The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

UNCDF’s financing models work through three channels: inclusive digital economies, connecting individuals, households, and small businesses with financial eco-systems that catalyze participation in the local economy, and provide tools to climb out of poverty and manage financial lives; local development finance, that capacitates localities through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance to drive local economic expansion and sustainable development; and investment finance, that provides catalytic financial structuring, de-risking, and capital deployment to drive SDG impact and domestic resource mobilization. By strengthening how finance works for poor people at the household, small enterprise, and local infrastructure levels, UNCDF contributes to Sustainable Development Goal-SDG 1 on eradicating poverty and SDG 17 on the means of implementation. In addition, by identifying those market segments where innovative financing models can have a transformational impact in helping to reach the last mile and address exclusion and inequalities of access, UNCDF contributes to a broad diversity of SDGs.

The Pacific Digital Economy Programme (PDEP) is a joint programme between UNCDF, UNDP and UNCTAD, aims to work in close collaboration with key stakeholders from the public and private sectors to support the development of inclusive digital economies in the Pacific specifically in Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands; Inclusive digital economies that allow rural communities, women and MSMEs, as well as labour mobility workers to enhance market participation, resulting in poverty reduction, improved livelihoods and economic growth.

Under the guidance and supervision of UNCDF’s Regional Technical Specialist and the Fiji Country Coordinator, in close collaboration with other country leads in the Pacific, the intern will assist in the following tasks:

• Coordinating the implementation of PDEP’s programming activities detailed in the work plan.
• Conducting Secondary research in areas of policy and regulation relating to inclusive digital economies and related areas
• Preparing project documents, policy briefs, concept notes, discussion papers, and presentations in areas including but not limited to the digital economy
• Undertaking studies with project partners to highlight their digital economy deployments, performance, and journey to publishing lessons learned
• Providing remote support to project partners during the development of project appraisal documents in specified formats
• Developing knowledge products, blogs, and presentations relating to inclusive digital economies and other related topics
• Drafting meeting minutes or reports on workshops
• Undertaking other specific tasks related to PDEP as specified by the Regional Technical Specialist and the Fiji Country Coordinator from time to time.

Further, the Regional Technical Specialist and the Fiji Country Coordinator are committed to providing the intern with the training, guidance, and support necessary to complete the above duties and responsibilities effectively and within the internship period. This will include, but not be limited to, scheduled meetings (weekly) to assess output progress, systems training (if required), and completion of necessary university reports to meet any academic requirements.

Working Arrangements

• He/She will work 5 days a week from office until COVID-19 restrictions unless Covid-19 restrictions mandate working from home
• He/She will utilize personal laptop and phone for the period of this internship.
• No travel is expected. However, in the eventuality it is undertaken, associated costs to be borne by the hiring agency.

UNCDF/UNDP Core competencies:

• Communication
• Delivery
• Innovation
• Leadership
• People Management

Functional & Technical Competencies:

• Demonstrates strong writing skills, particularly the ability to present persuasive, coherent, and well-founded arguments.
• Demonstrates drive to achieve results quickly without compromising quality and seeks and finds solutions to problems encountered.
• Demonstrates ability to communicate clearly and persuasively.
• Ability to convert complex and abstract ideas into simple visual concepts.
• Demonstrates intellectual curiosity and deep desire to learn.
• Demonstrates a consistent commitment to pro-actively helping fellow members of the team.

Education:

• Candidate must be enrolled in a degree/Post-graduate programme in Social Sciences, International Relations/Development, Economic Development, Economics, Finance, Journalism, Political Science, Communications, or related field.
• Applicants to the UNCDF/UNDP internship programme must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:

1. Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or higher) .
2. Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent);
3. Have graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation.

Work Experience & Desired Skillset:

• Experience in development projects mainly in the area of digital financial services
• Experience in working with policy makers, Government Ministries and private sector financial service providers
• Self-starter; organized; able to multitask, balance multiple responsibilities, and work to deadline.

Languages:

• Fluency in English required.

Notes:

Financials

Internships within the UN system are paid and subject to conditions. Therefore, the applicant must get familiar with before signing his/her internship agreement.

Application procedure

The application should contain:

• Brief Cover Letter (in English) stating interest in and qualifications for the post;
• Current and complete CV (no more than 3 pages) in English;

Please group all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document. Candidates who are selected must submit the following documents prior to the interview:

• Official letter from the University confirming enrolment in a graduate-level degree programme;
• Proof of medical and life/accident insurance valid for the location from where the internship will be carried out. Selected interns must have medical and life insurance.

UNDP/UNCDF only accepts interns for a minimum of 6 weeks and a maximum of 6 months. UNDP/UNCDF accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship. Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP/UNCDF in any official capacity.

Subsequent Employment

The purpose of the Internship Programme is not to lead to further employment with UNDP/UNCDF but to complement an intern’s studies. Therefore, there should be no expectation of employment at the end of an internship.

More information is available at: http://www.undp.org/internships/