Details
Mission and objectives
As the United Nations lead agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and to build resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our work is concentrated in three focus areas; sustainable development, democratic governance and peace building, and climate and disaster resilience. UNDP’s mandate is to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions. We advocate for change, and connect countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.
Context
UNDP South Africa’s timbuktoo programme forms part of a pan-African initiative that seeks to build, connect and strengthen innovation ecosystems across the continent through a network of UniPods and sector-focused Hubs. The initiative supports young innovators, entrepreneurs and ecosystem actors by providing access to innovation infrastructure, technical support, partnerships, pre-incubation and enterprise development pathways that contribute to inclusive growth, decent work and sustainable development.
In South Africa, the timbuktoo portfolio is implemented through two main delivery vehicles. The UniPod at the University of Johannesburg supports early-stage innovation, student entrepreneurship, ideation, prototyping and pre-incubation. The timbuktoo Creatives Hub in the Western Cape focuses on the creative and cultural industries through three priority lanes: animation, gaming and digital media. The Hub is specifically focused on IP development, serious games, venture development and IP-generating digital content businesses, and does not cover film, television, music or fashion.
The UN Volunteer will support active programmes under the timbuktoo South Africa portfolio, including the Animation Studio Accelerator Programme, which supports a cohort of animation studios towards IP development and investment readiness, and the Games Development Venture Lab, an emerging programme being developed in partnership with the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism. The assignment will also support broader ecosystem and partnership functions, including coordination with public sector, cultural economy, innovation and enterprise development stakeholders.
In addition to its programme responsibilities, UNDP contributes to United Nations Country Team coordination, including through the Youth Theme Group and related inter-agency platforms that support youth employment, skills development, entrepreneurship and inclusive economic participation. This assignment offers an opportunity for a young professional to gain practical experience in programme coordination, innovation programming, stakeholder engagement, reporting, knowledge management and UN coordination, while receiving structured mentoring, workplace learning and regular guidance from the supervisor.
In South Africa, the timbuktoo portfolio is implemented through two main delivery vehicles. The UniPod at the University of Johannesburg supports early-stage innovation, student entrepreneurship, ideation, prototyping and pre-incubation. The timbuktoo Creatives Hub in the Western Cape focuses on the creative and cultural industries through three priority lanes: animation, gaming and digital media. The Hub is specifically focused on IP development, serious games, venture development and IP-generating digital content businesses, and does not cover film, television, music or fashion.
The UN Volunteer will support active programmes under the timbuktoo South Africa portfolio, including the Animation Studio Accelerator Programme, which supports a cohort of animation studios towards IP development and investment readiness, and the Games Development Venture Lab, an emerging programme being developed in partnership with the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism. The assignment will also support broader ecosystem and partnership functions, including coordination with public sector, cultural economy, innovation and enterprise development stakeholders.
In addition to its programme responsibilities, UNDP contributes to United Nations Country Team coordination, including through the Youth Theme Group and related inter-agency platforms that support youth employment, skills development, entrepreneurship and inclusive economic participation. This assignment offers an opportunity for a young professional to gain practical experience in programme coordination, innovation programming, stakeholder engagement, reporting, knowledge management and UN coordination, while receiving structured mentoring, workplace learning and regular guidance from the supervisor.
Task description
Under the direct supervision of the designated UNDP Supervisor, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
1. Support programme coordination and implementation
● Support the planning, coordination and implementation of programmes that promote innovation, entrepreneurship, enterprise development, youth employment and inclusive economic growth.
● Assist with coordinating programme activities, meetings, workshops, consultations and stakeholder engagements, ensuring effective logistical and administrative support.
● Contribute to the implementation of approved work plans and support the timely delivery of programme outputs.
● Support coordination of timbuktoo Creatives Hub activities, including the Animation Studio Accelerator Programme, the Games Development Venture Lab and related creative and cultural industries ecosystem engagements with government, industry, innovation and enterprise development partners.
2. Support UNCT internal coordination mechanisms
● Support UNDP's participation in the Programme Management Team (PMT) by assisting with the coordination of meetings, preparation of agendas and background documentation, recording minutes, maintaining action trackers and following up on agreed action points.
● Contribute to information sharing, coordination and collaboration among participating UN agencies to support joint programming and implementation of the UNSDCF.
● Support the documentation and coordination of PMT activities that strengthen inter-agency programme planning, reporting and knowledge sharing.
3. Conduct research, data collection and basic analysis
● Conduct desk research and compile information on innovation, entrepreneurship, enterprise development, youth employment and sustainable development.
● Assist with data collection, compilation and basic analysis to support programme planning, implementation and evidence-informed decision-making.
● Support the preparation of background papers, briefing notes, concept notes, presentations and other technical documentation.
4. Support monitoring, reporting and results tracking
● Assist in monitoring programme implementation by maintaining activity trackers, compiling programme information and supporting the collection of performance data.
● Contribute to the preparation of programme reports, PMT updates and other reporting requirements by compiling administrative and technical inputs.
● Support results tracking and documentation of programme achievements against approved work plans and expected outputs.
5. Support knowledge management and documentation
● Organize and maintain programme documentation, electronic filing systems and information repositories.
● Document lessons learned, good practices and programme achievements to support institutional learning and knowledge sharing.
● Assist in maintaining accurate programme and coordination records that facilitate information sharing within UNDP and across the UN Country Team.
6. Support stakeholder engagement and operational coordination
● Assist in coordinating engagement with government institutions, development partners, private sector organizations, innovation hubs, academia, civil society organizations and other stakeholders.
● Support the organization of meetings, consultations, workshops and partnership engagements, including logistical and operational arrangements.
● Maintain stakeholder databases, partnership records and follow up on agreed collaborative actions.
7. Support communication and visibility
● Assist in compiling programme information, activity highlights and supporting documentation for internal updates, reports and other communication products.
● Support the documentation of meetings, workshops, consultations and programme events by preparing event summaries, maintaining activity records and compiling supporting information where appropriate.
● Assist in preparing presentations, briefing materials and other information products that support programme implementation, stakeholder engagement and knowledge sharing.
8. Provide general administrative support
● Provide administrative support for programme operations, including meeting logistics, travel arrangements, procurement documentation, records management, filing systems and correspondence.
● Assist with maintaining financial and administrative documentation in accordance with UNDP policies and procedures.
● Perform other programme support and administrative duties as assigned by the supervisor.
1. Support programme coordination and implementation
● Support the planning, coordination and implementation of programmes that promote innovation, entrepreneurship, enterprise development, youth employment and inclusive economic growth.
● Assist with coordinating programme activities, meetings, workshops, consultations and stakeholder engagements, ensuring effective logistical and administrative support.
● Contribute to the implementation of approved work plans and support the timely delivery of programme outputs.
● Support coordination of timbuktoo Creatives Hub activities, including the Animation Studio Accelerator Programme, the Games Development Venture Lab and related creative and cultural industries ecosystem engagements with government, industry, innovation and enterprise development partners.
2. Support UNCT internal coordination mechanisms
● Support UNDP's participation in the Programme Management Team (PMT) by assisting with the coordination of meetings, preparation of agendas and background documentation, recording minutes, maintaining action trackers and following up on agreed action points.
● Contribute to information sharing, coordination and collaboration among participating UN agencies to support joint programming and implementation of the UNSDCF.
● Support the documentation and coordination of PMT activities that strengthen inter-agency programme planning, reporting and knowledge sharing.
3. Conduct research, data collection and basic analysis
● Conduct desk research and compile information on innovation, entrepreneurship, enterprise development, youth employment and sustainable development.
● Assist with data collection, compilation and basic analysis to support programme planning, implementation and evidence-informed decision-making.
● Support the preparation of background papers, briefing notes, concept notes, presentations and other technical documentation.
4. Support monitoring, reporting and results tracking
● Assist in monitoring programme implementation by maintaining activity trackers, compiling programme information and supporting the collection of performance data.
● Contribute to the preparation of programme reports, PMT updates and other reporting requirements by compiling administrative and technical inputs.
● Support results tracking and documentation of programme achievements against approved work plans and expected outputs.
5. Support knowledge management and documentation
● Organize and maintain programme documentation, electronic filing systems and information repositories.
● Document lessons learned, good practices and programme achievements to support institutional learning and knowledge sharing.
● Assist in maintaining accurate programme and coordination records that facilitate information sharing within UNDP and across the UN Country Team.
6. Support stakeholder engagement and operational coordination
● Assist in coordinating engagement with government institutions, development partners, private sector organizations, innovation hubs, academia, civil society organizations and other stakeholders.
● Support the organization of meetings, consultations, workshops and partnership engagements, including logistical and operational arrangements.
● Maintain stakeholder databases, partnership records and follow up on agreed collaborative actions.
7. Support communication and visibility
● Assist in compiling programme information, activity highlights and supporting documentation for internal updates, reports and other communication products.
● Support the documentation of meetings, workshops, consultations and programme events by preparing event summaries, maintaining activity records and compiling supporting information where appropriate.
● Assist in preparing presentations, briefing materials and other information products that support programme implementation, stakeholder engagement and knowledge sharing.
8. Provide general administrative support
● Provide administrative support for programme operations, including meeting logistics, travel arrangements, procurement documentation, records management, filing systems and correspondence.
● Assist with maintaining financial and administrative documentation in accordance with UNDP policies and procedures.
● Perform other programme support and administrative duties as assigned by the supervisor.
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