Partnerships Intern

UNOPS HoA MCO is recruiting for this position: Partnerships Intern based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Established in 2009, Horn Of Africa Multi-country office (HAMCO) sub-region currently consists of an established Operation Centre in Addis Ababa which manages a portfolio of engagements in four (4)  Horn of Africa countries  (Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan and South Sudan).  HAMCO focuses on Infrastructure, Procurement, Project Management, HR and Transactional Services, and Fund Management services across a wide range of sectors including Health, Education, Agriculture, Resilient infrastructure, among others. 

UNOPS is looking for a Partnerships Intern to support the Horn of Africa Multi-country Office. Under the guidance of the Partnerships Specialist, the intern will:

• Assist with research to identify trends and opportunities related to the Ethiopia business development strategy.

• Support market research and help with drafting proposals.

• Contribute to the development of communication tools and materials.

This role provides valuable hands-on experience in business development, communication, and project support within a dynamic international setting.

Under the overall supervision of the Partnerships Specialist, the Partnerships Intern will have the opportunity to receive on-the-job training and will actively collaborate with the team on the following tasks:

1. Business Development Support

• Assist in updating the Business Strategy to help enhance and grow UNOPS' portfolio.

• Support in identifying new business development opportunities by researching client needs and UNOPS' value proposition.

• Help gather background information on potential partners and opportunities, and assist in developing and updating partner profiles.

• Assist with analyzing industry trends and understanding their relevance to business development processes.

• Support the identification of potential partnerships.

• Help develop action plans and follow-up steps for business acquisition and partnership development based on the strategy.

• Assist in creating content (e.g., text and visuals) for promotional materials.

• Contribute to drafting sections of proposals, concept notes, and other documents related to engagement processes.

• Assist in preparing presentations and supporting materials for partner meetings.

• Help organize and support the coordination of promotional events and high-level meetings.

• Assist in monitoring and following up on business acquisition progress.

• Help with managing contacts and communication with potential partners.

• Provide documentation support, including taking meeting notes, archiving documents, and preparing weekly/monthly activity reports.

2. Communication Support

• Assist in providing general operational support to the Communications and Advocacy teams on various projects and activities.

• Help liaise with external vendors (e.g., translators, copy editors, graphic designers, web developers) to ensure deliverables meet UNOPS standards.

• Assist with administrative tasks such as scheduling meetings, taking minutes, and preparing briefing notes.

• Support event management activities, including preparing invitation letters, assisting with event organization and implementation, and helping with webinars and video/audio calls.

• Help maintain and update data systems, including managing key documents, audiovisual assets, and contact databases.

• Support communications and outreach efforts, including updating the UNOPS website and social media channels, and drafting monthly newsletters.

• Assist with other communication and administrative tasks as assigned by the team.

3. Research Support

• Assist in producing reports, surveys, charts/graphs, forecasts, and other research deliverables.

• Help collect and analyze data on trends and potential market impacts to inform decision-making.

Training Components and Learning Elements

The incumbent will have access to project and portfolio documentation to learn about project management and development cooperation in the areas the portfolio covers. They will have the opportunity to join official meetings and learn about UNOPS, the UN, and multilateral cooperation. The incumbent will gain exposure to key stakeholders, multi-partner donors, international non-governmental organizations, and other representatives.

The incumbent will also have full access to the UNOPS intranet, Google Currents/Communities of Practice (COPs) in Project Management, Gender Mainstreaming, Innovation and Research, Sustainable Infrastructure, etc.

Participation in Missions or Training Courses

The incumbent will have access to the UNOPS Learning Zone and may apply for training in Programme Management, Gender Mainstreaming, Coaching, and mandatory training as per UNOPS policy.

• To qualify, the candidate should be currently enrolled in a university degree program or have graduated within the last 3 years at the time of application. Preferably, the candidate is studying or has completed a degree in one of the following fields: Marketing Management, Public Relations, Political Science, or related areas.

Experience

• Applicants are not required to have professional work experience.
• Skills in researching, writing, and editing content that is clear, concise, and effectively conveys key messages to target audiences are an asset.

Language

• Fluency in written, spoken, and reading English is required.
• Knowledge of an additional UN official language is an asset.

• 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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. 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.