Intern (Smart Cities and Urbanisation)

Contract

This is a Internship contract. It usually requires 0 years of experience, depending on education. More about Internship contracts.

Background

UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.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 focuses on helping countries build and share solutions in three main areas:

• Sustainable development
• Democratic governance and peacebuilding
• Climate and disaster resilience

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

INTERNSHIP OFFICE BACKGROUND:

The UNDP Global Centre for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development (GC-TISD) aims to identify, co-create, and share innovative and technological solutions for sustainable development. We aim to catalyse new insights, partnerships and action in the countries where UNDP works. Our areas of focus are: Sustainability and Climate Resilience, Smart Cities and Urbanisation, Digital Inclusion, Digital Sustainable Finance, Deep Tech and Innovations. The GC-TISD leverages Singapore’s deep expertise, solutions, knowledge, and ecosystem of Government and private sector partners, as well as knowledge from experts and partners around the globe, and across UNDPs Global Policy Network. More specifically, the GC-TISD connects policymakers, practitioners, think tanks, business, and other relevant stakeholders to each other from across the globe for learning and sharing of best practices on the themes of technology, innovation, and partnerships for sustainable development.

The GC-TISD is a joint initiative of the Singapore Government and UNDP, currently being led by a small team that is focused on programme and partnership development. Our Singapore Government partners are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, the Public Service Division, the Ministry of Communications and Information, the Infocomm Media Development Authority, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and the National Research Foundation. The UNDP GC-TISD was setup in 2018 and is currently in the middle of its 2022-2025 iteration. We collaborate with governments worldwide through the following:

• Agile Policy Development Support: Supporting governments in defining the policies and regulations needed for the digital and innovation economy and providing guidance and methodologies to assist governments on agile policymaking.
• Research and Thought Leadership: Providing research, analysis, and insights on emerging technologies, including integrating the experiences of UNDP Country Offices with foresight and horizon-scanning
• Partnership and Global Ecosystem Building: Catalysing global and national digital and innovation ecosystems that are committed to digital inclusion and fostering collaborations with different players in the digital inclusion space
• Knowledge Exchange and Capacity Building: Collecting local intelligence and grassroots innovations, and ensuring that lower-income countries are equal participants in global discussions and explorations of digital inclusion

Duties and Responsibilities

Urbanisation is one of the defining trends of this century and a key driver of development. By 2050, around 70% of the world’s population will be living in cities and towns. Today, cities produce around 80% of the global GDP and this importance is likely to continue. Cities also use 75% of global energy and are responsible for 70% of global carbon emissions. Accompanying the pace and extent of urbanisation are a number of positive and negative trends – from increased economic opportunities and improvements in lives and livelihoods, through to the potential for greater urban–rural disparity, lower quality of life, and conflict.

The Smart Cities and Urbanisation workstream of the UNDP GC-TISD is working towards shaping liveable, inclusive, sustainable, and resilient urban areas, with digitalisation and innovation as key drivers in improving lives and livelihoods. This includes focusing in particular on shaping policies to drive inclusive and sustainable development, supporting local ecosystem development, building skills and abilities to leverage digital, and identifying and implementing the most appropriate solutions. There is a wide range of new technologies and innovation which can enhance sustainable urban development, however, it demands a broad urban and digital toolkit which does not only focus on high-tech which can have real impact. Technology should be seen as a tool to achieve sustainable development, so the focus should not be on 'smart cities' – but on 'smarter' cities.

The UNDP GC-TISD is providing technical and strategic guidance at the local and national levels, and is shaping and brokering partnerships with a broad range of stakeholders – while building skills and knowledge, and underlining the importance of innovation and digitalisation for sustainable urban development.

The Intern will assist the UNDP GC-TISD’s across its Smart Cities and Urbanisation workstream with a dedicated focus on the following duties and responsibilities:

1

Research and Thought Leadership

• Research and analyse the latest trends in the field of smart cities and urbanisation in Singapore and globally.
• Actively contribute and co-author insightful written content such as think pieces, policy briefs, blogs, and reports to showcase how people-centred technology and innovation can accelerate sustainable urban development.
• Support the conceptualization, preparation and organization of events, including webinars, workshops, and trainings both in-person and online.

50 %

2

Strategic Advocacy and Partnership Development

• Assist identifying and engaging with strategic partners in the urban-digital or urban-tech sector, in order to understand their interests and explore mutually beneficial partnerships in Singapore, regionally and globally.

20%

3

Event Management Support

• Provide assistance in planning and executing of the UNDP GC-TISD’s flagship event at the World Cities Summit 2024. This involves actively supporting communication and promotion efforts (including by drafting blogs, media pieces, etc.), coordinating with internal and external stakeholders, speakers and participants.

20%

4

Learning, Development and Networking

• Participate in learning and personal development opportunities within UNDP, the Singapore ecosystem and beyond.
• Participate in relevant workshops, conferences and events in Singapore.

10%

Competencies

Competencies:

• Commitment to UNDP Values and Cultural Diversity
  • Exhibits a strong commitment to the values of UNDP, consistently upholding these principles in actions and decisions, in alignment with the UN Code of Conduct. Shows an appreciation for the multicultural nature of the organization and its diverse staff, along with an international outlook that values and learns from cultural diversity.
• Effective Communication and Writing Ability
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience in writing reports, blogs, and think pieces.
• Research and Analytical Skills
  • Proven knowledge in conducting research and analysing trends and data.
• Organizational and Event Management Capabilities
  • Competence in organizing events, managing multiple tasks efficiently, and adapting to changing environments.

IT skills:

• Knowledge and a proficient user of Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Teams).
• Knowledge of (data) visualisation and analysis tools (e.g., Canva, PowerBI, etc.) is an advantage.

Language skills:

• Fluency in English (both spoken and written) is required.
• Knowledge of other UN languages is an advantage.

Other competencies and attitude:

• Interest and motivation in working in an international organization.
• Good analytical skills in gathering and consolidating data and research for practical implementation.
• Outgoing and initiative-taking person with a goal oriented mind-set.
• Communicates effectively when working in teams and independently.
• Good in organizing and structuring various tasks and responsibilities.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Responds positively to feedback and differing points of view.
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.

Required Skills and Experience

Candidates must meet one of the following educational requirements:

• currently in the final year of a Bachelor’s degree; or
• currently enrolled in a Master’s degree; or
• have graduated no longer than 1 year ago from a bachelor’s or master’s degree or equivalent studies.

Preferred fields of study: Urban Studies, International Development, Journalism, Innovation, Social Sciences or related fields; or Information Technology, Computer Science, Data Science and Analytics, or related fields.

Experience:

• Sustainable Urban Development: Keen interest, or previous engagement in working on relevant topics to foster sustainable urban development (such as sustainability, mobility, resilience, inclusion, waste management, etc.).
• Technology, Digitalisation and Innovation: Keen interest, or previous engagement in using or exploring technology, digitalisation and innovation (such as AI, remote sensing, connectivity, IoT, etc.).
• Knowledge Sharing: Proven experience in sharing knowledge and showcasing results, in writing high-quality communication products and/or organising interactive webinars.
• Familiarity with International Development: Knowledge or experience in international development and public service delivery is an advantage.

Application:

Internship candidates are expected to submit the following documents electronically through the UNDP job portal:

• UNDP internship application form: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Sat1-EmXsj6Die7xCgP3-BrLFuLShrV1/view
• A Curriculum Vitae (CV).
• Original text in English for the following questions:
  • How can technology and innovation contribute to sustainable urban development? (max. 200 words)
  • What are the main challenges or risks using tech solutions in cities? (max. 200 words)

Note: UNDP internship application form, CV and original text need to be combined in one PDF document for upload.

INTERNSHIP CONDITIONS

• UNDP will not pay interns for internship but will provide a stipend in the amount of 859.13 SGD monthly in accordance with the provisions of the UNDP internship policy; all other expenses connected with it will be borne by me or my sponsoring Government or institution.
• UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship.
• Interns are responsible for obtaining necessary visas and arranging travel to and from the duty station where the internship will be performed.
• Interns are not eligible to apply for, or be appointed to, any post in UNDP during the period of the internship.
• Interns must provide proof of enrolment in health insurance plan.
• Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity.
• Interns are expected to work full time but flexibility is allowed for education programmes.

• Interns need to obtain financing for subsistence and make own arrangements for internship, travel, VISA, accommodation, etc.

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