About UNDP:

The United Nations Development Programme, UNDP Brazil, offers a selected group of outstanding graduate-level students the opportunity to acquire direct exposure to the work of a successful multi-cultural international organization.

The internship programme for the Communications Unit is designed to complement development-oriented studies with practical experience in various aspects of multilateral technical cooperation, international studies, international development and inclusive growth.

The purpose of the Internship Programme is to provide an opportunity to make substantive contributions to the office’s work, mostly by providing support to the Communications Team in its daily activities and in the accomplishment of the goals and tasks that are part of UNDP Brazil Strategy.

This internship opportunity does not lead to further employment with UNDP. Its goal is to offer the intern the opportunity to learn, gather experiences and complement his/her studies.

Therefore, there should be no expectation of employment at the end of the internship.

Internships takes place at UNDP Brazil premises, in the UN House – Sergio Vieira de Mello Complex –, in Brasilia, Brazil.

About the Internship Programme:

Status

• Interns are not considered staff members. During the internship with UNDP, interns shall be subject to the Regulations Governing the Status, Basic Rights and Duties of Officials other than Secretariat Officials, and Experts on Mission (ST/SGB/2002/9).
• Interns shall not be sought or engaged as substitutes for staff and do not encumber authorized posts.
• Interns shall not represent UNDP in any official capacity or commit resources on its behalf.
• Interns shall not apply for or be appointed to any position during the period of their internship. 
• The internship period shall not be foreshortened for the purposes of allowing an intern to apply for a position.

Duration of Internship Assignments

Internship assignments vary in length according to the academic requirements of the intern, as well as the needs of UNDP. Assignments normally last a minimum of six weeks and a maximum of six months. An internship may exceptionally be approved for a maximum total duration of nine months if the intern can demonstrate it will grant him/her an educational credit for a course.

Internship assignments are available on a part-time and full-time basis.

Responsibilities and Obligations of Interns

Interns shall:

1. Observe all applicable rules, regulations, instructions, procedures, and directives of UNDP notwithstanding their status as described in paragraph 6 of this policy.
2. Provide the receiving office with a copy of all materials prepared by them during the internship. UNDP shall be entitled to all property rights, including but not limited to patents, copyrights, and trademarks, with regards to material that bears a direct relation to, or is made in consequence of, the services provided under the internship. At the request of UNDP, the interns shall assist in securing such property rights and transferring them to UNDP in compliance with the requirements of the applicable law.
3. Respect the impartiality and independence required of the United Nations and of the receiving office and shall not seek or accept instructions regarding the services performed under the internship agreement from any Government or from any authority external to UNDP.
4. Unless otherwise authorized by the receiving office, they may not communicate at any time to the media or to any institution, person, Government, or any other external party any information that has become known to them by any reason of their association with the United Nations, UNDP or the receiving office, that they know or ought to have known has not been made public. They may not use any such information without the written authorization of the receiving office, and such information may never be used for personal gain. These obligations also apply after the end of the internship with UNDP.
5. Refrain from any conduct that would adversely reflect on the United Nations, UNDP, or the receiving office and will not engage in any activity which is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations or UNDP.
6. Comply with local laws and customs.

Third-party claims

UNDP is not responsible for any claims by any parties where the loss of or damage to their property, death or personal injury was caused by the actions or omission of action by the interns during their internship.

Remuneration, insurance and interns’ expenses

Interns are not remunerated by UNDP. Where an intern 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 the internship, such as meals and transportation at the duty station, will be paid by UNDP.

Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of the intern.

Interns are responsible for securing adequate medical insurance for the duration of their internship with UNDP and must provide a medical certificate of good health prior to starting the internship. UNDP will not reimburse the medical insurance of the intern. Any costs arising from accidents and illness incurred during an internship assignment will be the responsibility of the intern.

Applicants for internships must show proof of valid medical insurance for the duty station in which they will intern. For applicants who are neither nationals or residents of the duty station, the insurance must include adequate coverage in the event of an injury or illness during the internship duration which:

1. Requires transportation to the home country or country of residence for further treatment.
2. Results in death and requires preparation and return of the remains to the home country, or country of residence.

UNDP accepts no responsibility for loss or damage to personal effects that may occur during the internship.

UNDP’s expenses

Costs incurred by interns, including undertaking official travel at the request of UNDP, in the discharge of the activities related to the internship shall be reimbursed by UNDP on the same basis as costs incurred by staff members or costs reimbursed to staff members, including payment of daily subsistence allowance, as applicable.

Termination

The internship can be terminated by either UNDP or the intern for any reason upon giving two weeks’ notice.

Subsequent Employment

There is no expectation of employment with UNDP following an internship.

1. Background Information on the Project:

The ongoing military aggression of Russian Federation against Ukraine has had a direct and highly negative impact on social cohesion, resilience, livelihoods, community security, and the rule of law throughout the country. Recognizing the need to urgently address reconstruction, economic recovery and peacebuilding needs in areas affected both directly and indirectly by the war, the government of Ukraine requested technical assistance and financial support from the international community.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been present and active in eastern Ukraine for the past decade, even prior to the conflict in 2014, with a focus on community development, civil society development, and environmental protection. Work on addressing the specific, conflict-related development challenges started in 2015 through the United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (UN RPP), building on this earlier engagement and establishing new partnerships. Today, the UN RPP is being implemented by four United Nations agencies: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The programme is supported by 12 international partners: the European Union, the European Investment Bank and the governments of Canada, Denmark, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and USA.

The UN RPP was designed to respond to, and mitigate, the causes and effects of the conflict in eastern Ukraine. It is based on the findings of the Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment (RPA) and is aligned to the State Target Programme for Recovery, as well as to the two oblast (Donetsk and Luhansk) development strategies up to 2020. UN RPP is also fully adjusted to the humanitarian-development nexus. It is an integral component of the UNDP Country Programme and is therefore fully aligned with the United Nations Partnership Framework (UNPF).

The programme’s interventions are grouped under the following key programme components, which reflect the region’s priority needs:

• Component 1: Economic Recovery and Restoration of Critical Infrastructure
• Component 2: Local Governance and Decentralisation Reform
• Component 3: Community Security and Social Cohesion

The Programme, which operates on the basis of a pooled funding arrangement, follows a multi-sectoral programme-based approach and is implemented using an area-based methodology. It is a unifying interventions framework for 12 projects funded by 12 international partners, and is worth over 80 million USD.

In October 2018, four UN agencies (UNDP, UN Women, FAO and the UNFPA) countersigned a new joint project document, funded by the EU. The overall objective of the project is to restore effective governance and promote reconciliation in the crisis-affected communities of Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts of Ukraine, thereby enhancing the credibility and legitimacy of local authorities in the government-controlled areas (GCAs) of the oblasts. It will contribute to peace building and prevent further escalation of conflict in Ukraine through achieving effective and accountable decentralization, gender-responsive recovery planning, and equal access to services, as well as enhancing community security and social cohesion.

This will be achieved through the pursuit of the following specific objectives:

1.         Enhance local capacity for gender-responsive decentralization and administrative reforms to improve governance, local development and the delivery of services.

2.         Stimulate employment and economic growth by providing assistance to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) development through demand-driven business development services and professional skills training.

3.         Enhance social cohesion and reconciliation through the promotion of civic initiatives.

4.         Support sectoral reforms and structural adjustments in the health, education and critical public infrastructure to mitigate the direct impacts of the conflict.

One of the main objectives of UN RPP is to foster economic revitalization of the war-torn areas of Ukraine and, specifically, stimulate employment and economic growth by providing assistance to MSME development through demand-driven business development services and professional skills training as well as restoration and strengthening institutional and educational infrastructure needed for effective functioning of agriculture and non-agriculture sectors of regional economy.

In 2015-2021, some 4,300 new jobs were created in Ukraine with the support of UN RPP and the governments of Japan, Poland, the UK and the Czech Republic. Some 1,400 of them are in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. 1461 MSMEs were supported through business grants programme. The variety of fields and locations covered by the programme is impressive.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have triggered economic disruptions at four levels: direct, blowback, spillover, and systemic. Ukraine’s economy is expected to shrink by an estimated 45% this year, although the magnitude of the contraction will depend on the duration and intensity of the war, according to World Bank[1]. Already, the war has led to thousands of civilian casualties and driven millions of Ukrainians to flee to neighboring countries, with millions more on the move internally.

On 9 May, Ukraine’s government reported that the country loses USD 170 million every day due to cut off from access to the sea and the national export capacity had been more than halved[2]. The country’s four seaports in the Programme’s target areas in Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts are being occupied by the Russian forces (namely, the ports of Berdiansk, Kherson, Mariupol, and Skadovsk).

The exact magnitude of the contraction will depend on the duration and intensity of the war, and the levels of destruction of productive capacity, damage to arable lands, and labour supply. The UNDP analysis also suggests that development setbacks for Ukraine will be significant, including increased inequalities and poverty rates; the country’s economy, its social fabric, and the environment will also suffer. Eighteen years of socio-economic achievements in Ukraine are at risk, and to mitigate such dramatic development setbacks, an effective humanitarian-development-peace nexus approach will be critical including the strategic interventions to increase resilience of MSME sector. According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy, as of late April 2022, the government has processed more than a thousand applications for the relocation of businesses from the areas under active military hostilities[3]. At the same time, as of November 2021, there were 31400 active enterprises in Donetsk Oblast and 14801 in Luhansk Oblast[4]. According to a survey conducted by the European Business Association[5] between 11 and 14 of March, among Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) representatives in Ukraine, 42% of all small businesses are not operational anymore and 31% have suspended their operations with plans for resumption in the future. Similarly, the results of the Kyiv School of Economics survey conducted on 22 March 2022, showed that 86% of companies slowed down, reduced, and even stopped their activities, while the estimated total economic losses from the war were up to USD 600 billion as of 2 May 2022[6]. Thus, there are over a quarter MSMEs still operational in the GSAs of Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts or those who moved to the safer areas and are in urgent need of operational consulting and support in reintegration in the host communities. 

To support MSMEs producing essential products and services, create new business opportunities for entrepreneurs relocated from the war-affected regions, and facilitate their access to new markets, UNDP seeks for a highly qualified and experienced Ukrainian professional for the position of the National Consultant on provision of coaching services for MSMEs on access to the European Union (hereafter – EU) markets during crisis times.

[1] Russian Invasion to Shrink Ukraine Economy by 45 Percent this Year https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2022/04/10/russian-invasion-to-shrink-ukraine-economy-by-45-percent-this-year

[2] Prime Minister of Ukraine and President of the European Council coordinated joint steps to solve the problem of exporting Ukrainian agricultural products https://www.kmu.gov.ua/en/news/premyer-ministr-ukrayini-ta-prezident-yevroradi-skoordinuvali-spilni-kroki-dlya-rozvyazannya-problemi-eksportu-ukrayinskoyi-agroprodukciyi

[3] Business Relocation: More than 200 businesses have resumed operations in safe areashttps://www.me.gov.ua/News/Detail?lang=uk-UA&id=b0867fbf-b443-41f0-a10d-4a369f5c304b&title=RelokatsiiaBiznesu-Ponad200-PidprimstvVidnoviliSvoiuRobotuUBezpechnikhOblastiakh

[4] State Statistic Service of Ukraine http://www.ukrstat.gov.ua/operativ/operativ2022/kap/kap_ue_22.xls

[5] A quarter of small businesses in Ukraine have already exhausted their financial resources https://eba.com.ua/en/finansovi-rezervy-chverti-predstavnykiv-malogo-biznesu-vzhe-vycherpani

[6] Ukrainian business expects from the government tax holidays https://kse.ua/about-the-school/news/naybilshe-ochikuvannya-biznesa-vid-uryadu-sogodni-podatkovi-kanikuli

The Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) is responsible for UNDP’s external relations and advocacy functions. BERA leads and supports the organization in building and nurturing strategic relationships and alliances essential for successfully achieving the mission of UNDP. These relationships include a range of constituencies and development partners, related to resource mobilization and donor relations, intergovernmental affairs with member states, multilateral institutions, IFIs, the European Commission, private sector, foundations, UN system agencies and UN inter-governmental bodies.

BERA is positioned around three service lines, moving towards an audience orientation, namely, Public Partners Partnerships, Marketing and Communications and Private and Finance partners, each guided by the Directorate and supported by the Management Support and Strategy and Analytics Teams. BERA has a network of Regional External Relations Teams in five hubs co-led with Regional Bureaux and Representation Offices in Europe, Japan and the US, namely, Brussels, Copenhagen, Geneva, Tokyo and Washington D.C., which manage and strengthen relationships with Public and Private Partners in country and help build a strong brand for UNDP within the local ecosystem including UN partnerships.

The Public Partnerships Group (PPG) provides trusted engagement for public partnerships in line with UNDP Strategic Plan and business planning targets; Coordination of multi stakeholder partnerships including quality assurance; Engage with key political constituencies and actors, intergovernmental and inter-agency processes; Advise on and develop strategies, gather intelligence, & coordination on donor and partner engagement. Advisory services on UN system-wide coherence; UNDP representation to cultivate mutually beneficial relationships with member states for positioning and fundraising.

The Group consists of five teams: UN System Affairs, Partnerships Portfolio Management, Performance and Analysis Portfolio, International Financial Institutions, and Emerging and Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships.

Key functions include:

• Build a strong constituency around UNDP’s strategic agenda with partners through proactive dialogue and advocacy with stakeholders.
• Develop and advise on annual engagement strategies and priorities for public partners, including organizing annual strategic dialogues.
• Set, monitor and deliver corporate public partnership priorities, goals, and key performance indicators in line with the corporate engagement strategies and audience specific accountability framework.
• Advise UNDP senior management on public and partnership engagement including multi-stakeholder engagement and funding mechanisms
• Monitor emerging risks affecting UNDP’s positioning with the Member States and UN Partners and devise and implement risk mitigation plans.
• Coordinate and advise on UNDP contributions to system-wide policies on UN coherence modalities.
• Identify and channel pertinent partner intelligence relevant to UNDP priority issues, risks and opportunities to be given due consideration by UNDP management; advise senior leadership on issues arising and recommend course of action.
• Assess partner perceptions of UNDP and advise on UNDP’s response to partners’ assessments of performance.
• Oversee partnership management and RM tracking mechanisms across UNDP (including through a CRM platform)