Sustainable Finance Research intern - HOME-BASED

Background
  Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP:  we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
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.  

As the lead United Nations agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries develop policies, leadership skills, partnerships and institutional capabilities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. 

As outlined in the UNDP Strategic Plan 2026-2029, UNDP’s work is guided by four strategic objectives that together define our contribution to human development: expanding prosperity for all, strengthening effective governance, safeguarding a healthy planet and building crisis resilience. These objectives are enabled by three accelerators that drive transformative impact across our portfolio: digital and AI innovation, gender equality and sustainable finance. Through this integrated approach, UNDP supports countries to deliver tangible improvements in people’s lives and to advance sustainable development at scale.  

UNDP, through its Sustainable Finance Hub (SFH), supports partners in promoting financing for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  As an accelerator of the UNDP Strategic Plan, sustainable finance strengthens countries’ ability to mobilize, align and deploy finance at scale for national priorities. UNDP supports international and country level policy reform as a catalyst for system-wide change, stronger policy environments, better-functioning markets and more coherent financing strategies for sustainable development. SFH work is delivered through three interconnected portfolios: 1) Public Finance for the SDGs; 2) Private Finance for the SDGs; and 3) Global & Country Financing Policy Frameworks.

The Dublin Project Office, established in 2026 as a strategic extension of the SFH, serves as an applied innovation platform to develop, test, and scale financial mechanisms advancing UNDP’s sustainable finance agenda. The Office hosts the Financial Centres for Sustainability (FC4S) and the Sustainable Insurance Forum (SIF), two global initiatives that drive sustainable finance acceleration and regulatory innovation across financial markets and insurance sectors. FC4S represents 44 financial centres worldwide, while SIF brings together 40 insurance regulators overseeing over 80% of the global insurance market. 

You can visit the Sustainable Finance Hub website (https://sdgfinance.undp.org/) for more information.

  Duties and Responsibilities  

The incumbent will work under direct supervision of the Sustainable Finance Specialist and in close collaboration with other SFH team members. They will conduct research and help draft knowledge products on the governance and architecture of sustainability data in finance. Deliverables will support several stakeholder networks (FC4S, SIF, Asia-Pacific economic forum sustainable finance initiative). They will assist in the following duties and responsibilities:

Research and report drafting

• Drawing upon the team's accumulated knowledge, develop an outline into a comprehensive report. This report will examine current practices among insurance supervisors regarding the access, utilisation, and governance of catastrophe-related data. It will identify the most significant gaps and constraints in these processes, as well as opportunities where targeted support or strategic partnerships could offer additional value.
• Provide evidence-based support for programs around data systems and AI readiness. For example, guide FC4S members in discussions on sustainability data governance and architecture, facilitate peer learning about data needs for sustainable finance policy or develop data dashboards for policymaking.
• Based on data collected from Ministries of Finance and other governme