Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

The intern will provide research and administrative support to the work of the New Deal Implementation Facility within the Strategic Policy Unit within UNDP's Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS).

The Strategic Policy Unit (SPU) has two primary roles:

• Lead UNDP’s policy research agenda, policy incubation, provide forward-looking analysis, identify emerging development trends in multiple contexts (including crisis contexts) and collaborate with academia and think tanks to advance UNDP’s contribution to global policy debates and the implementation of UNDP’s Strategic Plan.
• Collaborate and engage with key external partners, as appropriate, such as the UN Secretariat, key UN Agencies, International Financial Institutions (IFIs), European Union (EU), New Deal, G20, the Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and humanitarian actors to advance UNDP’s positioning in key global development processes and fora.

The New Deal Facility was created in 2014 receiving funds from 6 different donors. The Facility was set up to support implementation of the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States - an agreement between the g7+, a group of 20 self-designated countries affected by fragility and conflict and the international community - aimed at improving the way aid is delivered in fragile settings. The New Deal was endorsed by more than 40 countries and international organisations in Busan, Korea, in 2011. UNDP was chosen as the preferred host of the Facility due to its presence in some 170 countries and the long term experience of working with government and civil society on issues of fragility, conflict, peacebuilding and institutions building. The 3 main objectives of the Facility are to:

• Support implementation of the New Deal at the country level;
• Support Capacities of the g7+ membership; and
• Generating evidence-based knowledge and lessons learned to inform policies and programmes on fragility.

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

• Providing research support on a broad range of sustainable development issues with special emphasis on fragility, conflict, violence and peace issues, including on the humanitarian-development-peace nexus;
• Providing ad hoc support on New Deal and SDGs implementation processes in the countries of interest to the New Deal Facility, including drafting or editing TORs, report documents and others as needed;
• Supporting the development of policy papers, studies, reports, briefing notes, and speeches, as requested by the supervisor;
• Providing support in the organization of events/seminars etc. as required.

Expected Output

• A hands-on experience in working with the United Nations Development Programme in advancing the organization’s contribution to global policy debates and key global development processes.

Competencies

• Computer literate in standard software applications (i.e. MS Word, Excel, Power Point) package;
• Excellent analytical, and writing skills with special focus on report writing;
• Energetic self-starter with multi-tasking abilities and discipline with deadlines;
• Ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views;
• Detail oriented.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Candidate must be enrolled or have graduated from a Master’s or PhD level programme, preferably in development studies, political science or conflict studies; 
• If the candidate has graduated, he/she must start the internship within one year of the graduation date.

Experience

• Demonstrated keen interest in the work of the UN, and of UNDP in particular, and have a personal commitment to UNDP's mission and to the ideals of the UN Charter;
• Interest in the field of human development;
• Strong preference towards a candidate with previous experience in fragile and conflict settings, and towards a national of a g7+ country (Afghanistan, Burundi, C.A.R, Chad, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, D.R.C, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Liberia, Papua New Guinea, São Tomé and Principe, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Timor-Leste, Togo and Yemen).

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English (written and oral);
• Working knowledge of French, Portuguese or Arabic is an asset.

Expected Duration

• September 2017 – December 2017 (New York). The start and ending dates are flexible. Please indicate availability in application materials. Internships last to a maximum of 6 months. Internship can be part time or full time, but full time is preferred for this internship.

Subsequent Employment

The purpose of the Internship Programme 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.

Conditions

In case an applicant is successfully selected, he/she will be requested to provide electronic versions of:

• Updated resume or curriculum vitae;
• A letter from the University confirming current enrollment in a graduate-level degree programme and graduation date.  In the case of an applicant who graduated and must start the internship within one year of graduation, a copy of the applicant's diploma or a letter from the University confirming the graduate-level degree programme and graduation date.
• A copy of his/her school transcript;
• Proof of medical and life/accident insurance coverage;

• A letter of endorsement from a senior faculty member who has directly supervised him/her in the recent past and who is fully acquainted his/her performance with a brief description (one page maximum) setting out the reasons why s/he is seeking an internship with UNDP and what is expected from the experience

Terms and Conditions

• Interns are not entitled to the privileges and immunities accorded by member states to UNDP, its officials and staff members.
• UNDP internships are not remunerated and must make his/her own arrangements for living expenses. Travel costs to and from the duty station and living accommodations are his/her own responsibility or those of the sponsoring institution.
• Passports and Visas: The intern is responsible for obtaining his/her own necessary passport and visas when required.  UNDP can only issue a letter stating acceptance of an individual as an intern and the conditions governing the internship.
• Confidentiality and Publication of Information: Interns will respect the confidentiality of information that he/she collects or exposed to at UNDP.  No reports or papers may be published based on information obtained from UNDP without the explicit written authorization of the Head of Bureaux or Office.
• The UNDP Internship Programme is not connected with employment and there is no expectancy of such.  Interns cannot apply for posts advertised internally to UNDP staff during the period of internship.

Insurance

UNDP accepts no responsibility for the medical and life insurance of the intern or costs arising from accidents and illness incurred during an internship. As interns are not covered under any insurance, including MAIP, they should not travel to hazardous locations in the course of their internship with UNDP. Applicants for internship must show proof of valid medical and life/accident insurance for the duty station for which they will work. It must include adequate coverage in the event of an injury or illness during the internship which requires transportation to the home country or country of Residence for further treatment; or results in death and requires preparation and return of the remains to the home country, or country of residence.