Background

The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) assists developing countries, especially the least developing countries, in developing their economies by supplementing existing sources of capital assistance using grants, loans, and guarantees. UNCDF’s vision is to help mobilize and catalyze increased capital flows for SDG impactful investments in Member States to address the most pressing development challenges facing vulnerable communities in these countries, thereby contributing to sustainable economic growth and equitable prosperity.

UNCDF utilizes its unique capability in the UN system to deploy grants, loans and guarantees to crowd in finance to scale development impact. UNCDF focuses on where the needs are most significant, a deliberate focus and capability rooted in UNCDF’s unique investment mandate to support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the realization of the Doha Programme of Action for the least developed countries, 2022–2031.

Duties and Responsibilities

The intern will have opportunities to:

• Participate in in-house training opportunities as applicable.
• Learn the structure, mechanisms, policies and practice areas of UNDP.
• Strengthen practical communication skills.
• Participate in working groups.
• Network with approximately 400 personnel across UNCDF global locations.

Period of the Internship: Selected candidate(s) will be expected to begin their internship in February/March 2025 on a part-time basis (from New York) and full-time for four (4) months during April-October 2025, based in Bangkok, Thailand. The Operational Effectiveness and Assurance Advisor will supervise the intern, and the selected individual will work closely with the Procurement Specialist, Risk Management Specialist and Social and Environmental Safeguards Specialist in UNCDF.

Expected functions

• Assist in launching a revamped investment platform within UNCDF that fully complies with the policies and procedures governing UNCDF’s operations.
• Assist in establishing business process flow and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for implementing Anti-Money Laundering/Countering Financial Terrorism (AML/CFT) policy across UNCDF initiatives.
• Assist in establishing business process flow and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for UNCDF’s Social and Environmental Compliance Review Process
• Conducting market, financial, policy, and general research and cataloging information and sources to identify risks and opportunities.
• Support in developing business cases for sustainable financial investments before UNCDF deploys loans and guarantees.
• Assist in enhancing Private Sector Due Diligence Assessment methods by UNCDF.

Competencies

Required Competencies:

Excellent organizational skills;
Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals;
Excellent problem-solving skills;
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.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Applicants to the UNCDF internship programme must at the time of application must meet one of the following requirements:

• Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme, or higher);
• Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
• Have recently 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.

Desired Skills:

• Strong IT skills and excellent knowledge of office software packages (e.g., Microsoft Office suite: PPT, Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, Streams, Forms, SharePoint, Power BI, and similar).
• Knowledge of translating processes into digital media is a distinct advantage.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required. Good working knowledge of French is an asset.

General Internships Terms & Conditions:

• UNCDF Internship programme is governed by the UNDP Internship Policy Framework and Rules;
• Under the new revised UNDP Internship Policy, UNCDF will provide a modest monthly internship stipend to its interns, in accordance with the provisions of the UNDP Internship Policy. All expenses connected with the internship will be borne by the Intern or her/his sponsoring entity/institution. Stipends are available only for full-time and part-time internships at this time;
• Selected Interns must be able to share proof of education enrolment and/ or raduation, medical/ health and life/accident insurance valid for the location in which the internship will be carried out and be able to provide insurance documentary proof at the time of their selection;
• The purpose of the Internship Programme is not to lead to further employment with UNCDF but to complement an Intern’s studies and learning growth;
• There is no expectation of employment at the end of these internships.