Background

UNCDF (UN Capital Development Fund) is the United Nations Capital Development for local development finance, inclusive finance and the promotion of Women and Youth empowerment in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) which main objective is to facilitate access to public and private capital for the most underserved people. Its expertise enables it to develop «last mile» financial models in areas where infrastructures, access to basic services, financial and non-financial services are lacking to unlock public and private resources at the national level. The expected impact is to reduce poverty and encourage economic local development. UNCDF’s work is based on two approaches:

• Financial inclusion – New technologies and saving-based approach allowing individuals, households and small businesses to better participate in the local economic development by providing the tools and financial services they need to escape poverty and manage their financial situations;
• Localized Investments – Thanks to fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal financing and structural financing of projects –, which contribute to promote public and private financing to boost local economic growth and sustainable development.

Duties and Responsibilities

Context: 

The intern will support the Local Transformative Finance Practice (Localized Investments) in West and Central Africa office of UNCDF to implement the portfolio of projects for the achievements of its goals in various domains of its mandate. These projects aim at boosting very small businesses namely in the whole agricultural value chain-, Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects, and at strengthening the capacities of municipalities – particularly in rural areas – for the implementation of their development mandate through improving their access to financing. The achievement of these objectives will be possible through capacity building programs, the development of innovative financial mechanisms, and the identification, structuring and financing of projects with high local impact.

More specifically, the intern will support UNCDF teams in the implementation and development of their programs by:

• Providing analytical support for conducting research on financing local development in the region;
• Developing communication tools;
• Drafting of project/framing documents, technical reports, performance reviews and country annual reports;
• Elaborating annual work plans, powerpoint presentations, 2-pagers, etc.;
• Participating in and organizing working meetings and consultations with project stakeholders and writing and sharing of minutes;
• Supporting UNCDF’s resource mobilization efforts by supporting the team in the conception and drafting of project proposals.

Work Arrangements :

• The intern will be Dakar based;
• The intern will work under the supervision of the UNCDF Regional Coordinator in WCA and its team;
• The position is open to candidates from all nationalities, Senegalese included;
• Please note that internships are paid a stipend about XOF 133,494 (In-person) or 66,747 (Remote) per month. UNCDF’s internal rules do not allow the organization to provide compensation for travel and living expenses;
• Please note that interns are not employees of UNCDF;
• All costs/fees associated with the intern’s participation in the program must be borne by the intern.

Competencies

• Demonstrated interest in rural/local development issues in sub-Saharan Africa;
• Excellent writing, analytical and research skills;
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written) and the use of social media and other online tools in French and English;
• Ability to take initiatives and work independently and in teams;
• Excellent computer skills (Word, Excel, Power Point).

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Applicants to the UNCDF internship programme must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:

• Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme, or higher) in Management, Economics, Politics or another related field;
• Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
• Have recently graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation;
• Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship program and undertake the internship as part of this program.

Language:

• Excellent knowledge of French and English (written and oral).

General Internships Terms & Conditions:

• UNCDF Internship programme is governed by the UNDP Internship Policy Framework and Rules.
• Under the new revised UNDP Internship Policy, UNCDF will provide a modest monthly internship stipend to its interns, in accordance with the provisions of the UNDP Internship Policy. All expenses connected with the internship will be borne by the Intern or her/his sponsoring entity/institution. Stipends are available only for full-time and part-time internships at this time.
• Selected Interns must be able to share proof of education enrolment and/ or graduation, medical/ health and life/accident insurance valid for the location in which the internship will be carried out and be able to provide insurance documentary proof at the time of their selection;
• The purpose of the Internship Programme is not to lead to further employment with UNCDF but to complement an Intern’s studies and learning growth
• There is no expectation of employment at the end of these internships.

Application Process:

• In your application, please state in one paragraph why you would like to be considered for the internship and your primary motivation to apply for this role;
• Please note that you will need to answer the mandatory questions on timeframe and availability (under Additional Questions section), which is a part of the internship application process, in addition to your cover letter;
• Please submit your Resume/CV and an application using the UNCDF Internship Application form: http://www.uncdf.org/download/file/127/2509/internshipdoc
• Applications should include the application form and latest resume.  Applicants are welcome to submit any additional work samples or portfolios in one single file, preferably PDF;
• Please note that the UNDP jobsite system allows only one uploading of application document, so please make sure that you merge all your documents (CV/ Resume, Cover Letter etc. into a single file before uploading).
• Interested candidates can apply at any time indicating the timeframe of their availability in the internship form. However, only those candidates selected for interviews/ further assessment by hiring managers will be contacted.