Programme Management- Internship

Organizational context:

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement, and infrastructure services to various governments, donors, and United Nations organizations. With over 6,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical, and management knowledge they need, where they need it. By implementing around 1,000 projects for our partners at any given time, UNOPS makes significant contributions to results on the ground, often in the most challenging environments.

UNOPS Nepal Context: 

Since 2015, UNOPS has engaged closely with the Government of Nepal and several development partners in development efforts for the Government of Nepal including the modernization of the Nepal Police, the post-earthquake assessment of damaged buildings, and the enrollment of beneficiaries into housing grant schemes. It has also supported homeowners engaged in the reconstruction process, retrofitting damaged houses, and reconstruction of disability-friendly schools. It has also delivered essential lifesaving oxygen therapy equipment to support COVID-19 response efforts. 

The functional objective of UNOPS Nepal is to deliver its projects efficiently and effectively in alignment with government priorities following UNOPS rules and regulations. This is to drive forward the outcomes sought by the clients and funding partners and contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while ensuring gender, diversity, and inclusion are mainstreamed in all its work for the people of Nepal. 

1. Duties and Responsibilities 

Under the direct supervision of the UNOPS Project Manager, the intern’s role is to support the activities aimed at increasing project management capacity. Among the tasks assigned to the intern: 

• Researching and analyzing information on developments in the areas of security and justice, climate change, resilient infrastructure, sustainable procurement, urban planning and development, and DRR in the country of assignment, providing weekly updates and issue-based summaries and reports.

• Researching and analyzing information on projects and partners, assisting the country office with project implementation, and preparing project management documents and communication materials. 

• Supporting the country office with activities with a particular focus on implementing the office’s procurement and logistical plans, coordinating the quarterly and monthly assurance tasks, as well as improving Project Management compliance. 

• Supporting the country office in providing routine oversight and analysis of projects’ financial and procurement data sets within the available dashboards, working on oneUNOPS and internal monitoring tools available. 

• Provide support in the preparation of analysis reports by the country office.

• Provide help in the daily communication with projects’ stakeholders and all parties involved.

• Drafting of high-quality communication and documentation to guide the UNOPS Process and Quality Management System and other applicable UNOPS policy/guidelines/regulations (e.g., Presentations, Standard Operating Procedures). 

• Support in the day-to-day administrative and logistical functions of the country office

• Assist the Project Management Office functions for the country office  

• Assist the country office with GESI and HSSE analysis and reporting    

• Support in the day-to-day operations of the country office

• Performing secretarial duties by taking meeting minutes during meetings. 

• Supporting the preparation of briefing materials ahead of meetings between UNOPS and partners.

• Providing administrative support to the country office as and when required.

• Performing other duties when required.

2. Training components and learning elements

• Project Management

• Evidence-Based Infrastructure and Procurement Planning

• Financial Management Assistance

• Sustainable Procurement Assistance

• Project Management Office supporting functions     

Participation in missions or training courses

In addition to accessing UNOPS online training courses and tools, the Intern is encouraged to attend and participate in learning events organized by UNOPS and other UN agencies in Kathmandu, especially on gender issues, sustainable procurement, DRR, urban planning, and climate change.   

1. Academic qualifications 

• A minimum first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in International Affairs, Social Sciences, Human Resources, Business Administration, Project management, or Engineering Background is required. 

• Must be enrolled in a university programme such as Bachelor’s, Master's, or Ph.D. (or the equivalent) or have graduated from such studies within three (3) years before the application date of the internship.

• Prior project management certification is highly desirable.

2. Experience:

• Some professional experience in the fields of International Development, Project Management, Administration, Engineering, or any other relevant field is desirable.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and attention to detail.

• Must be tactful, discreet, diplomatic, and possess the ability to communicate with individuals at all levels of an organization.

• Flexibility and adaptability to work under pressure and able to manage multiple priorities.

• Ability to work in an international/ multicultural environment.

3. Language Skills

• Fluency in both English and Nepali is required.   

4. Computer Literacy

• Experience in infographics, research methodology, data analysis, report writing, and documentation is desirable.

• Strong computer literacy in Google Suite applications or equivalent MS Office standard programs, in particular proficiency in MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel is required.

• Experience in Google Data Studio is desirable but not required.

5. Internship-related experiences

The internship is for 12 months with no possibility of an extension.

This internship is not designed to lead to a staff position with UNOPS. Therefore, there should be no expectation of employment at the end of the internship.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.