Partnerships Intern

Job Posting Organization:
The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, based in Nairobi, Kenya, oversees the delivery of over 250 projects across 40 countries, focusing on fragile and conflict-affected settings. The office is supported by more than 1,000 personnel across five multi-country offices in North, West, Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa, and the Horn of Africa. It advances national priorities through strategic initiatives in Climate Action, Health, Infrastructure, Peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Security, Middle-Income Country Support, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Regional Office provides strategic leadership, operational support, and oversight in key areas including Partnerships, Communications, Management and Oversight, Infrastructure and Project Management, Health and Safety, and Security. By promoting excellence in project delivery, fostering knowledge sharing, and driving continuous improvement, the office contributes to sustainable infrastructure, transparent resource management, and a better quality of life for communities across the continent.

Job Overview:
The Partnerships Intern position offers a unique hands-on experience in international development, partnerships, and communication within the United Nations system. The intern will contribute to strategic initiatives in Madagascar, working with various stakeholders and supporting projects that enhance the quality of life for communities. This role provides exposure to business intelligence, project development, and cross-functional coordination, fostering professional growth in a dynamic environment. Under the supervision of the Partnerships Specialist, the intern will support the development of partnerships and projects, business intelligence and stakeholder management, external and internal communication, and knowledge management. The intern will learn how partnerships directly contribute to UNOPS's agility and timely execution by securing resources, leveraging diverse expertise, and adapting to evolving needs. This internship prepares individuals for impactful roles in the development sector by providing practical experience in how strategic alliances are forged and managed to achieve sustainable development outcomes, all within the robust framework of UN/UNOPS policies and public administration principles.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Development of Partnerships and Projects: Assist the office in engaging with potential donors, UN agencies, and institutional partners, including participating in meetings and managing follow-ups rigorously. Support the drafting and preparation of essential documents (concept notes, budgets, legal agreements, risk registers, and gender action plans). Facilitate coordination with internal stakeholders, including the Hub based in Tunis, experts, the regional office (AFR), and headquarters, to obtain necessary approvals from initial engagement to project implementation, while providing transversal support as needed.
• Strategic Intelligence (Business Intelligence): Conduct in-depth analyses of national strategies in Madagascar and SIDS, donor priorities, and their geographical and thematic areas of intervention. Produce summaries on key markets and actors in the region to catalyze new funding and engagement opportunities for UNOPS. Monitor current events (events, publications, calls for projects) to identify emerging trends and strategically position the organization's future interventions.
• External and Internal Communication: Support the updating of the communication plan based on the organization's communication strategy and partnership dissemination. Assist in preparing external communication materials tailored to key target audiences such as donors, UN agencies, governments, foundations, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector to effectively raise awareness among existing and potential partners. Develop content, presentations, correspondence, briefings, talking points, and other external communication materials, including social media content. Ensure that the achievements of notable projects from the Hub are accurately presented in appropriate communication formats for external awareness. Support partner surveys and the resulting action plans.
• Knowledge Management and Transversal Support: Ensure that organizational systems are updated and regularly fed, including the internal Google Drive of the partnerships unit. If applicable, provide regular reports on the business acquisition pipeline to the national director and partnerships specialist. If applicable, draft minutes of internal and/or external meetings, providing action points for follow-up. Liaise with communication and partnership services. If applicable, actively contribute to organizing capacity-building and training activities, as well as initiatives promoting team well-being and cohesion, while performing other related tasks as needed based on emerging office needs.

Required Qualifications:
Required: Candidates must be enrolled in a university program such as a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree (or equivalent) or have obtained a degree from such studies within the three (3) years preceding the application date for the internship. Desired: A globally or nationally recognized professional certification in communication, journalism, digital communication and social media, or graphic design.

Educational Background:
Candidates must be enrolled in a university program such as a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree (or equivalent) or have obtained a degree from such studies within the three (3) years preceding the application date for the internship. A globally or nationally recognized professional certification in communication, journalism, digital communication and social media, or graphic design is desired but not mandatory.

Experience:
Desired: While no prior professional experience is required, the following experience is strongly desired, whether in the private or public sector, in areas such as: management, research, project management, proposal and project development, data analysis (creating dashboards, GIS, etc.), marketing, consulting, partnership development, and resource mobilization. Knowledge of G Suite is an asset but not required.

Languages:
Mandatory: Fluency in English and French is required for this position. Both languages are essential for effective communication and engagement with diverse stakeholders in the international development context.

Additional Notes:
The internship is based in Antananarivo, Madagascar, and operates in a dynamic international development environment. The role is essential for supporting UNOPS's partnership development efforts, business intelligence, and communication. The internship is for a duration of 6 months, starting from October 6, 2026, and ending on October 20, 202

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes and will not request candidates to make payments at any stage of the recruitment process. Applications must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity.