Project Management Support - Intern, Japan Unit

UNDP • New York, NY

17h

About The Position

The Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) is responsible for UNDP’s external relations and advocacy functions. BERA leads and supports the organization in building and nurturing strategic relationships and alliances essential for successfully achieving the mission of UNDP. These relationships include a range of constituencies and development partners, related to resource mobilization and donor relations, intergovernmental affairs with member states, multilateral institutions, IFIs, the European Commission, private sector, foundations, UN system entities and UN inter-governmental bodies. BERA is positioned around three service lines, moving towards an audience orientation, namely, Public Partners Partnerships, Marketing and Communications, and Private and Finance partners, each guided by the Directorate and supported by the Management Support and Strategy and Analytics Teams. BERA has a network of Regional External Relations Teams in five hubs co-led with Regional Bureaux and Representation Offices in Europe, Japan, Qatar, the US, namely, Bonn, Brussels, Copenhagen, Doha, Geneva, Tokyo and Washington D.C., which manage and strengthen relationships with Public and Private Partners in country and help build a strong brand for UNDP within the local ecosystem including UN partnerships. The Partnerships Group (PG) leads UNDP’s corporate approach to external relations, advocating its brand and value as a global authority on sustainable development and a trusted partner for delivering the SDGs. PG facilitates engagement with partners in line with the UNDP Strategic Plan, coordinates strategic and multi-stakeholder partnerships, and advises on strategies, intelligence gathering, and donor engagement. It provides guidance on UN system-wide coherence, represents UNDP in intergovernmental fora, and cultivates relationships with member states for positioning and fundraising, while monitoring funding performance and supporting engagement with international financial institutions and civil society organizations. The Group consists of six teams: UN System Affairs, Partnerships Portfolio Management, Performance and Analysis Portfolio, Partnerships with Philanthropy, New Strategic Partnerships and Japan Unit. Japan Unit is committed to strengthening partnerships with Japan (the public and private sectors and civil society organizations in Japan) by playing a coordination and facilitation role within UNDP and between UNDP and Japan. Japan Unit, with close collaboration with the UNDP Representative Office in Tokyo, undertakes a wide range of activities including support for resource mobilization and management of Japan’s financial contributions to UNDP’s programmes/projects.Japan Unit also strengthens multi-bi cooperation with Japanese development partners (mainly the Government of Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)). Under the direct supervision of the Japan Unit staff, the intern’s main output would be to assist in compilation process of proposal submission from UNDP regional hubs and country offices for the Japan-funded projects. The intern will also assist analytical work and visualization of Japan’s funding trend, as well as meeting logistics and other activities to be undertaken by the Unit. The intern will support other BERA partnership group activities, if required, in addition to other tasks with prior consultation with and approval by the supervisor.

Requirements

• Applicants to the UNDP internship programme must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements: (a) Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher), (b) Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent), (c) Have graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation.
• Fluency in English and Japanese (both written and oral).
• Interest in Japan’s ODA, work of the UN (of UNDP in particular) and a personal commitment to UNDP's Statement of Purpose and to the ideals of the UN Charter
• Energetic self-starter with multi-tasking abilities and discipline with deadlines
• Ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views
• Ability to work with MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Teams, and Zoom
• Detail oriented

Nice To Haves

• Candidate is also preferred to have been enrolled in a Master’s level program in international development or business administration.
• Background or strong academic training in public policy, development practice, or sustainability, including knowledge of SDG implementation and ESG frameworks, is highly desireable,
• While no professional experience is necessary, excellent computer capabilities are required.
• Experience and/or knowledge of data analysis, including familiarity with data cleaning, impact evaluation, and use of visualization tools such as Power BI or R is an asset.
• Knowledge in development-related areas, multi-stakeholder engagement, international or multilateral organizations.
• Prior relevant experience is an asset, including experience in drafting meeting notes and reports, as well as organizing meetings and collaborative events.
• Experience in the private sector is considered an advantage, particularly if the candidate has participated in, or prepared for, bidding processes for procurement opportunities implemented by international organizations.
• Knowledge of another UN language is an advantage.
• Experience with online analytical tools, including Microsoft Power BI is desirable
• Demonstrated understanding of sustainable development policies, particularly related to climate resilience, responsible business, and human rights due diligence in supply chains.
• Experience working in multi-stakeholder settings, including government, academia, and private sector actors, with strong facilitation and communication skills.
• Experience in organizing or contributing to public engagement initiatives and awareness campaigns, including SDG-focused education or outreach events.

Responsibilities

• Assist the team in updating the status of projects funded through the Japan-UNDP Partnership Fund by liaising with relevant UNDP Units and Country Offices and collecting necessary documents including progress, final and financial reports, and updating the project list.
• Assist the team in submission of required documents and information to the Government of Japan such as Financial Agreements, letters, project proposals, project lists for refund and confirmation of receipts etc.
• Conduct research and stakeholder mapping on Japan’s funding trend, with focus on thematic areas such as climate change, SDGs, responsible industrial development, and human rights due diligence, including analysis of public-private initiatives and sustainable supply chains.
• Analyze procurement-related systems, guidelines, and market trends to identify opportunities for increasing private sector participation in UNDP projects. Prepare briefing materials and reports based on findings.
• Provide logistical and operational support for procurement participation promotion activities, including seminars, workshops, and outreach events.
• Provide logistical support for events, consultation and workshops that the Japan Unit will organize.
• Any other tasks assigned by the supervisor.
• Input and maintain the database on the projects funded by Japan.
• Support the creation of visual and analytical content for donor presentation and knowledge products, utilizing tools such as PowerPoint, Excel, and Power BI. Apply quantitative and qualitative data analysis skills to improve reporting and outreach.
• Assist the team in translating UNDP messages, press releases and other publications.
• Contribute to inclusive partnership building and outreach efforts with Japanese stakeholders, including academic institutions and civil society, leveraging experience in awareness-raising campaigns and educational initiatives.
• The intern is also expected to learn about Japan’s ODA funding schemes to the various partnerships between UNDP and Japan.

Benefits

• Interns may be given a modest monthly stipend according to the UNDP Internship Policies to help cover basic daily expenses related to the internship, such as meals and transportation at the duty station, if not financially supported by any institution or programme, such as a university, government, foundation or scholarship programme.
• 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.
• The intern will be evaluated at the end of the contract and due recognition of work will be issued in writing.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees