Background

UNDP has been working in India since 1951 in almost all areas of human development. Together with the Government of India and development partners, we have worked towards eradicating poverty, reducing inequalities, strengthening local governance, enhancing community resilience, protecting the environment supporting policy initiatives and institutional reforms, and accelerating sustainable development for all.

With projects and programmes in every state and union territory in India, UNDP works with national and subnationalgovernment, and diverse development actors to deliver people-centric results, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalized communities. As the integrator for collective action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)within the UN system, we are committed to supporting the Government of India’s national development vision andpriorities and accelerating the achievement of the SDGs for the people and the planet.

UNDP India’s new Country Programme (2023-2027) builds on our prior work and aims to provide an integrated approach to development solutions in three strategic portfolios:

• Strong, accountable and evidence-led institutions for accelerated achievement of the SDGs.
• Enhanced economic opportunities and social protection to reduce inequality, with a focus on the marginalized.
• Climate-smart solutions, sustainable ecosystems and resilient development for reduced vulnerability.

South-South cooperation, gender equality and social inclusion are promoted across the pillars. The programme is supported by a framework of renewed partnerships and blended finance solutions, strategic innovation and and accelerator labs, and data and digital architecture.

You are invited to join a team of future-smart development professionals to support India in achieving the national and globally agreed goals. As part of the UNDP team, your focus will be to work with diverse stakeholders to findcountry-specific solutions that lead to sustainable development and reach those furthest behind first.

Project Background:

Within UNDP India, the Procurement Unit at Country Office (CO) administers and implements operational strategies in India CO in full compliance with the UNDP policies and guidelines.

The Procurement Intern promotes a client-oriented and consistent approach to rules and regulations in the Unit. The Intern works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and projects’ staff in the Country Office for consistent service delivery

Duties and Responsibilities:

Under the guidance of the Procurement Team Members and overall supervision of the Head Procurement, the intern will be expected to undertake the following responsibilities:

• Support Transactional Procurement - Transactional procurement is small value procurement which as per UNDP Policy is within $10,000. The intern is expected to increase the Vendor database for these categories.
• Creating roster for suppliers (Category Wise) – The Procurement Unit has an existing roster of vendors, and the intern is expected to review the roster and add potential suppliers under each category. This also includes reviewing past procurement data and analysing the spend.
• Market Research for high value categories – This is linked to the roster for suppliers where the intern is expected to conduct secondary market research to increase the supplier base. Market Research Reports for high value categories
• Support in maintaining the Procurement Tracker – This tracker is updated by the procurement team. The intern is expected to review all data points and help in preparing a report category wise. This will also include the turnaround time and the bottlenecks
• Updating of the Individual Consultant tracker regularly – There is an online portal, and the expectation is to review and update data on the portal.
• Support in cleaning of Procurement Data – This includes analysing the data points for procurement and create reports which will enable the procurement unit to draw inferences.
• Integration of Sustainability in Procurement - Assist the Procurement Unit in incorporating environmental and social sustainability considerations into procurement processes. Tasks will include supporting the review of past and upcoming procurement cases to identify opportunities for applying sustainable criteria; helping to compile a list of vendors with recognized sustainability certifications; assisting in the preparation of draft language for inclusion in RFQs and RFPs; and maintaining internal reference materials such as checklists or guidance notes. The intern will also help document examples of sustainable procurement practices and contribute to basic reporting and data entry related to these efforts.

Competencies

• Achieve Results: Plans and monitors own work, pay attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
• Learn Continuously: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
• Act with Determination: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination: Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Applicants from marginalized communities (e.g., gender minorities, LGBTQI+, persons with disabilities, indigenous or tribal backgrounds) are strongly encouraged to apply.

Required Skills and Experience

Applicants to the UNDP internship programme must at the time of application meet one of application:

• Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme or higher) in one of the following disciplines: Finance, Business & Administration or other relevant subjects.
• Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (suchas Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in the above field.
• Have recently graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one year of graduation;
• IT skills related to finance /administration will be an advantage. Knowledge of MS Excel and effective use of internet and web-based systems.
• Ability to work with quick turnaround time.
• Good team player and ability to adapt to changes in work environment
• Ability to work within tight deadlines and adjust accordingly
• Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship program and undertake theinternship as part of this program

                Mentorship:

Each intern will be paired with a dedicated mentor from their respective team. The mentor will provide professional guidance, help the intern navigate the work environment, offer feedback, and support their overall learning and growth during the internship period

Learning Opportunities:

Interns will be exposed to a variety of learning experiences related to UNDP’s work. These may include participating in team discussions, attending internal briefings or knowledge-sharing sessions, and accessing online resources. Topics may cover areas such as development programs, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and professional skills relevant to working in a multilateral development environment. In addition, we will also cover trainings in Public Procurement, Stakeholder Management, Working with the Government and Ethics & Confidentiality.

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.

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.