Intern - Development Coordination Associate

Overview

Provides comprehensive support to the Resident Coordinator Office (RCO), contributing to its coordination, analytical, and administrative functions. Assists in the evaluation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and supports inter-agency joint services.

Tasks Summary

• Assist in the inception and coordination of the independent mid-term evaluation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2023-2027.
• Support the work of the Operations Management Team (OMT), including strengthening inter-agency joint services and contributing to preliminary feasibility evaluations of introducing the Common Back Office (CBO) modality.
• Contribute to the coordination and substantive analytical work towards the 2025 joint UN Sri Lanka ‘Country Analysis’, including by leveraging innovative methodologies such as Horizon Scanning and Foresight Analysis.
• Support the RCO in its day-to-day coordination mandate, including on policy analysis, inter-agency initiatives, the organization of workshops and events, contribution towards public information materials.
• Support the preparation of a wide range of documents including briefing notes, meeting summaries and notes to file, communication and public information content.
• Provide coordination and administrative assistance for RCO activities as needed.
• Carry out any additional tasks related to development coordination as required by the unit.

Experience Requirements

• Applicants are not required to have professional work experience to be eligible for the internship. However, experience and skills in the following areas would be an advantage:
• Familiarity with the Sustainable Development Goals and the development mandate of the United Nations.
• First professional experience in the public or private sector, ideally in an international environment.
• Experience in research and analysis, especially as related to sustainable development.
• Excellent writing skills and experience in the drafting of complex reports and documents.
• Excellent user skills in Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint, additional experience in using AI tools in a professional or academic context is an advantage.

Qualification Requirements

• Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher): or,
• Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s level or equivalent); or
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in international relations, sustainable development, political science, business administration or a related field; either obtained recently or in progress.

Other Details

Languages Required: Fluency in oral and written English is required.

Languages Preferred: Knowledge in one of the local languages (Sinhala or Tamil) is desirable.

Contract Duration: 4 months

Work Modality: in-person and full-time

Remuneration: Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns.