Country Team- Intern

Water, Environment and Climate (WEC)

The Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) portfolio, based in Vienna, and with offices based globally is part of the UNOPS Global Portfolio Office. The Portfolio has built strong partnerships and is effectively managing a portfolio of over USD 500 million (over the last 15 years) to support key initiatives with fund management, project implementation and administrative support. WEC effectively operationalizes partners' agendas with global approaches, as well as regional and country specific activities focused on climate action, protection and conservation of the environment. Partners profit from WEC’s ability to operationalize and/or scale up their important substantive agendas, including in support of key multilateral environmental and climate agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, the Cartagena Convention as well as the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Initiative for Climate Action Transparency

The Initiative for Climate Action Transparency (ICAT) was established in 2015 at the Conference of Parties that adopted the Paris Agreement to support implementation of the Agreement’s Enhanced Transparency Framework. The Initiative works with over 50 developing countries ranging from large countries, like Nigeria, to small islands, such as Antigua & Barbuda.

ICAT provides countries with tailored support and practical tools and methodologies to build robust transparency frameworks needed for effective climate action in sync with national development priorities. The projects ICAT supports relate to: building or enhancing transparency frameworks for mitigation; building a monitoring and evaluation approach for adaptation; building or enhancing frameworks to track progress in implementing nationally determined contributions; assessing the impacts of climate policies;  estimating or enhancing projections of greenhouse gases; integrating and/or aggregating climate actions at the subnational level and by non-State actors; building a tracking system for just transition processes; establishing or enhancing a climate data system; and putting in place a framework to track climate finance. 

To support these areas, ICAT offers a suite of practical, free to use tools and methodologies to provide effective support to the transparency efforts of countries around the world.

ICAT is an unincorporated multi-stakeholder partnership steered by the Donor Steering Committee (DSC), conformed by its donors, Austria; Canada; Germany; Italy; and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), and includes the UNFCCC Secretariat as the dedicated UN body with a climate change policy mandate, and UNOPS as an ex-officio member. The Initiative is hosted by UNOPS on behalf of the DSC. Within UNOPS, the ICAT Secretariat manages ICAT day-to-day activities, coordinating and guiding the work of the implementing partners.

This is an internship position and therefore the incumbent must be:

• In possession of a residence permit or nationality permitting them to stay and conduct the internship in Germany during the full time of the internship

• Responsible for abiding by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS. 

• Responsible for arranging their own travel and securing any necessary visas;

• Provide confirmation that they are fit specifically for the duty station conditions, as certified by a medical practitioner. Interns are responsible for receiving clearance from a medical doctor

Training components and learning elements

The incumbent will have full access, for his/her thesis research, to ICAT’s project files, in particular to files and products developed in the context of the implemented activities at the country level. 

The incumbent will have the opportunity to join the Secretariat meetings, including any relevant high-level meetings, and get exposure to key stakeholders involved with climate action and transparency, such as other UN agencies (UNFCCC, UNEP, UNDP, UNU), several country and multi-partner donors, international non-governmental organizations and representatives from beneficiary countries. 

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

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

• The incumbent should be enrolled in a university programme such as Bachelor or master's preferably in climate change, economics or development studies combined with environmental or climate change experience.
• OR have graduated from such studies within three (3) years prior to the application date of the internship and be in possession of a residence permit or nationality permitting them to stay and conduct the internship in Germany during the full time of the internship.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office/Google Suite is required, including knowledge of the advanced functions of Excel.

• Ability to maintain regular updates of activities and achievements. 
• Efficient time management skills, including the ability to manage multiple ongoing projects alongside tasks requiring a quick turnaround.
• Applicants are not required to have professional work experience but experience working or volunteering in developing countries in the area of climate change is highly desirable.

• Proficiency in English -oral and written required.
• Fluency in French -oral and written is an added advantage
• Fluency in Spanish -oral and written is an added advantage

Contract type: Internship
Contract level: N/A
Contract duration: 8 months with possibility of extension up to 12 months

• 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.