Innovative Finance Intern (2 vacancies), Innovative Finance Hub, Helsinki, Finland, Full time, 26 Weeks (in person or remote)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, an opportunity

UNICEF’s Innovative Finance Hub, founded in 2022, aims to catalyze global capital in support of children to fill the SDG gap and radically accelerate progress towards the SDGs. We sit at a unique vantage point where an organization working on global issues meets the startup thinking, new ideas, and partners to turn this energy into scalable solutions.

We aim to understand and solve a pressing challenge: why is finance not working for children? On one hand, the funding gap to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) continues to grow (currently at over 4 trillion USD!), where children are particularly vulnerable to the educational, health, protection and climate challenges the SDGs try to address. On the other hand, children are seldom considered in the investment practices of investors, even the most responsible and socially conscious – while virtually all companies have material impacts on children lives, as consumers, through their employed parents and caregivers, as community members and as future leaders.

To continue our expanding work, the Innovative Finance Hub is looking for two Innovative Finance Interns reporting to the Programme Specialist and the Senior Analyst, Innovative Finance, respectively, as part of the core team driving Innovative Financing strategies.

How can you make a difference? 

In support of the 2022-25 Strategic Plan, UNICEF has launched its Global Innovative Finance for Children (IF4C) Strategy and is ramping up coordinated endeavors to foster and promote the wider use of IF.

As part of this strategy, the Innovative Finance Hub works on two Pathways – Emerging Fundraising, and Innovative Financing, where this internship will sit.

At the Innovative Financing Pathway, we develop solutions around the integration of children in investors’ sustainability and human rights practices, across asset classes (including private and public equities). Our work entails the translation of child rights into policies, recommendations and practices for investors and their investees to respect child rights and simultaneously drive investment with a positive impact for children. Our core project in this regard is child-lens investing, an investing approach to position children in the investor agenda. You can learn more of child-lens investing here: https://www.unicef.org/innovation/innovative-finance/child-lens-investing 

The two Innovative Finance Interns will provide a broad support on innovative finance projects. The expectation is to introduce the interns to UNICEF’s work on Innovative Financing and involve them in support functions with the team, following a learning-by-doing model.

Main responsibilities include:

After a comprehensive onboarding, candidates will be expected to perform support functions including:

• Research and analysis: including desktop research around sustainable finance frameworks, consolidation of databases for contacts and pipeline partners; as well as dedicated research support deep-diving in agreed areas of work around child-lens investing (public and private equity investors, financial products, regulatory mapping, etc.).
• Internal Support: including targeted support to Project Managers around a variety of topics on child-lens investing, sustainable finance (i.e: development of Briefing Notes and presentations for senior management and key external events and stakeholders)
• Communications: Coordinate with IF Hub Communications Specialist to align core messaging and deliver timely social media and external outreach when launching new products and reports.
• Team Overall Support: Team Overall Support: Given the diverse range of projects within the IF Hub, the intern may be called upon to assist with various tasks related to innovative finance, either directly or indirectly, as needed.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• Enrolled at a university at a master’s level, undergraduate level or a recent graduate (within two years from date of graduation) in Finance, Business Administration, International Development, or a related field.
• Previous work experience, including internships, in the finance and/or sustainable finance (ESG, impact investing, etc.) field would be considered an asset.
• Demonstrated interest working with sustainable finance or related field is desirable, including solid understanding of financial concepts, including sustainable finance, impact investing and ESG.
• Strong capacity to work effectively in inter-divisional teams.
• Excellent analytical, interpersonal and communications skills.
• Ability to conceptualize, plan and execute ideas.
• Fluency in English is required.

WORK ARRANGEMENT:

The Innovative Financing interns will preferably work in-person at our office in Helsinki, Finland, for a period of 6 months/26 weeks.

Conditions:

• Age: Interns must be at least 18 years.
• Have good academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records.
• Have no immediate relatives (e.g. father, mother, brother, sister) working in any UNICEF office.
• Have no other relatives in the line of authority which the intern will report to.
• Individuals must have proof of medical insurance covering the time and location of their internship.
• This internship will be delivered on a full-time commitment.
• Individuals are expected to provide their own laptop.
• Selected candidates will receive a monthly stipend (unless already in receipt of any support for the internship from a third party).
• Individuals must fund their own travel and living expenses.
• Individuals are responsible for arranging any visa or immigration requirements.

Employment: There is no expectancy of employment at the end of the internship.

Please see attached Terms of Reference (TOR)  Innovative Finance Internship TOR.pdf

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical 3) Drive to achieve results for 4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and 6) Thinks and acts 7) Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:  

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Contact: For any queries, please contact: swe-ooi-recruitments@unicef.org