Background

The Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEFSGP) in Zimbabwe started in 1993 after the Rio Earth Summit with the aim of developing community owned strategies for reducing threats to the global environment. It is a corporate program of the GEF, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and executed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). The programme provides financial and technical support to projects that conserve and restore the environment while enhancing people’s well-being and livelihoods. The thematic areas covered by the projects include Biodiversity, Climate Change, Land Degradation, Sustainable Forest Management, International Waters, and Chemicals. The programme provides small grants of up to $50,000 and strategic grants up to $150,000 directly to local communities including indigenous people, community-based organisations, and non-governmental groups. SGP’s primary stakeholders who are the communities are more at risk because they depend on access to natural resources for their livelihoods and often live in fragile ecosystems.

Duties and Responsibilities


Support to Programme implementation

  • Contribute to day-to-day support to programme/project implementation and ensuring conformity to expected results, outputs, objectives and work-plans;
  • Assist the National Coordinator (NC) in prescreening project concepts and project proposals, and evaluate the financial part of the project proposals;
  • Advise potential grantees on technical project preparation issues and report to NC on project development activities, as required;
  • Provide day-to-day support to new and already approved projects and the grantees, as required;
  • Assist the NC in project implementation and monitoring, including participation in field visits;
  • Organize SGP advocacy events, workshops, round-tables, missions for NC and other SGP events;
  • Draft progress reports and other reporting material and assist NC in preparation of  progress reports;
  • Draft articles, publications, speeches, letters, memos and other documents on behalf of NC
  • Create and maintain SGP project database and SGP stakeholders database;
  • Review financial reports submitted by grantees and advise the NC as required

 Administrative Functions

  • Assist in filing to ensure that and documentation is in good order;
  • Draft routine correspondence and communications;
  • Prepare background information and documentation, update data relevant to the programme areas and compile background material for the NC
  • Ensure flow of information and dissemination of materials with all concerned;
  • Provide logistical and other support to the local SGP team and visiting missions, as required.

 Knowledge Management

  • Actively support the SGP and the NSC teams in their efforts towards knowledge management and knowledge networking through writing articles and case studies

 

Competencies

Core competencies:

  • Commitment to the ideals of the United Nations Charter and the Organization’s core values – Professionalism, Integrity and Respect for Diversity;

Functional Competencies:

Planning and Organizing

  • Demonstrated ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor his/her own work plan with very good outcomes;
  • Ability to work under pressure;

Creativity

  • Ability to actively seek to improve services, offer new and different options to solve problems/meet client needs, and promote and persuade others to consider new ideas;

Teamwork

  • Proven interpersonal skills and the ability to listen and work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity;

Communication

  • Proven and sustained communication (verbal and written) skills;

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Enrolled in a degree programme (Bachelor or Masters) such as Environmental Science, Business Administration, development studies or related fields;
  • Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent);
  • Have graduated with a university degree and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation.

Languge;

  • Fluent in English.

Conditions:

  • Internships within the UN system are unpaid and subject to conditions the applicant must get familiar with prior to signing his/her internship agreement;
  • The costs associated with the internship must be borne by the nominating institution, related institution or government, which may provide the required financial assistance to its students; or by the student, who will have to obtain financing for subsistence and make his or her own arrangements for travel, accommodation etc.
  • UNDP only accepts interns for a minimum of 6 weeks and a maximum of 6 months;
  • UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents, illness or death during the internship;
  • Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity;
  • Interns are responsible to arrange for their own visa and residence documents, and need to plan for these well in advance;
  • The purpose of the internship is not to lead to further employment with UNDP but to complement an intern’s studies; therefore, there should be no expectation of employment at the end of an internship;
  • More information available at: http://www.undp.org/internships.

Application procedure:

The application should contain:

  • Brief Cover Letter (in English) stating interest in and qualifications for the post and your availability;
  • Current and complete CV in English.

Candidates selected for interview must submit the following documents prior to the interview:

  • Official letter from the University confirming enrolment in a degree programme;
  • A written test may be conducted as part of the interview process.