Knowledge & Learning Intern

About the Program:

The NDC Partnership brings together 124 countries, developed and developing, and 95 institutional members to create and deliver on ambitious NDCs that help achieve the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Governments identify their NDC implementation priorities and the type of support that is needed to translate them into actionable policies and programs. Based on these requests, the membership offers a tailored package of expertise, technical assistance, and funding. This collaborative response provides developing countries with efficient access to a wide range of resources to adapt to, mitigate climate change, and foster more equitable and sustainable development. The NDC Partnership is built on the premise of collective action: by acting together, we achieve more. To effectively support member countries in their resource mobilization for NDC enhancement and implementation, the Support Unit collects, tracks, and manages a variety of country engagement data using two different web platforms: the Knowledge Nook, or kNook, and the Online Partnership Plan Tool (OPPT). The kNook is an internal system for NDC Partnership members which catalogues a variety of global country engagement data and is used to highlight global trends, identify gaps in support, and report on country and monitoring and evaluation metrics. The OPPT is a web-based tool which enables individual countries to manage their Partnership Plans or NDC Implementation Plans using a results-based framework, including by mapping projects and gaps, supporting resource mobilization, and tracking implementation progress.

This position is hybrid and will require a few days per week in our Washington DC office.

What you will do:

Reporting to the Support Unit’s Knowledge Management Associate, you will help support the Partnership’s knowledge management efforts by supporting enhancements to the kNook and OPPT data management systems: the kNook and the OPPT. In particular, you will help strengthen the taxonomy used within these systems. You will lead the development and application of new tags, including – but not limited to – a tag on “Health” and “Just Transition”. You will also improve the quality of the definitions of existing tags and lead re-tagging efforts, including – but not limited to – existing tags on “rural development”, “subnational government”, and “cities”. You will support routine tagging of new requests as a member of the kNook tagging team, and support additional data cleaning and enhancement activities as needed. You will be supported by the Head of Knowledge Management, the Knowledge Management Associate (kNook system lead), and Data Management and Training Analyst (OPPT system lead) who will oversee the execution of the work and provide strategic guidance on all activities. You will also work closely with individuals across the Support Unit who are responsible for Knowledge and Learning, Country Engagement, and organizational data collection and reporting.

Internship Learning Outcomes:

kNook/OPPT Taxonomy (60% of time)

• Develop a definition for a tag on “Health” and a tag on “Just Transition” that align with the existing kNook/OPPT taxonomy. This will involve: desk research and a review of relevant country requests in the kNook; re-tagging all relevant country requests in the kNook and the OPPT that align with the new definitions; engaging with expert partners to peer-review all tagged requests in order to quality assure re-tagging exercise.
• Strengthen the quality and clarity of existing definitions of “rural development”, “subnational government”, and “cities” tags and the tagged kNook dataset. This will involve: desk research and a review of relevant country requests in the kNook; re-tagging all relevant country requests in the kNook that align with the updated definitions; engaging with colleagues and expert partners to peer-review all tagged requests in order to quality assure the re-tagging exercise.
• Identify other areas for improvement in the kNook/OPPT taxonomy and opportunities for additional new tags or to strengthen the definition and application of existing tags.
• Identify relevant resources on the above topics to add to the Knowledge Portal, and support Knowledge Tools Analyst to ensure Knowledge Portal taxonomy is updated to align with adjustments to kNook taxonomy.
• Train tagging team on newly developed and adjusted definitions in the taxonomy.
• Produce detailed kNook reports summarizing trends in requests for each new tag and each updated tag definition.

Data Management (20% of time)

• Support ongoing and planned enhancement activities within the kNook system, which may include retagging efforts to the entire system, and other structural adjustments to better reflect the accuracy of the data.

Research and Analysis (10% of time)

• Produce insights and trends reports on country requests and partner support, in response to internal and external requests for information, drawing from kNook and/or OPPT data.
• Support the collection and synthesis of kNook/OPPT data required for reporting purposes, including an annual audit of country requests and support data, Progress Reports, and grant reports.

Ad-Hoc Responsibilities (10% of time)

• Support development of knowledge products core to the NDC Partnership’s engagement, including kNook Reports and Support Gap Summaries.
• Develop presentations and talking points, support organizing meetings and workshops, and other activities relevant to the Knowledge and Learning team’s optimal performance.
• Given the evolving nature of the NDC Partnership and its Support Unit, other duties may be assigned as needs emerge and the Partnership’s work evolves.

What you will need:

• Pursuing or recently completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social, natural sciences or related field.
• You have experience through other internships or research with data systems, data processes, or information management.
• Strong computer skills and experience with Microsoft suite, specifically Excel, cloud- and web-based communications.
• Familiarity with and/or interest in at least one of the following thematic areas related to climate change: Just Transition, health, rural development, cities, subnational government.
• The ability to work and communicate with teams from different countries.
• Available to work Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5) or Central Standard Time (UTC-6) hours.
• Fluency in English required. Spanish and/or French is a plus.

Compensation

The pay for this internship opportunity is $20/hour for undergrads; $22/hour for graduates and $24/hour for PhD students.

Length of Contract:

This is a full-time, 3-month internship with a flexible start and end date.

Location:

• This is a hybrid internship that will be based out of our Washington D.C. office.
• You will be required to work in the Washington DC office at least 8 days per month.
• WRI will provide a laptop for the duration of your internship.

How to Apply: Please submit a resume with a cover letter by March 11, 2024. Applicants must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.

About Us: Founded in 1982, World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. WRI has a global staff of over 1,800 people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia, and the United States, as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps, and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environment and international development challenges and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business, and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.

Internships at WRI are learning experiences designed for current students, recent graduates, and other candidates who wish to gain knowledge about a specific area of our work. We strive to attract diverse, intellectually driven candidates who have a passion for sustainability and development. WRI provides many internship opportunities throughout the year in all our programs.

WRI is committed to advancing gender, racial, and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices.

Our mission and values:

WRI’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.

Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence, Respect.