Market Development Internship

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations system’s designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. UNEP works to encourage decision makers in government, local communities and industry to adopt policies that promote efficient use of natural resources, climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, and sustainable patterns of consumption and production.

UNEP’s Climate Change Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and capacity development for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

This internship offer is within in UNEP/ Climate Change Division / Adaptation & Resilience Branch / Climate Finance Unit, Geneva (Switzerland) and Nairobi (Kenya).

The Terms of reference are listed below.

Duties and Responsibilities

Daily responsibilities will depend on the individual’s background, the intern’s assigned office as well as the internship period.

Under each workstream’s lead, and the overall supervision of the Head of the Climate Finance Unit, below are the roles and responsibility for the interns.

Market Development (Geneva & Nairobi).  

The intern duties will include but are not limited to:

Market Development (Geneva),100% – 1 intern:

• Support the design and implementation of the ProCongo business development interventions
• Assist in conducting market and scoping research for the identification of intervention regions, sectors and potential stakeholders for the market development activities (incubation programs for eco-preneurs)
• Participate in and facilitate coordination with ProCongo regional team and local executing entities (Enterprise Support Organizations)
• Participate in the selection and supervision of participating entrepreneurs
• Contribute research and analyses for the development of additional modules on specific topics to support the incubation programs (carbon and carbon markets, PES, finance literary and accessibility…)
• Carry out market research to map out the competitive landscape of incubation initiatives targeting blue economy, nature-based businesses, and green cities entrepreneurs.
• Assist in improving the design and functionalities of the Explorer’s digital tool.
• Participate in CFU’s internal meetings and assist the team in preparing report documents and communication resources.

Market Development (Nairobi), 100% – 2 interns:   

• Support the deployment of several incubation programs aimed at providing business development capacity to green entrepreneurs (Restoration Explorer and Restoration Factory): participate in calls, draft minutes of meetings, prepare briefing notes, assist with the overall program coordination.
• Contribute research and analyses for the development of additional modules on specific topics to support the incubation programs (carbon and carbon markets, PES, finance literary and accessibility…)
• Participate in CFU’s internal meetings and assist the team in preparing report documents and communication resources.
• Support coordination efforts with other units to help identify areas of synergies and mutual interventions
• Monitor call for proposals and other resource mobilization opportunities and help draft concept notes and proposals
• Carry out other duties on a needs basis

Qualifications/special skills

Applicants must meet one of the following requirements:

(a) be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher);
(b) be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent).

A degree/background in the following fields: International Relations, Geography, Environmental Science, Energy Policy, or a related discipline focusing on climate change, sustainable development, and/or international environmental governance is desirable.

Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work. experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required.

Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PH.D. Programme.

Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage.

Applicants should have good knowledge of standard software applications, especially MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Teams.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English is required. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

Intern Specific text

Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.