Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the leading United Nations organization working to end poverty, reduce inequalities, and build resilience so countries can sustain progress. Working in about 170 countries and territories, UNDP helps nations build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.

The Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS) supports UNDP Country Offices across 17 countries and one territory in the Arab region. Through its Amman Hub, RBAS provides advisory support, regional programming, and partnership development services to Country Offices, governments, and regional partners. The Partnerships function of the Hub leads the Bureau's engagement with donors, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, and regional institutions, with a particular focus on mobilizing partnerships and resources from the Gulf region in support of development results across the Arab States.

The Arab region is home to some of the world's most significant sources of development capital, including sovereign institutions, the Arab Coordination Group and its member institutions, national development funds, philanthropic foundations, and a dynamic private sector. Within this context, RBAS is scaling up its work on private sector engagement and Gulf partnerships, and the intern will support this growing portfolio. The internship offers direct exposure to regional partnership development, donor relations, and private sector engagement across the Arab States.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Sustainable Finance and Private Sector Specialist, and under the overall guidance of the Deputy Regional Director, the intern will support the following areas:

A. Private sector engagement and partnerships

Support research and mapping of private sector actors in the Arab region, including company profiles and sector analyses, to inform Country Office private sector engagement strategies;
Assist in the preparation of background materials for private sector due diligence and risk assessment processes, in line with UNDP policies;
Assist in preparing partnership documentation and maintaining records of corporate partnership opportunities, including financial and in-kind contributions;
Help maintain the pipeline of private sector partnership opportunities across the region and prepare regular updates;

B. Gulf partnerships and donor relations

Support donor intelligence work on the Gulf region, including mapping of funding priorities, tracking of announcements and initiatives, and identification of potential partnership opportunities;
Assist in preparing briefing notes, talking points, presentations, and follow-up records for engagements with Gulf-based partners, including regional development funds, the Arab Coordination Group institutions, philanthropic foundations, and government entities;
Support the preparation of high-level meetings, missions, and UNDP's participation in key regional events, summits, and forums, including logistics coordination and follow-up on outcomes;
Assist in tracking active donor pipelines and contribution agreements, including commitments, transfers, and reporting timelines, in coordination with Country Offices and headquarters;

C. Partnership support and knowledge management

Maintain partnership trackers, contact databases, and records of engagement for the portfolio;
Contribute to communication and visibility products related to partnerships, including inputs for social media, newsletters, and corporate reporting;
Provide research and coordination support to the Hub's sustainable finance workstreams as needed;
Perform other related tasks as requested by the supervisor.

Learning Objectives

Gain practical experience in partnership development, donor relations, and private sector engagement within a UN regional bureau;
Develop knowledge of development finance actors in the Arab region, including Gulf institutions and philanthropies;
Strengthen research, drafting, and coordination skills in a multicultural professional environment;
Build understanding of UNDP's partnership policies, due diligence processes, and institutional workflows.

Competencies

Integrity, professionalism, and respect for diversity, in line with the values and principles of the United Nations;
Strong communication and teamwork skills;
Planning and organizing, with sound judgment and discretion in handling sensitive information;
Openness to learning and adaptability.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Applicants must, at the time of application, meet one of the following requirements:

Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (master's degree or equivalent, or higher) in business administration, finance, economics, international development, international relations, or a related field;
Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (bachelor's degree or equivalent) in a related field; or
Have recently graduated with a university degree (as defined 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:

Demonstrated interest in partnerships, private sector engagement, donor relations, or development finance, through academic work, prior internships, or extracurricular activities;
Strong research, drafting, and analytical skills;
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); familiarity with data visualization tools is an asset;
Knowledge of the Arab region, and of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries in particular, is an asset;
Ability to manage multiple tasks and work in a multicultural team environment.

Language:

Fluency in English (written and spoken) is required;
Working knowledge of Arabic and/or French is a strong asset.

Internship Conditions

UNDP internships are governed by the UNDP Internship Policy. Interns receive a monthly stipend in accordance with the applicable UNDP rules for the duty station;
Interns are responsible for their own travel to the duty station, visa arrangements, accommodation, and living expenses;
Interns must provide proof of enrolment in a valid health insurance plan covering the duty station for the duration of the internship;
Interns are not considered staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity;
The internship does not carry any expectation of employment with UNDP upon completion.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

Internship, Private Sector and Gulf Partnerships with UNDP Regional Hub in Amman, Jordan