Background

UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and exclusion, and build resilience so countries can sustain progress. As the UN’s development agency, UNDP plays a critical role in helping countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The UNDP Regional Hub for Europe and the CIS (based in Istanbul, Türkiye) is UNDP’s main knowledge and advisory hub for the countries serviced by UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS (RBEC). Through its regional programme, the Hub provides advisory support, organizational learning and innovation services to UNDP Country Offices in the ECIS region in the areas of sustainable development, effective democratic governance, energy and resilience, gender, health and development, development finance.

Based on the experience accumulated in the last years, and in line with the guidance articulated by the new UNDP Strategic Plan 2022-2025, the Partnerships team aims to broaden the scope of its activities, expanding its donor portfolio, including the emerging donors portfolio and further stimulating partnerships with IFIs, the private sector and partner governments for a more efficient and coordinated development financing ecosystem, for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Within the framework of the Regional Programme 2022-2025, the UNDP RBEC Partnerships Team seeks to hire a Research Intern. Under the direct supervision of the Knowledge Management and Partnerships Specialist, the Research Intern will support the team’s work on knowledge management and provide research, analytical, reporting and technical support with a focus on partnerships.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Intern will assist in the following duties and responsibilities:

Competencies

• Interest and motivation in working in an international organization;
• Good analytical skills in gathering and consolidating data and research for practical implementation;
• Outgoing and initiative-taking person with a goal-oriented mind-set;
• Communicates effectively when working in teams and independently;
• Good 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;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.

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 graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher);
• Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s level or equivalent);
• Have graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) in a degree programme in relevant discipline such as Business or Public Administration or other related fields, 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.

Field of study: business administration, international relations, development studies, political science or equivalent.

Experience:

• Experience working on sustainability with the private sector is an asset.

IT skills:

• A proficient user of Microsoft Office productivity tools (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams etc.);
• Knowledge of Canva or other graphic design software is desirable.

Language skills:

• Fluency in English is required;
• Knowledge of Russian is an advantage.

Notes:

Financial Issues:
Internships within the UN system are subject to conditions the applicant must get familiar with before signing his/her internship agreement.
Starting from January 2020 interns will receive stipends according to UN rules and regulations.
Any further costs associated with the internship must be borne by the nominating institution, related institution or government, which may provide the required financial assistance to its students; or by the student, who will have to obtain financing for subsistence and make his or her arrangements for travel, accommodation and other costs.

Application procedure:
The application should contain:

• Brief Cover Letter (in English) stating interest in and qualifications for the post;
• Current and complete CV in English;
• Please group all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.

Candidates who are selected must submit the following documents:

• Official letter from the University confirming enrolment in a graduate-level degree programme;
• Proof of medical and life/accident insurance valid for the location in which the internship will be carried out. Selected intern must have medical and life insurance.

Conditions:
UNDP only accepts interns for a minimum of 6 weeks and a maximum of 6 months;
UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents, illness or death during the internship;
Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity;
Interns are responsible to arrange for their own visa and residence documents, and need to plan for these well in advance;

Subsequent Employment:
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.
More information available at: http://www.eurasia.undp.org/content/rbec/en/home/about_us/jobs/internships/.