Internship - Innovation and Sustainability, Putrajaya/Kuala Lumpur (Malaysian Only)

UNICEF Malaysia is looking for internship candidate to support the program unit under Innovation & Sustainability.

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, hope

UNICEF is the United Nations Children’s Fund, which has more than 10,000 staff members working in 190 countries and territories worldwide. Since 1954, UNICEF has been joining forces with the Government of Malaysia to improve the wellbeing of children. More information on what we do in Malaysia is available at https://www.unicef.org/malaysia/.

Climate change and environmental degradation are some of the biggest threats affecting the world’s children, which can undermine many of the gains achieved in child survival and development. Children are the least responsible for climate change and environmental degradation, yet they stand to bear the most significant burden of its impact. UNICEF is committed to achieving societal transformation necessary for children to live in a sustainable, clean and safe environment. UNICEF’s climate and environmental sustainability strategy is structured around four main pillars to ensure children’s rights in a changing climate. The strategy stresses the need for ambitious programming to protect children from the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation by increasing the essential services’ resilience and reducing emissions and pollution. It recognizes that children are not merely passive victims but right holders and active agents of change and that our only hope is empowering future generations to choose an environmentally sustainable path.

In addition to climate change, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the need to adapt and create new solutions to confront the challenges facing children today. Therefore, innovation plays a central role at UNICEF to ensure new approaches and technologies can be used to provide life-saving information and services, engage young people and equip children with the knowledge and skills to address the challenges of today and tomorrow.

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of Activity/Assignment & Scope of Work

Under the supervision of the Innovation & Sustainability Specialist, this internship is to support the Innovation & Sustainability team in the implementation of the climate change and environment and innovation agenda. Furthermore, the intern will support UNICEF's efforts to make children and young people a focus of climate change strategies and to empower children and young people with knowledge and skills to participate in climate and environmental action.

MAIN TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

More specifically, the purpose of this internship includes:

• Support the ongoing efforts to engage youth and young entrepreneurs and startups in Malaysia that are actively innovating with purposeful intent for positive impact around issues affecting children, such as climate change and environmental degradation
• Support the ongoing work on youth engagement in climate action and dialogue, both on- and offline, including collecting inputs and feedback, mapping stakeholders, key activities and interventions, and developing good practices and lessons learned reports to motivate other adolescents and youth to act for the climate and improve their advocacy capacity
• Support in the establishment of relevant partnerships in support of the climate, environmental and innovation agenda
• Support the development of knowledge products on climate change, environment, disaster risk reduction, and innovation as required
• Support with the review of climate and environment learning and educational materials, collecting comments and suggestions, providing recommendations for improvements and strengthening actions
• Support with the review of relevant research and studies
• Support the communication efforts in identifying key climate and environmental dates and developing key messages and communication materials
• Other tasks that may arise related to the daily activities of the team

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

We are looking for a dynamic person who has a strong interest in climate and environment, innovation, digital engagement, rights of young people, content creation, as well as a proactive attitude towards day-to-day challenges. Most importantly, you need to demonstrate your interest and passion about why you want to work with UNICEF and for children and young people.

• Currently enrolled or graduated either in/from undergraduate level or graduate level school
• Prior experience with climate, environment, innovation and technology would be a considerable asset
• Solid skills in social media content production and digital engagement
• Excellent in verbal and written communication in English (including active listening and information synthesis, and strong writing abilities)
• Proficiency in verbal, written and interpersonal communication in Bahasa Malaysia preferred
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to work within a multi-cultural team
• Previous relevant work or volunteer experience highly desired

Requirements:

• Currently enrolled in a graduate (Master’s) or undergraduate (Bachelor’s) degree in the areas of Climate Science/Studies, Civil/Mechanical Engineering, Energy, Environmental Studies/Management, Economics, Public Policy, Sustainable Development or related field.
• Demonstrable proof of excellent academic performance
• Demonstrable excellence in verbal, written and interpersonal communication in English (including active listening and information synthesis and strong writing abilities).
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to work within a multi-cultural team.
• Previous relevant work or volunteer experience highly desired.

Conditions of the Internship:

• The intern will receive UNICEF laptop and email account during the internship period
• The intern will receive a basic stipend according to UNICEF’s internal standard
• The intern is expected to work in UNICEF Putrajaya office at least three days of the week (depending on COVID-19 PKP restriction), and remotely for the other working days.

Eligibility Requirement

• Currently enrolled in a graduate (Master’s) or undergraduate (Bachelor’s) or have graduated within the past two years
• Applicants must be at least 18 years old
• Be proficient in at least one of UNICEF's working languages: English, French or Spanish. Fluency in the working language of the office you are applying to is required.
• Have excellent 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; and
• Have no other relatives in the line of authority which the intern will report to.

Leave Days

• 2.5 days a month, observe UN Holidays at the duty station

Working Hours

• Monday – Friday, 8am to 4.30pm
• The intern is expected to work in UNICEF Putrajaya office at least three days of the week (depending on COVID-19 PKP restriction), and remotely for the other working days.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

• Solid understanding and familiarity with climate change and environmental protection
• Familiarity with technology and digital trends
• Excellent communication skills including both written and verbal use of language
• Ability to work well with people and in a team
• High standard for quality of work and drives for results
• Quick learner and strong research skills
• Enjoys creating and innovating
• Ability to adapt quickly to changing circumstances

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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