Background

CORPORATE BACKGROUND

UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.

UNDP is working to strengthen new frameworks for development, disaster risk reduction and climate change. We support countries' efforts to achieve the new Sustainable Development Goals, which will guide global development priorities through 2030. The key 2030 Agenda principle of leaving no one behind and stamping out inequality is at the core of everything we do.

UNDP focuses on helping countries build and share solutions in three main areas:

  • Sustainable development
  • Democratic governance and peacebuilding
  • Climate and disaster resilience

In all our activities, we encourage the protection of human rights and the empowerment of women, minorities and the poorest and most vulnerable.

 

INTERNSHIP OFFICE BACKGROUND

The UNDP Seoul Policy Centre for Knowledge Exchange through SDG (USPC), established in 2011, represents UNDP in Korea, works with Korea on international issues, and shares Korea’s development experiences with other countries through global knowledge exchange. Through ‘SDG Partnerships’ in four thematic areas – i) governance, ii) green recovery and transition, iii) development cooperation, and iv) private sector engagement, USPC acts as a facilitator of global knowledge exchange on innovative and tested-and-proven policy solutions in strategic areas of expertise. USPC’s global knowledge exchange works as a vehicle for the ROK-UNDP collaboration on “creating new solutions, building collaboration platforms, and sparking new partnerships and instruments for development.”

USPC offers a small group of outstanding final year undergraduate, and graduate students, the opportunity to acquire direct exposure to UNDP’s work and gain technical knowledge and experience in international development and multilateral cooperation.

USPC work on environmental issues started in 2017. Since then, it has evolved to encompass different processes, workstreams and partnerships. USPC has worked on projects related to waste management, wastewater management and sustainable energy. Currently, the Green Recovery and Transition team is focused on the sustainable forestry programme with partnerships in Mongolia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The team has also started three new partnerships this year with two projects on community forestry with Cambodia and Zambia along with one project on forest fire prevention and management with Namibia.

You are invited to join a small, but vibrant team. Whereas the focus of your assignment will be on the tasks outlined in this Terms of Reference, you need to expect considerable amount of multi-tasking and supporting other members of the team.

For more information on USPC’s work, please visit the website: http://www.undp.org/uspc

 

 

Duties and Responsibilities

DUTIES

The intern will assist in the following duties and responsibilities:

No.

Duties and Responsibilities

% of Time

1

Assist and Support to Green Recovery and Transition Activities

  • Conducting research and producing publications on various issues of international development cooperation such as Sustainable Development Goals, Korea’s development experiences (e.g., on sustainable forestry), environment & green economy issues, green recovery & green transition topics including Korea’s Green New Deal;  
  • Providing support in organization meetings and events including international conferences, workshops, webinars, study visits, — including drafting of the concept notes, coordination with co-organizers in Korea and abroad, support on the logistical & travel arrangements and substantive preparations along with note and photo-taking and technical support including at webinars;
  • Designing & implementing pilot projects and partnership activities to share with developing countries Korea’s specific experience;
  • Documenting, translating and packaging Korea’s development experience and lessons learnt with an international perspective as a basis of knowledge exchange and triangular cooperation;
  • Translating publications, papers, web content and other materials from English to Korean and vice-versa;
  • Supporting administrative and communications tasks as necessary in the day-to-day office operation;
  • Liaising with partners – in the UNDP HQ, Regional hubs, UNDP Country Offices as well as various governments, non-governmental organizations and academia on various aspects of programme implementation; and
  • Providing holistic support in every aspect of the office and staff members in any other important tasks such as the high-level visits from UNDP headquarters and partner countries;
  • Supporting communications and advocacy infrastructure (website, social media channels, media presence, public outreach) to ensure effective advocacy on the main areas of work of the USPC as relate to Green Recovery and Transition work.

90%

2

Other:

  • Support other/ad hoc activities as seen relevant and needed.

10%

Competencies

COMPETENCIES AND ATTITUDE

  • Interest and motivation in working in an international organization;
  • Good analytical skills in gathering and consolidating data and research for practical implementation;
  • Outgoing and initiative-taking person with a goal oriented mind-set;
  • Communicates effectively when working in teams and independently;
  • Good in organizing and structuring various tasks and responsibilities;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Responds positively to feedback and differing points of view;
  • Demonstrated interest in the field of development, particularly in the area of development cooperation, green transition, green recovery, or climate change;
  • Demonstrated research and analytical capacity;
  • Administrative skills in the organizing of meetings and events;
  • Proven ability to manage diverse and complex tasks, with tight deadlines;
  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.

 

INTERNSHIP CONDITIONS

  • UNDP will not pay interns for the internship but will provide a monthly stipend in accordance with the provisions of the UNDP internship policy (as reference, the stipend for 2023 is set at KRW 1,169,728.56 per month; the stipend amount for 2024 is subject to change); all other expenses connected with the internship will be borne by the intern or the sponsoring government or institution;
  • UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship;
  • Interns are responsible for obtaining necessary visas and arranging travel to and from the duty station where the internship will be performed;
  • Interns are not eligible to apply for, or be appointed to, any post in UNDP during the period of the internship;
  • Interns must provide proof of enrolment in health insurance plan;
  • Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity;
  • Interns are expected to work full time but flexibility is allowed for education programmes;
  • Interns need to obtain financing for subsistence and make own arrangements for internship, travel, VISA, accommodation, etc;
  • Interns will accrue leaves at a rate of 1.5 days per month and will be granted off-days on official UN holidays for the Republic of Korea. If exceptional leave arrangements are necessary, requests must be submitted to and be approved by the supervisors in advance to ensure adequate office arrangements. 

 

Required Skills and Experience

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Candidates must meet one of the following educational requirements:

  • currently in the final year of a Bachelor’s degree; or
  • currently enrolled in a Master’s or PhD degree; or
  • have graduated no longer than 1 year ago from a bachelor’s or master’s degree or equivalent studies.

Field of study: environmental policy/env. science/env. engineering, natural resource economics, economics, climate science, international studies or related area.

Experience:

  • Prior experience with government policy work, international development projects, policy research, and Korean-English translations would be an asset.

IT skills:

  • Knowledge and a proficient user of Microsoft Office productivity tools.

 Language skills:

  • English required;
  • Knowledge of Korean and other UN languages is an advantage.