Antecedentes

UNDP’s Strategic Plan (2018-2021) recognizes the importance of supporting countries, responding to humanitarian emergencies, with development and recovery choices that reduce vulnerability and contribute to a development perspective to strengthen humanitarian and – where relevant – peacebuilding responses. The objective of the Crisis Response Unit (CRU) is to ensure that UNDP is well positioned to respond in the timeliest and effective manner to crises, triggered by disasters or armed conflicts alike.

CRU is responsible for UNDP’s corporate crisis response strategy and capability. It develops and drives UNDP’s vision and priorities for crisis response, coordinates and facilitates UNDP’s crisis response with a “whole-of-UNDP” approach, provides oversight for all UNDP crisis response actions, supports early warning, guides corporate preparedness for crisis response, and manages UNDP’s crisis response tools.

UNDP’s corporate Crisis Response Strategy aims to make the Organization faster, more predictable and effective. As part of this Strategy UNDP has developed corporate crisis response processes and tools, including the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Immediate Crisis Response and the three ‘Crisis Response Packages’ that allow the delivery of quick, effective and predictable interventions on the ground. CRU is responsible for coordinating the finalization and roll out of these packages in cooperation with UNDP Central Bureaus: Bureau for Programme and Policy Support (BPPS), the Bureau of Management Services (BMS), the Bureau for External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) as well as with the Regional Bureaus and Regional Hubs. Moreover, a UNDP Crisis Response Portal has been developed to serve as a one-stop shop for accessing guidance, services and tools related to UNDP Crisis Response. 

During the past years CRU has invested in capacity development of UNDP country office staff engaged in crisis response. More than 240 UNDP practitioners from 76 Country Offices participated in trainings in 2017, including three regional workshops on crisis response and preparedness, one crisis preparedness workshop, one SURGE planning workshop, one crisis response training and one first responders training.

Additional staff trainings are planned in 2018, including training on the newly developed Crisis Response Packages. CRU is also finalizing an e-learning course on the SOP for Immediate Crisis Response and will be developing additional virtual trainings during 2018.    
UNDP through CRU is also revamping the strategic partnership with its Stand-by partners (SBP) agencies by identifying critical thematic areas for partnership to increase the predictability and preparedness to deploy the right experts at the right time in support of UNDP country offices.

CRU’s Rapid Response and Preparedness Team is seeking an intern to support the organization's work on rolling out UNDP Crisis Preparedness and Response tools, including the ‘Crisis Response Packages’, the Crisis Response Portal and the staff capacity building initiatives on the tools.

Deberes y responsabilidades

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist, the intern will perform the responsibilities as follows:

  • Support the finalization and roll-out of UNDP’s Crisis Response Packages, Crisis Response Portal and other relevant UNDP crisis preparedness and response tools, including:
  • Preparation of communication and advocacy products to raise internal (and external) awareness of UNDP crisis preparedness and response;
  • Organization of webinars and preparation of relevant documentation and learning material to strengthen the capacity of UNDP practitioners to use the corporate crisis response and preparedness tools.
  • Support the moderation of the Crisis Response and Recovery Knowledge Management space (on Microsoft Yammer), particularly in relation to rolling-out and raising awareness of crisis response and preparedness tools.
  • Support the finalization, and maintenance UNDP Crisis Response web based portal where crisis preparedness and response tools and processes are hosted for the use of UNDP personnel and key partners, including:
    • Tagging and populating the portal with specific resources on crisis response.
    • Updating the content of the Crisis response portal, including the updates from other available UNDP online resources;
    • Contributing with new ideas for additional content for the Crisis Response Portal.
    • Maintaining the CRU training planner on the Crisis Response Portal to ensure effective coordination of CRU led capacity building initiatives.
       
  • Support the stock management of UNDP visibility items, including supporting focal points in the regional hub and contributing to monitor use and replenishments of the items through an online database;
  • Perform other duties as requested

The intern is expected to participate as an active member of the team and openly contribute his/her perspectives throughout the internship.

Competencias

  • Core Competencies:
    • Innovation: Ability to make new and useful ideas work
    • Leadership: Ability to persuade others to follow
    • People Management: Ability to improve performance and satisfaction
    • Communication: Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
    • Delivery: Ability to get things done
  • Technical/Functional Competencies:
    • Primary
      • Crisis Response: Familiar with crisis, humanitarian response and early recovery systems and tools. Knowledge of UNDP’s mandate, methodologies, systems and tools in the area of crisis response and recovery.
      • Capacity Building: Able to support capacity building exercises, including supporting the selection of methodology, development of training material, preparation and execution of webinars and other learning material.
      • Knowledge Management: Ability to capture, develop, identify, share best practices and effectively use information and knowledge. Able to think outside the box and propose innovative options. Good moderation skills of online platforms.
  • Secondary:
    • Research: Knowledge of strong analytical tools and methods for undertaking substantive research capabilities on crisis response related including the ability to produce high quality reports and knowledge products.
    • Technical and IT skills: Excellent information technologies skills; in particular knowledge of Microsoft SharePoint site administration, Microsoft 365 suite, including Microsoft Excel, Word, Power Point, Outlook, Skype for Business, use of productivity applications i.e. Microsoft Planner, Slack, Microsoft Team, etc.

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education:

  • Be presently enrolled in a Master’s degree in development studies, political science, public administration, humanitarian studies, international relations, other social sciences, communication, or any other relevant field of study; or have graduated with a university degree (as defined above) and, if selected, must commence the internship within a one year period of graduation;
  • Have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter

Working Arrangement:

The intern will work under the direct supervision of the Crisis Response Programme Specialist within the CRU Rapid Response and Preparedness Team.  The intern will work closely with team members, particularly the Programme Analyst and other relevant UNDP Teams.

This is a full-time internship (five days a week) based in UNDP New York Headquarters. The duration of the internship is four months, with the possibility of extension. The exact start date will be defined together with the selected candidate and should ideally be in early February2018. The intern will be required to bring her/his own laptop.

These terms of reference may be modified until the beginning of the internship period. Any changes will be immediately communicated to the selected candidate.

Application and selection process:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.