Work Location

Nairobi

Expected duration

6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. UNEP’s Disasters and Conflicts Programme works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and capacity development for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. The Disasters and Conflicts Programme extends UNEP’s work to areas of the world where the natural and human environment have been damaged from conflicts or disasters. Specialized environmental expertise is provided to rapidly identify risks to health, livelihoods and ecosystem services and to integrate environmental needs within the recovery process. The Disasters and Conflicts Programme promotes sustainable management of natural resources in conflict and disaster affected countries. The branch’s work demonstrates to decision makers the importance of natural resources management as a precondition for sustainable development and as an instrument for peace building and disaster risk reduction. Since 1999, the team has conducted field operations in over 40 countries and works in close cooperation with the humanitarian, development and peace-building frameworks of the UN system. More information can be found at www.unep.org/disastersandconflicts. Communications are a key strategic priority for UNEP as part of the organization’s mandate to advocate for the environment. This is achieved through a wide range of communications activities at national and global level, including an active social media presence. The Disasters and Conflicts Programme is working directly with teams in many countries around the world, as well as at a global level on communications related to its work. UNEP’s Environment Security work focuses on understanding how environmental degradation and climate change interact with peace and security dynamics ensuring that effective measures are put in place to protect the environment, ensure resilience to climate change, and promote peace in politically complex and fragile contexts. UNEP achieves these two goals through: Analysis: what is the state of the environment, how it is changing, what are the drivers and pressures, what are the linkages between environmental degradation, peace, security, and stability, what are priority concerns, how do specific environmental changes impact people and conflict/peace dynamics. Solution-design: Identifying good environmental practices to address priority issues (e.g. ecosystem restoration, natural resource government mechanisms and agreements, infrastructure for water storage and harvesting…) Support to implementation: Identifying partners and donors, forming and managing partnerships; convening, process-design, managing and negotiating hurdles with political sensitivity. This internship position is for a person who will support UNEP’s communications and outreach activities for our Climate peace and security advisor for Somalia and support the work in Somalia. The Internship is UNPAID and full-time. Interns work five days per week (35-40 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in the department or office to which they are assigned Under the general supervision of the 2nd Approving Officer and the day to day supervision of the Supervisor/1st Approving Officer, the incumbent will perform the duties listed below during the Internship: Coordination of Partnerships (30%) • Coordination of all environmental and climate, data-based partnerships and strategic relationships on behalf of the advisor. Leverage and reach into other agencies and manage the links/demands/existing data and analysis exploitation routes across the UN to ensure a central focal point for climate security data. • Provide and support strategic, programmatic routes to UN agencies and partners that require environmental and security data (and analysis) to support ongoing and future activities • Engage closely with national Government (member states) relevant regional and data/analysis teams and share/exploit output. For example, the climate security quantitative data teams (projections, time-series, modelling, agent-based modelling) etc. Strategic engagement with the World Bank regional, data and analysis teams – establish lines of engagement and collaboration. • Create further strategic links and trusted partnerships with the Somali National Bureau of Statistics at the federal and state level. Support the Bureau, in conjunction with the Cooperation Framework, to establish greater evaluation and monitoring systems through the establishment of relevant partnerships. Collaborate with the Bureau to strengthen data-based systems, information sources and general capacity to monitor, evaluate and assess environmental and climate-security based information • Establish formalised engagement with UPCP and ACLED – investigate strategic embedded positions to further collaborative opportunities such as chair roles or visiting fellowships • Establish and engage formal engagement with the University of Nairobi and the water/data science teams to leverage data sets, analysis, tools and strategic approaches • Coordinate approaches and general management of data-based Unit work with other Climate Security advisor Roles (regional counterparts). Share information and knowledge, arrange training, pool materials and resources and manage communication • In general, directly support the UN Sustainable Development Framework (2021-2025) in its commitments to progressing sustainable development goals by providing relevant data, monitoring and evaluation information that contributes to the comprehensive analysis required for 2030 Agenda Exploitation/sharing of data, approaches and analysis (40%) • Process (triage) the relevant analysis and use it to highlight good work/justify projects and funding to UN donors and partners – developing regular (approved) papers, research papers and journals, concept notes, tools etc. Manage the sharing of these outputs through newsletters, task groups and steering committees • Update, provide new sources of information and take charge of the input of ideas and material to the SAGE reporting platform on behalf the Unit • In line with the above, create an evidence -based system to leverage and gain access to future funding – talking points, presentations, logged events and outputs etc. • Frequently develop clear patterns, trends, relationships and causal understanding to build up the critical short vs. long term understanding using different data and analysis representations – including influencing, funding and future proposals and assessments • Create a coherent, central repository – building a sharable, fluid database or shared platform to continuously build on and change. Complete with tools, techniques and approaches Data analysis and techniques (30%) • Develop econometrics and quantitative-based evidence-assessments • Draw on relevant time series for exploitation and collaborative/partnership opportunities (i.e. FSNAU) • Continuous evaluation and monitoring of relevant developments, impact and effectiveness of Unit projects and associated work – using the built indicator scales over time (ties in with time series and the need for more longitudinal studies) • Train, develop understanding and increase influence across the internal team and Integrated Office. • Regularly thematically grouping new development and understanding – doing this with UNEP/UNDP/IOM – pooling ideas and resource • Strike the relevant balance between exploiting data (quant) and quality based evidence and research. Continuously look to strategically combine the two and present up-to-date, innovative assessments and monitoring evaluations (regional, local and country-based)

Qualifications/special skills

1, Master’s Degree (but within 1 year of graduation) or currently enrolled in a Master’s Programme or the final year of undergraduate degree 2. Background in data and evidence, environmental sciences, environmental analysis, disaster management, climate change studies, Qualitative analysis, informational graphics, graphic design, environment-related advocacy, or other related fields 3. Experience in web content management systems and desk-top publishing would be an asset 4. Strong interest and familiarity with social media and online communications

Languages

Ability to write clearly and succinctly in English is required.

Additional Information

Not available.

Intern Specific text

Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.