Internship (Development as Defense: Stakeholder Mapping, Partnerships, and Financing)

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.

UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo has described development as "the first line of defense." The argument runs both ways. Conflict, violent extremism and instability reverse development, erasing years of progress in health, education and livelihoods. At the same time, investment in resilient institutions, services and economies reduces the risk of crisis in the first place.

As defense budgets rise and development budgets come under pressure, UNDP needs to make this case to a new set of stakeholders: defense ministries, national security institutions, security alliances and the defense industry. These audiences have their own priorities, language and funding streams. Engaging them effectively requires a clear understanding of how they defi ne security threats and where development fits.

Internship Background

The Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, South-South and Triangular cooperation initiatives, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working. BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts in close coordination and thematic synergy with the Crisis Bureau (CB). 

The Front Office of BPPS is responsible for the smooth and seamless management of the substantive flow of information to and from BPPS, coordinating effective internal communications with BPPS teams, other Bureaus, the UNDP Executive Office, as well as communications with external partners. The Front Office plans and coordinates the BPPS Director and BPPS Deputy Director’s internal and external interactions and interventions based on priorities and agendas, in close collaboration with technical teams and other Bureaus as needed, ensuring the Director and Deputy Director’s successful provision of political leadership, strategic guidance, and managerial as well as programmatic priorities in full compliance with UNDP’s mandate. The BPPS Front Office is also responsible for the effective coordination with the interpolation of activities and strategies with the Crisis Bureau.

The objective of the internship is to identify how UNDP can position itself with defense and security stakeholders, develop concrete partnerships and access new sources of financing. To get there, the work has three objectives:

1. Evolve UNDP's message: identify how the development-as-defense narrative can connect with the priorities and language of the defense and security community.

2. Identify partnership opportunities: map where UNDP could partner with defense and security actors in government and industry.

3. Identify financing opportunities: map defense and security-related funding streams that could support UNDP's work, and how to access them.

The work covers four thematic angles: climate and health resilience; governance systems; digital systems and AI; and economic security.

Duties and Responsibilities

Map Defense and Security Narratives:

• Review national security and defense strategies, alliance and regional security frameworks, defense ministry and parliamentary statements, and defense industry and think tank publications.

• Document how these actors define threats and priorities, and how they describe the role of development, resilience and prevention.

Climate and Health Resilience:

• Map how defense and security actors treat climate change and health emergencies as security threats, including climate-related instability, disaster response and biosecurity.

• Identify where UNDP's resilience work aligns with these concerns.

Governance Systems:

• Map how security actors approach fragile states, stabilization, counterterrorism and preventing violent extremism.

• Identify where UNDP's governance, rule of law and stabilization work complements security objectives.

Digital Systems and AI:

• Map defense and security priorities on cyber resilience, disinformation, critical infrastructure protection and AI.

• Identify where UNDP's work on digital public infrastructure, information integrity and AI governance connects with these priorities.

Economic Security:

• Map how security actors frame economic resilience, supply chain security, energy security, youth unemployment and private sector recovery in fragile settings.

• Identify where UNDP's work on livelihoods, jobs, energy access and private sector development speaks to these priorities.

Message Gap Analysis:

• Compare UNDP's current framing with the language and priorities of defense and security audiences.

• Recommend how messaging can evolve to build credible connections without compromising UNDP's development mandate.

Partnership Mapping:

• Identify potential partners and entry points across defense ministries, security alliances, national security agencies and the defense industry.

• Look for opportunities in joint analysis, early warning and data, stabilization and recovery, civil preparedness, economic resilience and technology.

Financing Opportunities:

• Map defense and security-related financing that could support UNDP programming, including resilience and civil preparedness commitments within defense spending, stabilization and peace and security funds, security cooperation budgets, and co-investment with the defense industry and private sector.

• Assess eligibility, entry points and the positioning UNDP would need to access these resources.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Applicants to UNDP internships must at the time of application meet one of the following academic 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) 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.

In addition to meeting the requirement above under eligibility, the preferred fields of study for this internship includes:

• Development Studies, Economics,  Governance, Health or Development, or other related field.

IT skills:

• Knowledge and a proficient user of Microsoft Office productivity tools;
• Familiarity with digital platforms, AI tools and data visualization tools is desirable.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, including advanced Excel skills.

Language skills:

• Fluent in English- both written and spoken is  required;
• Knowledge of other UN languages is an advantage.
   

Other competencies and attitude:

• 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.

Internships Conditions:

Internships within the UN system are subject to following conditions, which the candidates should familiarize themselves with prior to applying:

• UNDP will not pay interns for internship but will provide a stipend in the amount of USD $500 monthly in accordance with the provisions of the UNDP internship policy.
• Interns, whether engaged in-person or remotely, are responsible for securing adequate medical insurance for the duration of their internship with UNDP and must provide self-certification of good health prior to starting the internship. 
• UNDP will not reimburse the medical insurance of the intern. Any costs arising from accidents and illness incurred during an internship assignment will be the responsibility of the intern.
• When completing a remote internship, interns will be responsible for providing their own equipment (e.g. laptop/notebook), internet and communication access and workspace.
• 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
  (For Office-based Internships): UNDP does not provide assistance with travel and/or housing and the Intern will be responsible for obtaining the necessary visas and arranging travel to and from the duty station where the internship will be performed.
• (For Home-based internships): Visas will be not provided for remote internships.
   

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

Data Privacy

Please click here to view UNDP Data Privacy Statement