Innovation for Development Internship position at the United Nations Development Programme ( UNDP): Deadline:06-Feb-23

UNDP is working to strengthen new frameworks for development, disaster risk reduction and climate change. We support countries’ efforts to achieve the new Sustainable Development Goals, which will guide global development priorities through 2030. The key 2030 Agenda principle of leaving no one behind and stamping out inequality is at the core of everything we do.

UNDP works with countries in line with its 2022/2025 Strategic Plan to expand people’s choices for a fairer, sustainable future with planet & people in balance. Accelerate and scale up development in three directions of changes:

1. Structural transformation, particularly green, inclusive, and digital transitions.
2. Leaving no one behind, a right-based approach centred on human agency and human development.
3. Building resilience to respond to systemic uncertainty and risk.

Through six signature solutions: poverty and inequality, governance, resilience, environment, energy, and gender equality and enhanced by three enablers: strategic innovation, digitalization, and development financing.

In all our activities, we encourage the protection of human rights and the empowerment of women, minorities and the poorest and most vulnerable

Rwanda Accelerator lab is part of the global UNDP Accelerator Labs network composed of 91 lab teams/locations serving 115 countries. The Accelerator labs are the world’s largest and fastest learning network on wicked development challenges of the 21st century. It is UNDP’s new way of working introduced in 2019 through a partnership with the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, the Qatar Fund for Development as founding investors as well as support from Italy and UNDP Core donors.

The Accelerator Lab is part of UNDP’s drive to be an incubator for the future, accelerate progress and close the gap between the current practices of international development in an accelerated pace of change.

Like other Labs, the Accelerator Lab Rwanda’s goal is to accelerate development through local innovations and use of digital technologies, specifically; It supports the Country Office portfolios through innovations to fulfill their mandate; Identify innovative solutions to development challenges from the existing one’s countrywide towards the attainment of Agenda 2030

Focus Area: Innovation in Energy Access and mobility, Grassroots Innovation, Social Entrepreneurship

Sector of assignment: Research, Communication, Experimentation

A work plan with outcomes and achievements for the duration of the internship will be agreed upon. Regular meetings for discussing processes and work-related outcomes will be required.

The Intern will be expected to support in the working out loud and communicating the Accelerator lab initiatives through blogs, reports, social media and across multiple platforms.

• Conduct background research and support the production of case studies and other communication material about innovative solutions featured by the Accelerator Lab and office  for publication in external channels.
• Support the selection of grassroots solutions and identify prospective solutions that can be accelerated in Rwanda.
• Support the production of communication materials such as blogs, and social media stories to highlight the achievements and activities of the lab.
• Work alongside the communication unit on visual designs, video productions and external agencies on the lab activities.
• Support the solution mapping and sense making and exploration exercises on field and capture live stories from the innovators.
• Assisting in event management, logistics and execution.
• Support other strategic activities for the Accelerator Labs as seen relevant and needed.

• Strong interest in, and knowledge of, sustainable innovation, international relations, and the work of international organizations.
• Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for content, or responsive to a stated need.
• Effective communication skills in producing written communication products.
• Good understanding of gender, disability.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to take initiative and work independently.

• Excellent writing and oral communication skills.
• Good knowledge of online platforms, and social media outlets including online tools.
• Ability to multi-task and address competing priorities of the lab activities

Applicants to the UNDP internship programme must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:

• Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme).
• Be enrolled in the final academic year of university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree).
• Have recently graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one year of graduation.

Field of study: Development-related fields such as economics, international relations, anthropology, sociology, public or business administration, environmental studies, communication, design studies, innovation studies, information technology, social entrepreneurship, energy studies or other relevant fields.

Work experience and desired skillset

• Demonstrable skills in research, analytical thinking, and communication.
• Demonstrated literacy in standard software application, Innovation  Idea sketching tools , prototyping , visualization and trend analysis tools , such as as Canva, Miro, Slacks, Mural among others  including Microsoft Office.

IT skills:

• Knowledge and a proficient user of Microsoft Office productivity tools (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Knowledge of creative design software and tools such Adobe spark, photoshop, googles charts ,Canva, Info grams and similar tools  is an asset
• Familiarity with analytical skills and knowledge of social media tools and platforms is an advantage.

Language skills:

• Excellent knowledge in written and oral in English is required.
• Knowledge of Kinyarwanda and French knowledge is an advantage
• Knowledge of any other UN languages is an asset