Internship Opportunity at the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA)

Finance December 11, 2023

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The intern will be based at the UNDP Headquarters in New York and will report to a designated Policy Adviser of the Office of the UNSGSA.

Internship Opportunity at the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA)

Background on the Office of the UNSGSA:

The UN Secretary-General designated Her Majesty Queen Ma´xima of the Netherlands as the UN Secretary General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA) in 2009.

As UNSGSA and Honorary Patron of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), Queen Máxima raises awareness and advocates specific policies, investments and actions with governments, regulators, private companies, international institutions and diverse additional stakeholders, all with view of how inclusive financial systems can help to reduce poverty, equalize opportunity and accelerate progress toward numerous development goals. She does so through country visits, speeches, meetings, convening of stakeholders and other outreach. This requires careful, comprehensive and rigorous analysis of local conditions, policies, available services and public priorities, as well as the needs of households, enterprises and communities.

The UNSGSA’s work is done in partnership and with wide consultation among the many stakeholders working to advance financial inclusion—and those affected by it. She collaborates closely with an advisory Reference Group of leading international organizations in financial inclusion to share expertise and suggest strategic opportunities that she can advance through advocacy and partnerships. Reference Group members include: Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Better Than Cash Alliance, Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), Flourish Ventures, International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Monetary Fund (IMF), UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and The World Bank.

The UNSGSA consults and/or cooperates with the UN Rome based agencies and the wider UN system, the UN secretariat, UN country teams, multilateral organizations, private financial institutions, companies, donors, civil society organizations and the media. Members of the Reference Group and many other in-country and global partners play an important role in converting advocacy into action. Additionally, the UNSGSA also engages with financial standard setting bodies (SSBs) so that their work takes into account the advancement of Financial Inclusion around the world.

The Office of the UNSGSA is housed within UNDP’s Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) in at UNDP headquarters in New York and works closely with Queen Ma´xima and her secretariat in The Hague to coordinate and advance her UN and G20 activities.

The intern will be based at the UNDP Headquarters in New York and will report to a designated Policy Adviser of the Office of the UNSGSA.

Duties and Responsibilities

Assist the team in planning and implementing the high-level advocacy initiatives led by H.M. Queen Maxima in her role as UNSGSA.
Provide research and analytical support on topics relevant to financial inclusion for development.
Support Office management and daily operations.

Competencies

Eligibility (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.

Field of study: Economics, Political Science, International Relations, Business Management or equivalent.

Experience:

Knowledge in development-related areas, financial inclusion, international or multilateral organizations, multi-stakeholder engagement.
Prior relevant experience is an asset, especially experience working in financial inclusion
and international development policy.

Language skills:

Fluency in English is required;
Knowledge of other UN languages especially French and Spanish is an advantage.

Required Skills and Experience

Required Competencies

Excellent communication skills;
Excellent organizational skills;
Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals;
Excellent problem-solving skills

Other Competencies

Interest and motivation in working in an international organization.
Excellent research and analytical skills.
Excellent drafting and written and verbal communication skills in English.
Strong computer literacy in standard software applications (MS Office Suite) and data analysis (Excel and related data management software).
Capacity to prioritize multiple tasks, meet deadlines even in imperfect conditions and thrive as part of a small and fast-moving team.
Success working independently and as a member of a team, and with partners in other time zones and from diverse and multi-cultural contexts.
Displays the highest standards of confidentiality, discretion and integrity.
Responds positively to feedback and differing points of view.
Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude

CLICK HERE TO APPLY ONLINE: Internship Opportunity the UNSGSA