Intern, Global Programme on Nature for Development, Multiple positions

UNDP’s Global Programme on Nature for Development brings together three different initiatives -- the New York Declaration on Forests Global Platform, the Equator Initiative, and the National Biodiversity Initiative under one program in order to identify, foster, showcase and celebrate nature-based solutions that help achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at local, national, and international levels. The work of the Global Programme on Nature for Development contributes to UNDP's Strategic Plan 2018-2021 by charting sustainable development pathways through the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of biodiversity and ecosystems; and by promoting inclusive and effective democratic governance in the area of natural resources.

The Equator Initiative brings together the United Nations, governments, civil society, businesses and grassroots organizations to recognize and advance local sustainable development solutions for people, nature and resilient communities. The Equator Initiative seeks to:

-          Recognize the success of local and indigenous initiatives,

-          Create opportunities and platforms to share knowledge and good practice,

-          Inform policy to foster an enabling environment for local and indigenous community action, and

-          Develop the capacity of indigenous peoples and local communities to scale-up their impact.

The Global Platform for the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) is a partnership of governments, multinational companies, civil society and indigenous peoples who strive to halve deforestation by 2020 and to end it by 2030. The NYDF outlines ten ambitious global targets related to protecting and restoring forests. The Global Platform for the New York Declaration on Forests seeks to fill an important gap in multi-stakeholder engagement and collaboration necessary to achieve the goals of the NYDF. The NYDF Global Platform works to increase ambition, forge new partnerships and accelerate progress on the NYDF goals by responding to NYDF endorsers’ requests for a dedicated, multi-stakeholder platform to re-invigorate political endorsement of the NYDF, to facilitate coordination and communication, to share best practices, resources and lessons, and to support ongoing monitoring of progress.

The National Biodiversity Initiative supports countries to manage their ecosystems and biodiversity in order improve national planning and governance of biodiversity, ecosystems, and development, and to promote resilience for sustainable development. The National Biodiversity Initiative works in three project areas: National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) Support, National Reporting, and Capacity Building. The use of spatial data for spatial planning is a cross-cutting theme across these project areas.

Knowledge Sharing is a main goal of the Equator Initiative, the National Biodiversity Initiative, and NYDF. The Equator Initiative has a large series of research papers, books, and other publications focusing on local approaches to poverty reduction and conservation, informed by community-based initiatives. 180 case studies in over 30 languages have documented the Equator Prize Winners’ innovative practices that deliver the win-win-win solutions that ensure social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The National Biodiversity Initiative works in partnership with UN Environment’s MapX to share knowledge on the role of spatial data in biodiversity planning, policymaking, and reporting through story maps. The NYDF Global Platform aims to use case studies about NYDF endorsers from a variety of stakeholder groups, including companies, governments, indigenous peoples and NGOs in order to share best practices and challenges in implementing the NYDF goals.

Learning for Nature is a capacity-building offer provided by the Global Programme on Nature for Development, cutting across the three areas of work. This programme connects biodiversity policymakers, change-makers, and on-the-ground subject matter experts to facilitate the delivery of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Aichi Biodiversity Targets, and the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Access to the global multi-stakeholder networks mobilized by the NYDF, the Equator Initiative, and the National Biodiversity Initiative allows Learning for Nature to circulate knowledge while promoting best practices. Building on our learnings on the ground, we seek synergies, build linkages, and engage thousands of course participants on their journey towards sustainable development solutions for people, nature, and resilient communities. Learning for Nature invites you to explore opportunities for building capacity to scale up efforts for nature-based sustainable development through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), webinars, self-paced e-learning modules, and private training courses.

For further information please go to: www.equatorinitiative.org, www.nbsapforum.net, www.learningfornature.org, www.mapx.org, or www.nydfglobalplatform.org. 

The intern will be based in the New York office. Responsibilities may include but will not be limited to the following, as outlined below. Language skills are strong assets. The intern will assist the Global Programme on Nature for Development in all aspects of the work, with specific emphasis on supporting the Equator Prize 2020 and/or supporting the New York Declaration on Forests Global Platform. S/he will report to the manager of the Global Programme on Nature for Development.

Duties and responsibilities include:

• As identified by the Project Manager(s), support areas of work of the Global Programme on Nature for Development through general support, content creation, administrative support, outreach, and communications.
• Support the Equator Prize 2020, in particular the outreach, nomination and selection processes.
• Support key events with stakeholders and endorsers of the NYDF
• Support outreach efforts through newsletters, social media, and direct mailing in several languages.
• Liaise with community based initiatives, governments, research institutes, and the private sector as needed;
• Support literature reviews, desk top reviews, compilation of information, and gathering of data on topics pertinent to the Project, such as, but not limited to biodiversity and ecosystems in national, local, and international contexts, sustainable development, forest management, local community and indigenous peoples; social entrepreneurship and impact investing; involvement in global policy processes.
• Support organization of workshops and events, both online and in-person, assisting with preparations for workshop participants, and liaising with event partners and panelists.
• Support the Equator Prize selection process by conducting research, performing qualitative and quantitative analysis of nominations (where required), and liaising with referees;
• Support media and communications efforts, in particular around the Equator Prize 2020, such as drafting of press releases, talking points, articles for magazines and journals, social media materials and photo stories.
• Support knowledge management efforts and gathering and dissemination of best practices, including data analysis.
• Write reports and summaries for websites, support development of publications both on content and administrative aspects, including review of photo assets.
• Administrative duties, translations, and database entry as identified to ensure the smooth operation of the office.
• Other duties as necessary

Education (Level and area of required and/or preferred education)

• Master’s degree in development studies, environmental sciences, politics, international law, human rights, computer science or related field, completed within the past 3 years, or currently in progress;
• Bachelor’s degree in fields mentioned above may be considered in combination with relevant experience as outlined below.

Work Experience

• Interest in the fields of development and environment;
• Strong writing skills required;
• Prior experience working on one of the following topics at a conceptual level is a strong asset: biodiversity/climate change; social entrepreneurship/impact investing; human/civil/indigenous rights; civil society engagement;
• Prior experience working at the local level on sustainable development, indigenous and/or human rights issues in developing countries would be a strong asset;
• Prior experience (e.g. through internships or voluntary work) in international affairs, supporting international events, communications and/or local development is considered a strong asset;

Languages

• Fluency and excellent writing ability in English is required.
• Fluency and excellent writing ability in at least one other UN language or Portuguese is a strong asset.
• Knowledge of additional languages is an asset.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC)

Based in New York, the Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations.

The SDC’s services include grants management, development and special initiatives support, and technology support to the UN and UN agencies.

The SDC is part of the New York Service Cluster that supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as a broadening community of other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.