RBA Directorate/Front Office Intern

UNDP•New York, NY

About The Position

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA) provides strategic oversight, quality assurance, management support, and regional analysis across country offices and global initiatives. The RBA Directorate seeks a highly motivated graduate student to support the establishment of a structured documentation and task-tracking system and improve coordination, workflow efficiency, and knowledge management within the Directorate. The intern reports directly to the Special Advisor to the RBA Director. The intern supports coordination and task management, documentation and knowledge management, workflow optimization and digital innovation, and monitoring and analysis. This includes maintaining task-tracking systems, coordinating calendars and meetings, documenting and organizing information, supporting follow-ups with country offices and headquarters units, developing practical digital tracking and automation tools, monitoring initiatives, and conducting research for briefing materials. The internship programme does not provide a salary or remuneration. UNDP offers a modest monthly stipend to help cover basic daily expenses related to the internship, such as meals and transportation at the duty station. The intern bears other internship-related expenses and must provide proof of enrollment in a health insurance plan. Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in an official capacity.

Requirements

At the time of application, be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher) in Economics, African Studies, History, Social Science, International Development, Development Studies, or another relevant field; alternatively, have graduated with a relevant university degree and, if selected, start the internship within one year of graduation.
Demonstrated ability to interact successfully with individuals from different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, with willingness to understand and tolerate differing opinions and views.
Excellent analytical skills.
Experience using computers and office software packages.
Fluency in oral and written English.
Strong organizational and multitasking ability.
High level of integrity, discretion, and reliability.
Ability to work independently under pressure.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including clear written and verbal communication and ability to tailor messages to different audiences.
Collaborative mindset and ability to work across diverse teams.
Proficiency in Microsoft 365, including Outlook, Teams, Excel, SharePoint, and Planner.
Must provide proof of enrollment in a health insurance plan.

Nice To Haves

Some relevant experience in international development or a related area is preferred.
Knowledge of the UN system is an advantage.
Experience designing infographics is an advantage.
Experience with digital task management, process automation, or workflow optimization tools is a strong advantage.
Experience with task-tracking tools and dashboards.
Familiarity with workflow automation tools such as Power Automate.
Interest or experience with AI tools such as Copilot or generative AI.
Knowledge of French is a major asset.

Responsibilities

Maintain and update a centralized task-tracking system for Directorate activities, including deadlines, follow-ups, deliverables, and general to-dos.
Coordinate calendars and support the planning of strategic meetings and events, including maintaining a color-coded Directorate calendar with the Directorate Executive Assistant.
Take meeting minutes, upload them within 24 hours, and maintain a minutes folder on the shared Directorate platform.
Maintain organized document repositories, including SharePoint and shared drives, and ensure information is accurate, accessible, and up to date.
Liaise and follow up with country offices, headquarters units, and teams to support timely submissions and completion of deadlines, including quarterly event tracking.
Review documents and provide edits or feedback when requested.
Create personalized access to tasking logs or a checklist system to help track document drafting, editing, and submission to the Special Advisor.
Design and maintain a simple, user-friendly digital task-tracking or monitoring system, including automated reminders or visual status updates, and document lessons learned for sustainability.
Identify workflow inefficiencies and propose practical process improvements; support automation and integration of AI-enabled tools for administrative and analytical tasks.
Develop and maintain a qualitative monitoring system for Directorate activities, track key initiatives, and provide status updates.
Conduct research on topics and events and contribute to briefing notes, speeches, and talking points.
Organize and update information on the RBA SharePoint and support document review processes.