Background

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, 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

The UNDP Seoul Policy Centre for Global Development Partnerships (USPC), established in 2011, represents UNDP in Korea, works with Korea on international issues, and shares Korea’s development experiences with other countries through global knowledge exchange. Through ‘SDG Partnerships’ in three thematic areas – i) governance, ii) resilience, and iii) development cooperation, USPC acts as a facilitator of global knowledge exchange on innovative and tested-and-proven policy solutions in strategic areas of expertise. USPC’s global knowledge exchange works as a vehicle for the ROK-UNDP collaboration on “creating new solutions, building collaboration platforms, and sparking new partnerships and instruments for development.”

USPC offers a small group of outstanding final year undergraduate, and graduate students, the opportunity to acquire direct exposure to UNDP’s work and gain technical knowledge and experience in international development and multilateral cooperation.

USPC work on development cooperation started in 2011 – at the High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan. Since then it evolved to encompass different processes, work-streams and partnerships.

You are invited to join a small, but vibrant team. Whereas the focus of your assignment will be on the tasks outlined in this Terms of Reference, you need to expect considerable amount of multi-tasking and supporting other members of the team.

For more information on USPC’s work, please visit the website: https://www1.undp.org/content/seoul_policy_center/en/home.html.

Duties and Responsibilities

Competencies

General:

• Ability to take initiative and work independently, with minimum supervision.
• Highest standards of integrity, discretion, and loyalty.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, communication, and administrative skills.
• Proven ability to manage diverse and complex tasks, with tight deadlines; and
• Commitment to the UN/DP vision, mission, and strategic goals.

Communication Skills:

• Speaks and writes clearly and effectively.
• Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others, and responds appropriately.
• Asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; and
• Tailors language, tone, style, and format to match the audience.

Teamwork:

• Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational and unit goals; and
• Solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise and willingness to learn from others.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Applicants to this 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 in Economics, Regional Studies, Social Sciences, International Development, Development Studies, or other relevant fields); and/or
• Have graduated with a university degree (as described above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one year of graduation.

Experience:

• Experience writing analytical pieces on foreign policy, development issues, is desirable.
• Prior experience with the multilateral system or with a bilateral donor agency is desirable.
• Familiarity with aspects of project management is desirable.
• Familiarity with issues related to knowledge exchange in the context of development cooperation, effectiveness in development cooperation, green growth or green ODA is desirable
• Must be able to work in a multicultural environment and be aware of political sensitivities.
• Proficient or prior experience in using Zoom or Web-Ex would be preferable. 
• Self-starter; organized; able to multitask, balance multiple responsibilities, and work to deadline.
• Demonstrated capacity to gather comprehensive information on complex problems or situations, analysing information accurately and identifying key issues and solutions.
• Demonstrated experience of initiative, client-orientation, working in teams, in complex and time-pressured contexts.

Languages:

• Fluency in oral and written English is required,
• Fluency in oral and written Korean is a major asset.
• Knowledge of another UN language is also an asset.

INTERNSHIP CONDITIONS

• UNDP will not pay interns for internship but will provide a stipend in the amount of KRW 1,028,635 monthly in accordance with the provisions of the UNDP internship policy; all other expenses connected with it will be borne by me or my 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.
• Interns will accrue leaves at a rate of 1.5 days per month and will be granted off-days on official UN holidays for the Republic of Korea. If exceptional leave arrangements are necessary, requests must be submitted to and be approved by the supervisors in advance to ensure adequate office arrangements.