Background

Anchored in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and in line with the priorities outlined in the UNDP Strategic Plan, the Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS) supports the Arab States region to achieve sustainable development by eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, accelerating structural transformations for sustainable development, and building resilience to crises and shocks. Within this work, the Regional Bureau for Arab States responds to needs across development settings including Least Developed Countries, Middle Income Countries, Net Contributor Countries and countries affected by crisis, with a view to support the building of resilience, fight climate change, leverage the promise of innovation, and prioritize the advance of women, youth and vulnerable groups as part of its commitment to the principles of universality, equality and leaving no one behind in an increasing challenging regional context which has been further impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

The RBAS Regional Hub provides expanded technical backing to Country Offices and ensures effective, timely and responsive support focused on UNDP’s realigned programme priorities and tailored to the emerging and changing needs and priorities in the region. The Regional Hub in Amman offers a wide range of support to Country Offices including knowledge services, and operations, strategic policy advice, programme development and implementation, capacity development, policy research and analysis in various thematic areas. The Inclusive Growth team is one of those teams.

The team supports partners in the region to develop integrated, transformative, and scalable solutions to tackle the interconnected challenges of poverty, vulnerability, inequality and exclusion, in ways that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. The team assists in enhancing prospects for inclusive growth, jobs and livelihoods at national and local levels, including through economic recovery and resilience-building in crisis and post crisis contexts, focusing on empowering women and youth, and advancing opportunities for the most vulnerable. It also supports research, policy, and program guidance around: macroeconomic stability, private and financial sectors, fiscal policy and public finance management, economic transformation, social protection, women economic empowerment, urban and digital economy, etc.

Duties and Responsibilities

The intern will work under the overall guidance of the Inclusive Growth Team Leader and day to day supervision of the specialists working on specific thematic area to which the intern is to be assigned.

 Specific tasks toward attaining these include:

• Conducting data collection, desk reviews of existing research and literature on one or two of the areas that the inclusive growth team is currently working on (namely, macroeconomics, public finance management, social protection, informality, labor market, poverty and inequality, private sector development (including micro, small and medium enterprises), SDG financing).
• Compiling charts and tables, analyzing research on thematic topics, review/revise chapters, listing of bibliography, and other tasks as required for the finalization of the report. 
• Analyzing data collected, case studies, and other existing data sourced from Arab countries
• The intern may also be asked to:
  • Prepare policy briefs, sector scan, status papers on development challenges based on desk review studies and analysis for evidence-based advocacy and policy development in the relevant field.
  • Assist in the development of new or ongoing initiatives, including review of policy literature in respect to the subject to enhance UNDP programming in the relevant field within the Arab Region.
  • Document good practices, cases studies, innovations and pilot models for wider dissemination and sharing.
  • Prepare conceptual framework / concept notes on new areas of work or development challenges.
  • Assist in the development of technical support in development of new interventions or projects.
  • Prepare and review project documents.
  • Perform any other assignment given to him/her by his/her supervisor.

Competencies

Core Competencies:
Professionalism:
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve a wide range of complex issues/problems.
• Ability to negotiate and to influence others to reach agreement.
• Ability to work under pressure.

Communication:
• Speaks and writes clearly, concisely, and effectively;
• Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately.

Teamwork:
• Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise.
• Is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda.
• Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position.

Planning & Organizing:
• Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies.
• Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required.
• Allocates appropriate amount of time and resource for completing work.

Accountability:
• Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honor commitments.
• Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards.
• Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules.
• Supports subordinates, provide oversight and take responsibility for delegated assignments.
• Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

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

• Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme, or higher) in subjects relevant to the work of Inclusive Growth Team (economics, development studies, public policy, international development and related fields).
• Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in subjects mentioned under (a) above.
• 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.

Experience:

• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to write clearly and concisely.
• Initiative, sound judgment and demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with staff members of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Good command of information and communication technology.
• Some knowledge of the Arab region would be helpful.

Languages:

Fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Arabic and French language skills would be an asset but not necessary.

Duration of assignment

• 6 months (Remontly or in Person) 

Stipend

• Where an intern is engaged in-person and is not financially supported by any institution or programme, such as a university, Government, foundation or scholarship programme, a stipend intended to help cover basic daily expenses related to an in-person internship, such as meals and transportation at the duty station, must be paid by the receiving office.
• Where an intern is engaged remotely and is not financially supported by any institution or programme, such as a university, Government, foundation or scholarship programme, a remote stipend intended to help cover expenses related to the internship, such as internet connections or other means to remain in contact with the receiving office, must be paid by the receiving office.
• The monthly amount of the stipend for remote internships will be based on a standard global rate applicable for all remote internships. The amount of the stipend for in-person internships will be set for each duty station. The monthly stipend rates of both remote and in-person internships will be published annually by the Bureau for Management Services’ Office of Human Resources (BMS/OHR). The stipend will be paid on a monthly basis and will be pro-rated for part-time internship arrangements.
• Where an intern is financially supported by an institution, Government or third party, UNDP will, subject to the rules of such institution, Government or third party, pay the intern the difference, if any, between the external financial support provided and the applicable UNDP stipend.
• No other payments of any kind, or advance on the stipend due, will be made to an intern by the receiving office in connection with an internship agreement, except for any reimbursements made to an intern under paragraph 33 of the present policy.
• Interns will accrue combined sick and annual leave at the rate of 1 ½ days per month, which will be prorated to the nearest half day for part-time internships. Any accrued leave days not used by the end of the internship will be forfeited. Any unjustified absences during the internship period exceeding a total of nine days or as prorated for part-time internships, will be deducted from the monthly stipend.