Project Management Support - Intern, Japan Unit

Background

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 entities 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, Qatar, the US, namely, Bonn, Brussels, Copenhagen, Doha, 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 Partnerships Group (PG) leads UNDP’s corporate approach to external relations, advocating its brand and value as a global authority on sustainable development and a trusted partner for delivering the SDGs. PG facilitates engagement with partners in line with the UNDP Strategic Plan, coordinates strategic and multi-stakeholder partnerships, and advises on strategies, intelligence gathering, and donor engagement. It provides guidance on UN system-wide coherence, represents UNDP in intergovernmental fora, and cultivates relationships with member states for positioning and fundraising, while monitoring funding performance and supporting engagement with international financial institutions and civil society organizations. The Group consists of six teams: UN System Affairs, Partnerships Portfolio Management, Performance and Analysis Portfolio, Partnerships with Philanthropy, New Strategic Partnerships and Japan Unit.

Japan Unit is committed to strengthening partnerships with Japan (the public and private sectors and civil society organizations in Japan) by playing a coordination and facilitation role within UNDP and between UNDP and Japan. Japan Unit, with close collaboration with the UNDP Representative Office in Tokyo, undertakes a wide range of activities including support for resource mobilization and management of Japan’s financial contributions to UNDP’s programmes/projects.Japan Unit also strengthens multi-bi cooperation with Japanese development partners (mainly the Government of Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)).

 

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Japan Unit staff, the intern’s main output would be to assist in compilation process of proposal submission from UNDP regional hubs and country offices for the Japan-funded projects. The intern will also assist analytical work and visualization of Japan’s funding trend, as well as meeting logistics and other activities to be undertaken by the Unit. The intern will support other BERA partnership group activities, if required, in addition to other tasks with prior consultation with and approval by the supervisor.

1. Operational and administrative support

• Assist the team in updating the status of projects funded through the Japan-UNDP Partnership Fund by liaising with relevant UNDP Units and Country Offices and collecting necessary documents including progress, final and financial reports, and updating the project list.
• Assist the team in submission of required documents and information to the Government of Japan such as Financial Agreements, letters, project proposals, project lists for refund and confirmation of receipts etc.
• Conduct research and stakeholder mapping on Japan’s funding trend, with focus on thematic areas such as climate change, SDGs, responsible industrial development, and human rights due diligence, including analysis of public-private initiatives and sustainable supply chains.
• Analyze procurement-related systems, guidelines, and market trends to identify opportunities for increasing private sector participation in UNDP projects. Prepare briefing materials and reports based on findings.
• Provide logistical and operational support for procurement participation promotion activities, including seminars, workshops, and outreach events.
• Provide logistical support for events, consultation and workshops that the Japan Unit will organize.
• Any other tasks assigned by the supervisor.

2. Data compilation and communication

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