JOB DESCRIPTION

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, we innovate

UNICEF has a 70-year history of innovating for children. We believe that new approaches, partnerships and technologies that support realizing children’s rights are critical to improving their lives. The Office of Innovation is a creative, interactive, and agile team in UNICEF. We sit at a unique intersection, where an organization that works on huge global issues meets the start-up thinking, the technology, and the partners that turn this energy into scalable solutions.

To continue our expanding work, the Innovative Finance Hub is looking for two Innovative Finance Interns reporting to the Programme Specialist and the Senior Analyst, Innovative Finance, respectively, as part of the core team driving Innovative Financing strategies.

Our team

We”re an interdisciplinary team around the world tasked with identifying, prototyping, and scaling new technologies and practices. With our partners, we focus on convening and collaborating on new and different solutions, low- and high-tech, by:

• Looking at the 2-5 years horizon to evaluate emerging and trending technologies and to see how UNICEF can work with the private sector on doing better business while improving essential services for children.
• Investing in early-stage solutions that show great potential to positively impact children in the 02 years future including the Venture Fund that invests in open-source technology solutions from start- ups based in UNICEF’s programme countries.
• Identifying proven solutions that can be implemented at national scale in multiple countries – taking the ideas that help thousands in one country, bringing them to dozens of countries across multiple sectors, and impacting the lives of millions of children.”

How can you make a difference?

In support of the 2022-25 Strategic Plan, UNICEF has launched its Global Innovative Finance for Children (IF4C) Strategy and is ramping up coordinated endeavors to foster and promote the wider use of IF.

As part of this strategy, the Innovative Finance Hub works on two Pathways – Emerging Fundraising, and Innovative Financing, where this internship will sit.

At the Innovative Financing Pathway, we develop solutions around the integration of children in investors’ sustainability and human rights practices, across asset classes (including private and public equities). Our work entails the translation of child rights into policies, recommendations and practices for investors and their investees to respect child rights and simultaneously drive investment with a positive impact for children. Our core project in this regard is child-lens investing, an investing approach to position children in the investor agenda. You can learn more of child-lens investing here: https://www.unicef.org/innovation/innovative-finance/child-lens-investing

The two Innovative Finance Interns will provide a broad support on innovative finance projects. The expectation is to introduce the interns to UNICEF”s work on Innovative Financing and involve them in support functions with the team, following a learning-by-doing model.

Main responsibilities include:

After a comprehensive onboarding, candidates will be expected to perform support functions including:

• Research and analysis: including desktop research around sustainable finance frameworks, consolidation of databases for contacts and pipeline partners; as well as dedicated research support deep-diving in agreed areas of work around child-lens investing (public and private equity investors, financial products, regulatory mapping, etc.).
• Internal Support: including targeted support to Project Managers around a variety of topics on child-lens investing, sustainable finance (i.e: development of Briefing Notes and presentations for senior management and key external events and stakeholders)
• Communications: Coordinate with IF Hub Communications Specialist to align core messaging and deliver timely social media and external outreach when launching new products and reports.
• Team Overall Support: Team Overall Support: Given the diverse range of projects within the IF Hub, the intern may be called upon to assist with various tasks related to innovative finance, either directly or indirectly, as needed.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Enrolled at a university at a Masters level, undergraduate level or a recent graduate (within two years from date of graduation) in Finance, Business Administration, International Development, or a related field.
• Previous work experience, including internships, in the finance and/or sustainable finance (ESG, impact investing, etc.) field would be considered an asset.

• Demonstrated interest working with sustainable finance or related field is desirable, including solid understanding of financial concepts, including sustainable finance, impact investing and ESG.

• Strong capacity to work effectively in inter-divisional teams.
• Excellent analytical, interpersonal and communications skills.

• Ability to conceptualize, plan and execute ideas.

• Fluency in English is required

Conditions:

• Age: Interns must be at least 18 years
• Have good academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records.
• Have no immediate relatives (e.g. father, mother, brother, sister) working in any UNICEF office.
• Have no other relatives in the line of authority which the intern will report to.
• Individuals must have proof of medical insurance covering the time and location of their internship.
• This internship will be delivered on a full-time commitment.
• Individuals are expected to provide their own laptop.
• Selected candidates will receive a monthly stipend (unless already in receipt of any support for the internship from a third party).
• Individuals are responsible for arranging any visa or immigration requirements.

Employment: There is no expectancy of employment at the end of the internship.

Please see attached Terms of Reference (TOR)  Innovative Finance Internship (2 vacancies).pdf

How to apply:

Interested applicant is required to submit an application via the online portal, and attach a CV and Cover Letter.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF”s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks: 

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Contact: For any queries, please contact: [email protected]

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements