UNDP Jobs - 82398- Intern Knowledge Management and Capacity Building

Intern Knowledge Management and Capacity Building in the Russia-UNDP Partnership, Phase I (10 positions, Russian Citizens Only)

Location :

Moscow and COs in the region

Type of Contract :

Internship

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

20-Dec-18 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

Intern

Duration of Initial Contract :

estimated February – June 2019

Languages Required :

English Russian

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

UNDP Partnership Support Office in the Russian Federation based in Moscow is seeking highly-qualified graduate students enrolled in a Master’s programme or equivalent to engage as interns in the regional project "Knowledge Management and Capacity Building in Russia-UNDP Partnership" (KM project).

The KM project is funded by the Government of the Russian Federation and implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation. The Phase II of the project aims to scale up several mechanisms of Russian expertise sharing to support achievement of sustainable, scalable development impact in partner countries, including through implementation of the internships programme for Master's students with Russian citizenships.

For more information on Russia-UNDP Partnership and on the KM project: http://expertsfordevelopment.ru/ and http://www.eurasia.undp.org/content/rbec/en/home/about_us/partners/russia-undp-partnership.html.

The aim of the internships will be to enhance the theoretical knowledge of interns through substantive engagement with sustainability practices and policies of the Organization while assisting with the initiatives and plans that are already in place and those that are in the pipeline.
During the assignment the UNDP will provide a framework by which students from diverse academic backgrounds may be assigned to UNDP offices, where their educational experience can be enhanced through practical work assignments; expose them to an international environment; expose them to work of the Organization with the objective of deepening their knowledge and understanding of UNDP goals, principles and activities; and provide UNDP offices with the assistance of graduated students specialized in various professional fields.

Each intern will join UNDP Partnership Support Office and the KM project team, located in Moscow and supervised by the New Partnerships Team Leader in the UNDP IRH, to be provided with guidance on the assignment in Moscow and on mission to UNDP COs or IRH in accordance with the ToR.

Duty Station: 1-4 weeks in Moscow, then 2-3 months in other Country Offices (Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan) or Istanbul Regional Hub

Duties and Responsibilities

During the internship with the KM project team and under the supervision of the project manager based in Moscow interns will be acquainted with the UNDP work, in particular, the activities under the Russia-UNDP Partnership, Russia-UNDP Trust Fund for Development (TFD) and the KM project funded by the TFD.
Under the overall supervision of programme officers in UNDP COs or IRH and the direct supervision of programme/project managers or team leaders, selected interns will support the implementation of UNDP projects and initiatives in the following thematic areas:

Knowledge management and innovations for sustainable development,
Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Growth, international trade facilitation,
Governance and peacebuilding,
Gender equality,
Environmental protection and natural resources management,
Climate change mitigation and adaptation,
Disaster risk reduction,
Energy efficiency and sustainable energy,
Forestry and wildfire preparedness and prevention,
Rural development and rural tourism development,
Digital economy and new skills development,
Communications;
Programme Management, Monitoring/Evaluation and Results-Based Management.

Selected interns are expected to perform the following duties:

Conduct research in the thematic priority areas that is determined jointly by a supervisor and an intern;
Preparation of informational briefs and notes on issues outlined in the preceding bullet point;
Compiling international best practices, lessons learnt and experiences;
Provide substantive support to the UNDP programme clusters’ activities (including seminars, workshops, conferences);
Provide support to development of outreach materials on key thematic development areas (articles, stories, factsheets);
Support the team’s day-to-day operations and other ad hoc tasks.

At the end of the internship, a research report in the thematic priority areas selected will be expected.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly without favoritism; Demonstrates ethics and integrity.

Functional Competencies:

Strong analytical and writing skills;
Good organizational skill, ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines;
Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
Good communication and ability to work in a team;
Demonstrated interest in the work of the United Nations, and of UNDP in particular;
Demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and sensitivity to differing opinions and views;
Proficiency in the MS Office applications.

Required Skills and Experience

Interns are selected on a competitive basis in accordance with the minimum qualifications required:

Education:

Enrollment in a Graduate Programme (Master’s or equivalent) in the field of international relations, economic and trade development, local/regional development, communications, public administration, business administration, social sciences, environment, or other relevant field.
Recent Master's graduates can also be considered (candidate must start the intenrship 1 year after graduation).

Language skills:

Written and spoken proficiency in English and Russian.

Computer skills:

Proficient in MS Office (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.),
Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator skills are a plus for positions on communications.

Experience:

Work and volunteer experience in the fields and the thematic areas above is an asset.
All applications are reviewed and the eligible candidates are selected on the basis of a CVs, a motivation letter, and an interview.

Conditions

Part I. Internships in UNDP Partnership Support Office (Moscow, Russian Federation)
Interns are not financially remunerated by UNDP and expenses related to stay in Moscow, Russia are not covered (this includes travel to/from the duty station (Moscow, Russia), accommodation, insurance, etc.

The costs associated with internships in Moscow 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, medical insurance and other costs related to internships in Moscow, Russia.
Interns are responsible for securing adequate medical insurance for the duration of their internships in the duty station (Moscow, Russia) and must provide a medical certificate of good health prior to starting the internship.

Any costs arising from accidents and illness incurred during an internship assignment will be the responsibility of the intern. For applicants which are non-residents of the duty station, the insurance must include adequate coverage in the event of an injury or illness during the internship duration which:

Requires transportation to the home country or country of residence for further treatment;
Results in death and requires preparation and return of the remains to the home country, or country of residence.

Part II. Travel to UNDP Country Offices or Istanbul Regional Hub to continue internships
Interns will go on mission to UNDP COs in one of the countries listed above or IRH for internships up to 3 months (at a minimum 2 months).
The costs incurred by interns on mission to the UNDP COs or IRH will be covered through the KM project budget as per UNDP rules and regulations throughout the whole period of internships in the UNDP COs or IRH. That includes costs of:

travel to/from the UNDP COs or IRH (air tickets will be provided by UNDP),
international medical and life insurance valid for the country of internships, and
reduced daily subsistence allowance in the UNDP COs or IRH covered accommodation in the country and terminal expenses.

The costs associated with internships of a few Master’s students of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) in UNDP COs or IRH will be borne by the MGIMO in the framework of the Memorandum of Agreement on Establishment of UNDP-MGIMO Internships Programme.

UNDP COs or IRH as host organizations in countries will provide interns with working space, computer, fax, copying machine, other equipment, transportation (local travel to the project(s) sites) as requested, tools and materials as well as IT&communication and utility services within the period of their assignments.

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.

Application Procedure:

Interns are selected on a competitive basis. Qualified candidates are requested to send the following application documents grouped in a single PDF file as the system allows to upload maximum one document.
The application should contain:

Brief Cover Letter (in English) stating interest in and qualifications for the position;
Current and complete CV in English;
List of the thematic areas and the preferred countries for internships with a justification of the choice (the countries selected cannot be guaranteed);
Duration and the period of availability for internships in Moscow and UNDP COs/IRH.

Prior to starting internships in Moscow, selected candidates will be requested to submit the following documents:

Original of an official letter from the University confirming enrollment in a graduate-level degree programme;
Original of statement of good health;
Copy of medical and life/accident insurance valid for the location in Moscow (compulsory medical insurance policy or voluntary medical insurance policy are applicable). UNDP will not reimburse the medical insurance of the intern during his/her internship in UNDP Office in Moscow.

Selected interns will be responsible for arranging/booking their own accommodation in the country of internships.
Upon returning to Moscow and completion of internships, the interns will be requested to present results of internships and submit the following documents:

Back to Office Report (BToR) detailed;
Research paper in the thematic priority areas, if applicable;
Reference/Recommendation letter from a supervisor in the UNDP COs or IRH.

Due to large number of applications received, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.

Other Relevant Information

Interns cannot apply for any UN vacancies during the period of internship.
Should an offer of employment be envisaged, a 3-month break from the end of the internship must be respected.
Interns must keep confidential any and all unpublished information made known during the course of the internship and not publish any reports or paper on the basis of information obtained except with the written approval and authorization of UNDP.

Due to the Donor requirement, the position is open for the Russian citizens only.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Interns are considered gratis personnel. They are not staff members.
Interns may not be sought or accepted as substitutes for staff to be recruited against authorized posts.
Interns may not represent UNDP in any official capacity.
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.