TICAD Unit HQ Communications Intern

UNDP • New York, NY

5h

About The Position

With the extensive network of Country Offices, expertise in key development areas such as Poverty Eradication and Inclusive Growth, Good Governance, Environment and Climate Change, Crisis Prevention and Recovery, and Gender, as well as the integrator role for UN development assistance, UNDP has been partnering with Japan to support and enhance the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), initiated in 1993, as one of the key forum for the advancement of dialogue and collaboration on African development. UNDP, as one of the co-organizers of TICAD along with Japan, UN-Office of Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA), the World Bank and African Union Commission (AUC), has hosted a Special Unit for TICAD, which has been progressively integrated into the UNDP Regional Bureau of Africa (RBA) with a view to enhancing integrated UNDP support for the TICAD process. Through the Special Unit for TICAD, UNDP has consistently supported the successful expansion and evolution of the TICAD process and provided critical support in all relevant areas, including strategic, substantive, programmatic, technical and operational.
The Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) was successfully held from 20–22 August 2025 in Yokohama, Japan, under the theme “Co‑creating Innovative Solutions with Africa.” As a co‑organizer of the Conference, UNDP played a central role in shaping the agenda, convening high‑level dialogues, and amplifying African priorities related to youth leadership, innovation, human security, sustainable finance, and private‑sector–led growth. In the lead‑up to and following TICAD 9, UNDP significantly expanded its communications, advocacy, and public outreach efforts. This included the production of flagship publications, media engagement across Japanese and international outlets, high‑visibility youth‑focused initiatives, and strategic storytelling on Japan‑funded development results in Africa.
The TICAD Unit is also instrumental in the provision of strategic and advisory outreach to facilitate collaboration between Japanese counterparts and UNDP country offices, particularly Japan funded projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2025, the TICAD Unit supported the overview of 16 projects totalling 29.7 million USD in 13 countries.
Against this backdrop, strengthening the TICAD Unit’s communications capacity is essential to support post‑TICAD 9 follow‑up and the impact of Japan-funded projects through results‑based storytelling, digital outreach, and coordination across internal and external partners. A Communications Intern will play a critical role in supporting these efforts, contributing to content development, knowledge management, and strategic outreach linked to Japan–Africa–UNDP cooperation.

Requirements

• Applicants to the UNDP Internship Programme must meet one of the following requirements at the time of application: Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (e.g., a master’s or higher). Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (e.g., bachelor’s degree or equivalent). Have recently graduated with a university degree (as defined above) 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.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English, with demonstrated ability in drafting text and completing reports.
• Proficiency in creating visually appealing content using design tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Premiere, and Illustrator.
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong interactive and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment.

Nice To Haves

• Proficiency in French is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with team members to identify and gather relevant content, success stories, and updates from UNDP Country Offices in the Sub-Saharan African region
• Support in drafting, editing, designing of above communication materials
• Create and design engaging visuals for internal communications that resonate with different audiences
• Provide assistance with the organization of knowledge sharing materials amongst UNDP-Japan project recipient country offices
• Assist with any other communications tasks as required

Benefits

• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Intern