The Lion’s Share Communications Internship

Contract

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

Background

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a continuous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policies and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. BPPS works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response. BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working. BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data-driven including in its programme support efforts.

Sitting within BPPS, the Lion’s Share Fund is an initiative led by advertising companies and major commodity conglomerates. Its premise is simple yet innovative: when an animal image is currently used for promoting goods and services no remuneration is paid by the advertisers to compensate the animal, its habitats and nature - unlike when people appear in advertising. The Lion’s Share initiative seeks to change this by creating a voluntary mechanism for participating advertisers to give 0.5% of their relevant media buy for the use of animals in their marketing. In return for contributing a portion of their advertising budget to the fund, brands will be able to use a Lion’s Share certificate/logo on their products, signalling to consumers the positive conservation impact.

The Lion’s Share is a multi-partner platform bringing together private sector companies, foundations, philanthropists and individual donors, global and local non-profit organizations, the United Nations (UN), specialists and concerned individuals working to make a difference for biodiversity. The founding partners are Finch, Clemenger BBDO, Mars Incorporated, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The objective of the Lion’s Share Fund is to “harness private sector leadership and consumer support to secure healthy wildlife populations and habitats, instil compassion and care for animals as the foundation of human well-being, and ensure increased appreciation for nature and its contributions to equitable and sustainable development pathways”.

The Lion’s Share Secretariat is seeking a motivated, self-starter intern to support the communication and advocacy activities to various stakeholders and audiences. The intern will work under the supervision of the Coordination Specialist and in close engagement with the Conservation Specialist, Knowledge Management Specialist, and Edelman’s Social Media strategist.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Secretariat’s team, the intern will be specifically required to support The Lion’s Share in communications and administrative related coordination work through the following activities:

Communications Related Work

• Provide technical support towards strategy, planning and project development for the Lion’s Share online presence, including social media and website content;
• In collaboration with The Lion’s Share creative team, assist in the creation of marketing decks, presentations, booklets, and other selling materials;
• Draft press releases, Q&As, messaging and other communications products;
• Write stories and news articles on Fund activities and updates;
• Utilize and develop innovative social media techniques, specifically for Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook;
• Produce high-quality tweets, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook posts for The Lion’s Share official accounts;
• Support digital event logistics and troubleshooting activities;
• Undertake research on evolving private sector motivations, individuals, marketing campaigns, business networks and relevant events;

Administrative Support

• Monitor, catalogue, and update regularly media developments, press clippings and reports of the Lion’s Share, and maintain a database of news coverage;
• Assist in collecting quality UNDP photos and videos, including labelling and storing them appropriately for use;
• Act as custodian of the Lion’s Share Social Media calendar;
• Act as custodian of the Lion’s Share Event Planning calendar;
• Draft minutes and circulates for comments and finalization; and
• Provide administrative assistance in procurement efforts and logistical needs.

Competencies

Corporate

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Professionalism

• Works toward creative solutions by analyzing problems carefully and logically;
• Has a dynamic, positive and adaptive attitude towards work-related challenges;
• Facilitates discussions and meetings effectively and efficiently;
• Resolves conflicts as they arise;
• Sets priorities, produces quality outputs, meets deadlines and manages time efficiently;
• Highly organized, detailed oriented.

Communication

• Writes and presents clearly and convincingly.

Required Skills and Experience

Education 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 program or higher) in the fields of Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, Graphic Design, Journalism or related;
• Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree program (such as Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in the fields of Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, Graphic Design, Journalism or related;
• 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;
• Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship program and undertake the internship as part of this program

Experience:

• Relevant voluntary/internship experience in the fields of wildlife conservation, international development, social-impact marketing, and/or social-media planning
• Excellent analytical skills are required and experience in research, drafting and editing complex documents;
• Experience creating content for the web and/or managing different social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter) is a requirement;
• Familiarity with design and editing software (e.g. InDesign, Photoshop, Canva, Vimeo) is a requirement;

It is an advantage for applicants to have experience in:

• Knowledge of, and/or prior experience within, the UN system is considered an advantage

Language requirements

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English language is required.
• Knowledge of French considered an asset.

In case an applicant is successfully selected, s/he will be requested to provide electronic versions of:

• letter from his/her university confirming current enrollment and graduation date;
• letter of recommendation from a professor;
• copy of his/her most recent school transcript;
• copy of passport;
• a copy of US Visa if the intern is not a US Citizen;
• completed UNDP internship application form;
• signed UNDP Internship Agreement;
• Medical Certificate of Good Health;
• Proof of medical insurance.

Kindly note the above documentation is required within one week after selection.

Institutional Arrangements

The intern will report to the Lion’s Share Secretariat’s Coordination Specialist based in UNDP’s New York office within the Nature, Climate and Energy team.

Interns’ Expenses

Interns may be given a stipend under conditions prescribed in the section on stipends, below. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, passports, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of:

(a) The nominating institution, related institution or government, which may provide the required financial assistance to its students; or

(b) The intern.

Stipend

Where an intern is not financially supported by any institution or programme, such as a university, government, foundation or scholarship programme, a stipend intended to help cover basic daily expenses related to the internship, such as meals and transportation at the duty station, will be paid by UNDP.

The stipend will be paid on a monthly basis and part-time internship arrangements are prorated accordingly.

Where an intern is financially supported by an institution, government or third party, UNDP will, subject to the rules of such institution, government or third party, pay the intern the difference, if any, between the external financial support provided and the applicable UNDP stipend. No other payments of any kind will be made to an intern by the office in connection with an internship agreement.

Interns will accrue leave at the rate of 1.5 days per month. Any accrued leave days not used by the end of the internship will be forfeited. Any unjustified absences during the internship period exceeding a total of nine days, will be deducted from the monthly stipend.

Insurance

Interns are responsible for securing adequate medical insurance for the duration of their internship with UNDP. UNDP will not reimburse the medical insurance of the intern. Any costs arising from accidents and illness incurred during an internship assignment will be the responsibility of the intern. Applicants for internships must show proof of valid medical insurance for the duty station in which they will intern. For applicants which are neither nationals or residents of the duty station, the insurance must include adequate coverage in the event of an injury or illness during the internship duration which:

• Requires transportation to the home country or country of residence for further treatment;
• Results in death and requires preparation and return of the remains to the home country, or country of residence.

Subsequent Employment

There is no expectation of employment with UNDP following an internship. Interns cannot apply for, or be appointed to, any position during the period of their internship.

Third-party claims

UNDP is not responsible for any claims by any parties where the loss of or damage to their property, death or personal injury was caused by the actions or omission of action by the interns during their internship.