Background

II. 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.

III. INTERNSHIP OFFICE BACKGROUND

The UNDP Seoul Policy Centre for Global Development Partnerships (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 three thematic areas – i) governance, ii) resilience, and iii) development cooperation, 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.

Internship will offer experience of working with Korean government and non-government institutions, as well as overseas UNDP offices and their national partners in various countries such as Ethiopia, Lebanon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Kosovo, and the Philippines.

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

Duties and Responsibilities

No

Duties and responsibilities

% of time

1

Assist and support to Governance Proragmme activities

  • Conducting preliminary research and drafting various documents (i.e. reports & PPTs) on the key topics of the Center’s governance work in the area of transparency & accountability as well as sexual & gender-based violence;
  • Documenting, translating and packaging Korea’s policy tools and lessons learned with an international perspective as a basis of knowledge exchange and triangular cooperation with partner countries;
  • Providing support in organization of partnerships meetings and programme events such as webinars, workshops, study visits, conferences, and policy dialogues—including on the logistical & travel arrangements and substantive preparations along with note and photo-taking and technical support;
  • Translating and editing 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; 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.

Key planned activities/meetings/conferences for second half of 2020 are:

  • Web-based Consultations with Partner Countries on Anti-Corruption/GBV/COVID-19 (TBC, Web-based)
  • Policy Knowledge Exchange and Technical Training on Anti-Corruption/GBV (TBC, Sejong City/Asan City)

  • International Anti-Corruption Conference (December 2020, Seoul)

  • Steering Committee (TBC, Seoul)
  • Seoul Debates International Conference on Knowledge Exchange (TBC, Seoul)
  • Visit of high-level UNDP officials to Korea & meetings with Korean stakeholders (TBC)

90%

2

Other:

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

10%

Competencies

  • 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 governance;
  • 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.

Required Skills and Experience

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 degree; or
  • have graduated no longer than 1 year ago from a bachelor’s or master’s degree or equivalent studies.

Field of study: Social science area e.g. international development, international relations, political science, human rights, gender studies, public administration, or equivalent.

IT skills:

  • Knowledge and a proficient user of Microsoft Office productivity tools;
  • Proficient in hosting zoom and other web-based meetings and seminars.

Language skills:

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

INTERNSHIP CONDITIONS

  • UNDP will not pay interns for internship but will provide a stipend monthly in accordance with the provisions of the UNDP internship policy; all other expenses connected with it will be borne by me or my 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.