities;

• Support to strengthen communications and coordination between UNDP and GCNC;

• Assist in the provision of administrative support during Board Meetings, Steering Committee Meetings, AGM’s and when required on instructions of focal point;

Results/Expected Outputs

• Increased coordination success which will contribute to increasing the number of participants in the GCNC 

• Successful implementation of GCNC projects and programs in 2022

• Increased coordination success which will contribute to positioning UNDP as a key development partner in the country;

• Strengthened partnerships between UNDP and GCNC;

• Proactive (able to pro-actively undertake tasks that fall under TORs)

• Team Player

• Excellent writing skills

• Quick learner

• Good computer skills

• Polite and outgoing

Qualifications & Experience

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

(a) Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme, or higher); 

(b) Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent); 

(c) Have recently graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation;

(d) Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship program and undertake the internship as part of this program.

Other requirements;

• Knowledge of social media marketing and campaigns and strategies including content creation and implementation schedules will be an added advantage

• Knowledge of Sustainable Finance practises and instruments will be an added advantage

Family Relationship

A person who is the child or sibling of an UNDP staff member is not eligible to apply for an internship at UNDP. An applicant who bears any other family relationship with a UNDP staff member may be engaged as an intern, provided that they must neither be assigned to the same work unit of the staff member nor be placed under the direct or indirect supervision of the staff member. 

Medical Insurance

Interns are responsible for securing adequate medical insurance for the duration of their internship with UNDP and must provide a medical certificate of good health prior to starting the internship. UNDP will not reimburse the medical insurance of the intern. Any costs arising from accidents and illness incurred during an internship assignment will be the responsibility of the intern.

Stipends, insurance and interns’ expenses 

Where an intern is not financially supported by any institution or programme, such as a university, government, foundation or scholarship programme, a stipend intended to help cover basic daily expenses related to the internship, such as meals and transportation at the duty station, must be paid by the receiving office.   

Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, passports, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of: 

(a) The nominating institution, related institution or government, which may provide the required financial assistance to its students; or

(b) The intern.