BIOFIN and BES Net Intern, Nature Hub, BPPS

Background

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels offers a spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in its Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in UNDP’s Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS staff provide technical advice to Country Offices, advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represent UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private, government and civil society dialogues, and engage in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas.

UNDP's 2022-2025 Strategic Plan highlights our continued commitment to eradicating poverty, accompanying countries in their pathways towards the SDGs and working towards the Paris Agreement. As part of the Global Policy Network in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP's Nature, Climate Change, Energy, and Waste Hubs promote and scale up integrated whole-of-governance approaches and nature-based solutions that reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, mitigate conflict, forced migration and displacement, and promote more resilient governance systems that advance linked peace and security agendas.
BPPS work with governments, civil society, and private sector partners to integrate nature, climate, energy and waste related concerns into national and sector planning and inclusive growth policies, support country obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements, and oversee the implementation of the UN’s largest portfolio of in-country programming nature, climate change, energy, and waste. This multi-billion-dollar portfolio encompasses:

• Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services including forests;
• Sustainable Land Management and Desertification including food and commodity systems;
• Water and Ocean Governance including SIDS;
• Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation;
• Sustainable Energy;
• Extractive Industries;
• Chemicals and Waste Management;
• Environmental Governance and Green/Circular Economy; and SCP approaches.

This work advances crosscutting themes on innovative finance capacity development, human rights, gender equality, health, technology, South-South learning and digital transformation.

The Biodiversity Finance Initiative – BIOFIN – was developed to provide a comprehensive methodology for governments to 1) review the existing policy context, 2) measure expenditure levels for biodiversity, 3) calculate future financial needs and 4) design strategic plans to deploy the right mix of finance solutions, tailored to the country context. The methodology has been conducted in 41 countries to date, with many now having reached the implementation stage.

BIOFIN is supported by the Governments of Belgium, Canada, Germany, Flanders, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. The initiative is part of UNDP’s Nature Hub under UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS).

BIOFIN’s first phase (2012-2019) enabled full assessments and initial implementation of finance plan elements in target countries. Based on lessons learned, a new and comprehensive version of the BIOFIN Methodology was developed. Significant scaling up of finance solutions is required in all 41 countries to address the biodiversity finance challenge.

BIOFIN’s second phase focuses mainly on the implementation of prioritized finance solutions and enables up to 132 countries to undertake the initial assessments and create the finance plan. At the central level, knowledge management platforms will be expanded and additional guidance produced for most valuable finance solutions.
For more information see BIOFIN website – www.biofin.org.
The Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network (BES-Net) is a capacity sharing “network of networks” initiative managed jointly by UNDP, UNEP’s World Conservation Monitoring Centre, and UNESCO with the financial support of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety and SwedBio at Stockholm Resilience Centre. In support of the capacity building work of the Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), BES-Net:

• Promotes dialogue between science, policy and practice sectors around the latest IPBES assessment themes for more coordinated and evidence-based BES management, using the Trialogue methodology;
• Supports the development of capacity in selected countries to conduct the national ecosystem assessment (NEA), completing the global assessment being undertaken by IPBES;
• Provides the target countries with catalytic seed fund for the uptake of the key findings and recommendations of the IPBES assessments/NEAs in the policy, science and practice sectors;
• Enhances the global BES network by developing a rich database of organizations and experts working on different IPBES assessment theme areas and making the latest BES related news and updates available on the web portal and the social media channels.

Duties and Responsibilities

The intern would be an integrated member of the BIOFIN global team, while assisting remotely the BES-Net team for around 20% of the time (one day per week). The main responsibility of the intern will be to support the global team in their technical, management and communication activities, through the following tasks:

UNDP-BIOFIN

• Support with research, collecting, analyzing, and presenting BIOFIN Impact – assisting BIOFIN to develop 12 transformative case studies for a publication
• Work with the Comms and KM Team to develop the newly designed Finance Solutions Catalogue;
• Assist the Comms Team in designing and implementing campaigns throughout the year;
• Contribute to the creation of a set of templates that will serve as a Comms and KM Toolkit for BIOFIN Countries;
• Support the organization of events, webinars, meetings, regional calls; assist maintaining the documentation of meetings;
• Assist in boosting BIOFIN presence in social media; provide assistance as required in the maintenance of the BIOFIN media accounts including Website, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc.;
• Support developing BIOFIN knowledge products (e.g.: blogs, articles etc.);
• Monitor, analyze, and synthesize the developments, press clippings and reports of BIOFIN, and maintain a database of BIOFIN news coverage and update it regularly;
• Attend meetings when required and take meeting minutes;
• Participate in regular interns’ meetings and report to supervisor;
• Support other/ad hoc activities as seen relevant and needed.

UNDP-BES-Net

• Support the development of stories from countries where both BES-Net and BIOFIN operate, highlighting synergies between the two initiatives;
• Assist in compiling relevant content for monthly newsletters (e.g., the BES-Net Monthly Blast);
• Contribute to the creation of articles, including the partner/expert series, in coordination with BES-Net partner organizations and experts;
• Support the collection of information on BES Solution Fund implementation in relevant countries to aid impact tracking, as needed;
• Help identify collaboration opportunities between BIOFIN and BES-Net in relevant country offices, based on requests from the BES-Net global team, and coordinate with the BIOFIN team on related matters.

Competencies

• Achieve Results - LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively - LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is a pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
• Learn Continuously - LEVEL 1: Open-minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility - LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
• Act with Determination - LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in the face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner - LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion - LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination