Innovation Intern

Background

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.  
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

The Istanbul Regional Hub (IRH) serves as UNDP's primary knowledge and advisory hub for Europe and CIS (RBEC) region. The Hub connects the region to a global network of development experts, builds knowledge and capacity, and forges partnerships to address the development challenges of a complex and diverse region. The Regional Programme (2022-2025) focuses on three key directions of change: structural transformation (including green, inclusive and digital transitions); leaving no one behind; and building resilience.   

The UNDP Innovation Team in Europe and Central Asia is pioneering a transformative approach to sustainable development through strategic innovation, portfolio and systems-thinking methods. At the core of this work is the portfolio approach, which organizes initiatives around cohesive outcomes, enabling UNDP to address complex challenges through systems thinking and adaptive management. With over 15 active portfolios across 12 Country Offices, this systemic approach is reshaping development strategies in areas such as urban transformation, digital innovation, and crisis response.   

Looking ahead, the team is focusing on three key innovation portfolio areas: Twin Transition (Digital and Green) on local level; AI and emerging technologies, aimed at scaling these solutions; and Future Ready UNDP, which incorporates foresight and intelligence for horizontal integration across themes. Our innovation work is organized around three flagship projects:  

• The Mayors for Economic Growth initiative, funded by the European Union, has grown to include over 400 municipalities across five countries. This project provides targeted support, from quick response grants to portfolio journeys, helping local authorities reimagine economic development.  

• The Slovak Transformation Fund enables city experimentation and impact acceleration work through BOOST, which accelerates social impact ventures through tailored support, networking, and financing opportunities. 

• The Tadamon initiative, supported by the Islamic Development Bank, is empowering civil society organizations in OIC member countries. By mapping over 3,800 organizations, providing crowdfunding training to 600 CSOs, and offering grants for innovative projects, Tadamon is building a robust ecosystem of social impact.   

In addition to these flagship projects, the team is actively supporting conflict-affected countries on their pathway to EU accession, particularly Ukraine and Moldova. For instance, through the "EU Response and Renewal Grant Programme for M4EG," we're providing direct support to city and town authorities in these countries, addressing immediate needs caused by the war and supporting longer-term economic recovery and renewal.  

The team is also at the forefront of exploring innovative financing mechanisms to address the unique challenges faced by small capitals and secondary cities in the region. Building on the success of the UNDP Alternative Finance Lab (AltFinLab) and early experimentation with innovative financing mechanisms, we're exploring tools such as Green and SDG Bonds, Social Impact Bonds, tokenization, and smart contracts to bridge the financing gap for high-impact urban development projects.  

Looking ahead, the team is exploring how emerging technologies can be harnessed for development. The innovation team is also focusing on digital transformation, recognizing that most innovation in the region is rooted in this space, with the goal of leveraging emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and digital financing solutions to drive systemic change and ensure transparent, efficient public sector and while seeking to create new opportunities at the intersection of digital and green technologies to drive sustainable development and systemic change in the region. The team is also pioneering new financing approaches, such as developing a portfolio financing framework that aligns funding with systemic change efforts. Partnerships with blockchain platforms like Algorand and Cardano are opening new avenues for transparent and efficient development financing. Through regular reflections and a commitment to continuous learning, the innovation team ensures its work remains relevant and impactful. This adaptive approach allows UNDP to stay at the forefront of development innovation, constantly evolving its strategies to meet the complex challenges of our time.  

The UNDP Innovation Team is not just about projects and innovation methods; it's also a dynamic and supportive environment for professional growth. New team members are welcomed with mentorship and regular feedback, ensuring they're well-equipped to contribute to and learn from our innovative work. We are walking the talk - applying the same principles of adaptation, learning, and collaboration to our team dynamics that we advocate in our development approaches. This creates a space where individuals can grow, take on new challenges, and make meaningful contributions to our mission of reimagining development for the 21st century.   

IRH is now looking for a driven and curious intern to join the Innovation Team, to support in the area of innovations and urban transformation, including on research, horizon scanning, design, and explore new ways of doing development. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Innovation Team at IRH, and in collaboration with project coordinators, the intern will work closely with various team members in the Innovation Team on the following tasks:  

• Support the development of knowledge products, such as tools and user guides, as well as consolidation of practices on system thinking, urban transformation, alternative financing models or similar;   

• Support in advocacy efforts and development of communication materials for the innovation team, such as: 

  • Draft articles, blogs, social media posts about regional and country level activities   

  • Consolidate newsletters, develop and maintain user databases, and support distribution of newsletters and other communication materials 

  • Support with updates of web-based platforms for the innovation with new communication materials 

  • Research and generate input for policy notes/briefs; 

• Support community engagement efforts: 

  • Mapping of unusual suspects (NGOs) and others

  • Support activities to understand needs and capabilities of communities of interest;

  • Support community engagement efforts - co-creation, alumni networks, listening - across urban, innovation ecosystems and

  • Engage and maintain alumni networks BOOST, Crowdfunding or others, as well as follow up impact monitoring  

• Support event organization, such as: 

  • Assist in coordination support for events

  • Assist in the preparations (both substantive and logistics) for thematic events;  

• Support with design-related tasks – including: 

  • Inclusive and consultative design of products and processes

  • Identification of new products and their adaptation for the needs of UNDP,

  • Any other service design-related tasks. 

• Any other related tasks deem necessary and appropriate. 

Competencies

Competencies 

• Team-player; 

• Creativity and innovative thinking; 

• Good planning and coordination skills; 

• Good communication skills; 

• Ability to work under pressure; 

• Attention to critical details; 

• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment; 

• Respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter and the UNDP Statement of Purpose. 

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education: 

Education:

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

• be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher);
• be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent); or
• have graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) in a relevant discipline 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:

• Demonstrated interest on systems thinking, innovative finance, human-centered design, and other innovative approaches for development  

• Experience conducting advanced internet search and working with multiple documentation sources to extract required data and information [literature review];  

• Knowledge and/or experience with service design or other design disciplines are an advantage 

• Experience with handling web-based management systems, web administration, and data analysis is an advantage. 

• Experience in the field of research is an advantage. 

• Experience in ethnography and/or urbanization is an advantage

Language skills:

• Language skills: Excellent writing, editing, and oral communication skills in English; knowledge of Arabic, French, Russian, and/or Turkish is an asset. 

We recognize that imposter syndrome or self-doubt can in some cases be significant barriers to apply, particularly for youth minorities. We encourage you to apply if you are excited about innovation and changing the way we do global development work, even if you feel that you may not hold all the qualifications and assets above.

Financial Issues:
Internships within the UN system are subject to conditions the applicant must get familiar with before signing his/her internship agreement.
Starting in January 2020 interns will receive stipends according to UN rules and regulations.
Any further costs associated with the internship must be borne by the nominating institution, related institution, or government, which may provide the required financial assistance to its students, or by the student, who will have to obtain financing for subsistence and make his or her arrangements for travel, accommodation, and other costs.
 
Application procedure:
The application should contain:

• Brief Cover Letter (in English) stating interest in and qualifications for the post;
• Current and complete CV in English;
• Portfolio or work samples (such as video links, photographs, social media content/posts,)
• Please group all your documents into one (1) single PDF document, as the system only allows to upload a maximum one document.

Candidates who are selected must submit the following documents:

• Official letter from the University confirming enrolment in a graduate-level degree programme;
• Proof of medical and life/accident insurance valid for the location in which the internship will be carried out. Selected interns must have medical and life insurance.

Conditions:

•  UNDP only accepts interns for a minimum of 6 weeks and a maximum of 6 months;
•  UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents, illness or death during the internship;
•  Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity;
•  Interns are responsible to arrange for their own visa and residence documents, and need to plan for these well in advance; 

Subsequent Employment:
 The purpose of the Internship Programme is not to lead to further employment with UNDP but to complement an intern’s studies.
 Therefore, there should be no expectation of employment at the end of an internship.
 More information available at: .