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.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Unit of Information and Technology Management (ITM) in New York are the enablers supporting UNDP Country Offices around the world with technology solutions that empower the projects we deliver. Our Unit offers a stimulating and versatile internship in an international environment with contact to various partners from some 166 countries with UNDP presence. We are a team who work in a dynamic and informal atmosphere, and we expect our interns to become vital members of the team.
As an intern, you will be given tasks and opportunities that have a direct global impact on the development efforts of the international community. The UNDP/ITM internship programme enhances the academic life experience of passionate students as interns and empowers them to become socially responsible, innovative, and environmentally conscious leaders of tomorrow. We bridge the gap between textbook learning and real-life industry experience by taking interns behind the scenes of the world’s leading clean energy and sustainability initiatives, while learning to take into consideration the local context.
By being part of our dynamic unit, you will also gain worldwide connections with other top-talented interns and UN staff from other agencies. Our office is located in New York giving you the opportunity to interact with people outside the UNDP ITM Unit.
Duration: 6 months (3 February – 31 July 2025)
Duties and Responsibilities
- Support online collaboration tools and business process automation solutions for UNDP Country Offices with our leading cloud corporate application portfolio (Microsoft Office 365, Oracle Cloud ERP, Salesforce, ServiceNow)
- Assist in the development of applications using PowerApps for business processes to replace manual and paper-based processes with new and evolving cloud-based functions.
- Assist in building applications that employ PowerApps and Flow for mobile-enabled data entry, approvals, and reporting, as may be required.
- Support the collection, consolidation, and analysis of data for project-tracking, and data visualization using Excel, Power BI, and other business intelligence tools. Contribute with innovative perspectives to improve online reports and dashboards for internal and external use.
- Assist in enhancing user interfaces of existing apps based on UI/UX best practices and user acceptance testing. Support and continuously innovate (kaizen) the UNDP business procedures, instructions and templates from best practice and then disseminate them through the user community liaising with the communications team.
- Participate in translation of user requirements into user stories. Support the development of quality software practicing international coding standards.
- Assist in researching alternative tools for enhancing internal communications and tracking, such as chatbots in MS Teams, decision-making assistance tools through various Office 365 tools (Flow, Forms, PowerApps, etc.), and information design (data visualization)
- Creatively support the development of new projects for innovative collaboration and business process automation systems and tools to be disseminated to UNDP offices as best practice for improvement of operations and business efforts.
- Promote the ITM’s overall ICT strategic framework and work plan pertaining to the minimum ICT standards, infrastructure, and connectivity dimensions. The ITM unit is ISO 9001:2015 certified. Our work is focused on high quality, continuous improvements, and customer satisfaction.
Competencies
- Technological expertise: Has interest and understanding of software engineering, sustainable development-oriented areas of work.
- Innovation: Has interest in developing smart solutions for UNDP, focusing on ICT services. Promote a client service-oriented culture within the unit, connecting the new upcoming UNDP Digital Workspace strategy with current theories and practices in Design Thinking, Service Design, and Customer Experience
- Problem solving: Has good analytical skills in gathering and consolidating data for practical implementation.
- Teamwork: Communicates effectively when working in a team, and can work independently with a proactive attitude and a goal-oriented mindset
- Planning and Organization: Good in organizing and structuring various tasks and responsibilities
- Collaboration: Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
- Has interest and motivation in working in an international organization.
- Commitment to continue learning: Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude. Responds positively to feedback and differing points of view.
- Delivery: Is a self-starter and initiative-taking person with a goal-oriented mind-set; good in organizing and structuring various tasks and responsibilities, effective when working in teams and independently. Promote the ITM’s overall ICT strategic framework and work plan pertaining to the minimum ICT standards, infrastructure, and connectivity dimensions. The ITM unit is ISO 9001:2015 certified. Our work is focused on high quality, continuous improvements, and customer satisfaction.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Applicants to the UNDP 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);
- 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 (1) and (2) above) in the field of IT Technician/Software Developer, Computer Science, Business Management, Artificial Intelligence 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.
Experience:
- Experience or Knowledge in the field of IT Technician/Software Developer, Computer Science, Business Management is required
- Good knowledge of Microsoft cloud technologies (Office 365, SharePoint Online, Azure) and back-office platform (Oracle ERP Cloud, Salesforce, ServiceNow, SharePoint, SQL).
- Knowledge and being a proficient user of Microsoft Office productivity tools is an advantage.
- Knowledge or experience with specific Office 365 tools (or their consumer equivalents) such as Planner (Trello), Teams (Slack), Yammer (Workplace by Facebook), OneDrive (Drop Box, Google Drive), Power BI (Tableau), etc. is a distinct advantage.
- Knowledge and understanding of DevOps and Continuous Integration is an advantage.
- Good knowledge of Data Science principles and hands on experience with languages such as SQL is an advantage.
- Experience with relational databases (schemas, design) and XML is highly desirable.
- Experience and ability in using business intelligence tools, for example: gathering, consolidating, and analyzing data from databases and reports, manipulating data in Excel (Pivot Tables and queries), Power BI, etc. is an advantage.
- Experience with web analytics tools (Google Analytics, Webtrends, Matomo, etc.) is an advantage.
- Knowledge of HTML5, CSS, graphic design and web standards/best practices is an advantage.
- Knowledge of Nintex Workflows, PowerShell, .NET platform, and/or C# programming is an advantage.
- Knowledge and understanding of the non-profit sector is an advantage
- Interest in developing sustainable ICT solutions, focusing on modern ICT innovations that enhance collaboration within UNDP and with its partners is an advantage.
- Ability to translate IT technology to business users and to non-technical language is an advantage.
- Interest and understanding of customer-oriented service delivery, with focus on innovative enterprise ICT solutions, collaboration and customer experience is an advantage.
- Understanding of data management, including real-time/streaming data, data warehousing and data cleansing is an advantage.
- Fluent in written and spoken English. Knowledge of other UN languages is an advantage.
Conditions:
- In accordance with the UNDP Internship policy, UNDP interns are eligible to receive a monthly stipend, with the rate that varies depending on the duty location. The stipend will be paid monthly, and part-time internship arrangements are prorated accordingly.
- Where an intern is financially supported by an institution, government or third party, UNDP will, subject to the rules of such institution, government or a third party, pay the intern the difference, if any, between the external financial support provided and the applicable UNDP stipend.
- Where an intern is engaged in-person and is not financially supported by any institution or programme, such as a university, Government, foundation or scholarship programme, a stipend intended to help cover basic daily expenses related to an in-person internship, such as meals and transportation at the duty station, is paid by the receiving office (monthly “in-person” stipend rate is USD1,000). A remote reduced stipend (the rate is a subject to the duty station location) is intended to help cover expenses related to the internship, such as internet connections or other means to remain in contact with the receiving office, is paid by the receiving office.
- Except for the stipend, all other expenses connected with the internship will be borne by the intern, sponsoring government or institutions.
- Interns are not considered staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity
- Interns are responsible for securing adequate medical insurance for the duration of their internship with UNDP and must provide a medical certificate of good health prior to starting the internship. UNDP will not reimburse the medical insurance of the intern. Any costs arising from accidents and illness incurred during an internship assignment will be the responsibility of the intern.
- 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.
- UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship
- The intern must be eligible to work in the United States or possess a work permit valid for the United States at the start of the internship.
- The intern is responsible for obtaining necessary visas and arranging travel to and from the duty station where the internship will be performed, accommodation etc.
- Interns are not eligible to apply for, or be appointed to, any post in UNDP during the period of the internship
- The intern must provide proof of enrolment in health insurance plan
- You are expected to work full time, but flexibility is allowed for your education programme
- Eligibility for residency and undertaking internship in New York
How to Apply?
Do not miss out on this opportunity to be a part of this international team and apply by the deadline 20 October 2024, midnight (CET).
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and called for interview following the deadline. If you have any questions, please write to us via email address itm.internship@undp.org
Disclaimer
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
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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