Communications Intern – Local Governance

BACKGROUND

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.

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.

CORPORATE BACKGROUND

UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.

UNDP is working to strengthen new frameworks for development, disaster risk reduction and climate change. We support countries’ efforts to achieve the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will guide global development priorities through 2030. The key 2030 Agenda principle of leaving no one behind and stamping out inequality is at the core of everything we do.

UNDP focuses on helping countries build and share solutions in three main areas:
• Sustainable development
• Democratic governance and peacebuilding
• Climate and disaster resilience

In all our activities, we encourage the protection of human rights and the empowerment of women, minorities and the poorest and most vulnerable.

INTERNSHIP OFFICE BACKGROUND

In Asia and the Pacific, UNDP’s Bangkok Regional Hub (BRH) supports 24 UNDP country offices (COs) in this region to deliver the Agenda 2030 and the SDGs. As outlined in the UNDP Strategic Plan 2022-2025, Governance is one of the six signature solutions, alongside poverty and inequality, resilience, environment, energy and gender equality, for UNDP to support countries towards three directions of change: structural transformation, leaving no one behind and resilience. In this vein, local governance plays a critical role in improving people’s livelihoods, driving transformative impact, and accelerating the achievement of the SDGs at the local level (SDG localization). Since 2019, UNDP BRH has been supporting countries in Asia-Pacific in developing and implementing innovative governance models to strengthen core governance principles such as participation, inclusion, effectiveness, accountability, and transparency. Key initiatives include Social Innovation Platform, Urban Governance for the Future, and Anticipatory, Agile and Adaptive G governance (AAAG).

In this context, the UNDP BRH (Local Governance team) is recruiting a Communications Intern to support and strengthen the communications efforts regarding BRH’s local governance programming in Asia-Pacific. The Intern will assist in creating content, designing visibility products and outreach strategies, help improve visibility of UNDP’s work on local governance among partners, beneficiaries, and the general public. The Intern will also support with event planning and organization and facilitate communications innovations with a focus on enhancing UNDP visibility and thought leadership on local governance and local development.

DUTIES

The intern will assist in the following duties and responsibilities:

Support content creation for communications materials and strategies (60%):

• Assist in creating and publishing high quality content for stories, thematic articles, press releases and social media posts;
• Assist in website management, including regular maintenance and update;
• Assist in designing and creating visuals for social media posts, event promotion, and knowledge products;
• Assist in video production by designing storylines, drafting scripts, coordinating filming schedules, and supporting post-production editing.

Support enhancing communications impact (30%):

• Conduct media scans, research communications trends, and analyze data to guide content decisions;
• Design innovative communications products and strategies to enhance communications impact;
• Support the planning and organization of events such as conferences, forums, webinars, and other collaborative events.

Other (10%):

• Support other/ad hoc activities as seen relevant and needed.

COMPETENCIES

• Knowledge of UNDP’s work and its mandate is required;
• Excellent analytical skills in gathering and consolidating data and research for practical implementation;
• Excellent interpersonal skills with a goal-oriented mindset and initiative-taking approach;
• Demonstrated strong responsibility and reliability by consistently meeting deadlines, delivering high-quality work, and fulfilling commitments with minimal supervision;
• Demonstrated capabilities in effective communication, coordination and collaboration;
• Demonstrated capabilities in organizing and structuring various tasks and responsibilities;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Responds positively to feedback and differing points of view;
• Demonstrated integrity and fairness, by modelling the UN and UNDP values and ethical standards.

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Candidates must meet one of the following educational requirements:
• currently in the final year of a Bachelor’s degree; or
• currently enrolled in a Master’s degree; or
• have graduated no longer than 1 year from a bachelor’s or master’s degree or equivalent studies.

Field of study: Communications, Media Studies, Social Sciences, International Development or equivalent.

IT skills:

• Knowledge and a proficient user of Microsoft Office productivity tools;
• Proficiency in using collaborative digital tools such as Miro, Notion, Trello, etc.

Language skills:

• Proficiency in oral and written English is required;
• Knowledge of other UN languages is an advantage.

INTERNSHIP CONDITIONS

• “UNDP will not pay interns for the internship but will provide a monthly stipend in accordance with the provisions of the UNDP internship policy (as reference, the stipend for 2024 is set at THB 8,302.50 per month; the stipend amount for 2025 is subject to change); all other expenses connected with it will be borne by the intern or the sponsoring Government or institution.”
• UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship;
• Interns are responsible for obtaining necessary visas and arranging travel to and from the duty station where the internship will be performed;
• Interns are not eligible to apply for, or be appointed to, any post in UNDP during the period of the internship;
• Interns must provide proof of enrolment in health insurance plan;
• Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity;
• Interns are expected to work full time but flexibility is allowed for education programmes;
• Interns need to obtain financing for subsistence and make own arrangements for internship, travel, VISA, accommodation, etc.

Disclaimer

Non-discrimination

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

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