Digital Finance Internships

IMPORTANT NOTE: General Call for 2019-2020 Internship Applications: This is a general call for internships throughout 2019-2020. We accept applications from interested and qualified applicants, on an ongoing basis for these Digital Finance Internships at Multiple locations in Asia. Interested Candidates can apply at any time indicating the timeframe of their availability in the internship form. However, only those candidates selected for interviews/further assessment by hiring managers will be contacted on ongoing basis.   Digital Finance:   UNCDF manages several initiatives related to digital financial services (DFS) to address the opportunities and challenges of implementing DFS[1] in the developing world, with a focus on the Least Developed Countries in Africa and Asia and the Pacific regions.  UNCDF also engages with the large emerging markets globally to foster the digitization of payments.  Our aim is to build an inclusive digital economy with the digital financial ecosystem as the starting point. An inclusive digital financial ecosystem is one that offers a wide range of DFS provided responsibly, and at reasonable cost, by sustainable institutions in a well-regulated environment. UNCDF provides a mix of policy, technical financial support to a range of government and private sector actors in each country, as well as investing in research and other public goods that benefit all market actors. By supporting the development of DFS in these countries, UNCDF works to increase the financial security and participation in the economy of low income and rural households through access to appropriate, affordable and secure means to receive, manage, spend and save money. UNCDF is also working with the greater UN system to investigate the applications of digital finance at the individual, company, sector, national and global level to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.  The purpose is to inform the UN system as well as UNCDF’s new strategy to focus its financial inclusion work more toward the SDGs. UNCDF is looking for qualified interns all year-around to support its different activities related to the following functional areas:

• Data Analytics
• Research and Writing in areas related to SDGs and Digital Economy
• Knowledge Management and Communication that includes social media engagement
• Blogging and Developing content related to work of UNCDF
• Engaging on developing infographics, production of video blogs, pictures repository, etc.
• New technology trends like AI, IOT, VR and how could it be deployed in context of digital finance specially for low and moderate income
• New business models that would allow for achieving the SDG goals through digital and finance.
• Start-up engagement through the UNCDF accelerator and incubation programme delivered through financial innovation lab
• Impact investment

These internships offer a unique opportunity to engage in digital finance, impact investment and to have exposure to leaders in the industry. [1] DFS refers to a range of formal financial services accessible via digital channels such as mobile money and agency banking, as opposed to traditional financial services accessed through physically visited at a bank branch Duties and Responsibilities Duties and Responsibilities: Under the supervision of the UNCDF Technical Specialist(s) - Digital Finance and Innovation, the key results expected from Digital Finance interns are:

• Support in researching and developing summaries on key issues like food security and climate change, gig economy workers, health, diital stack, education, jobs and skills, other related topics under SDGs and where Digital and Finance could play a key role;
• Develop brief summaries as well as help to develop information sheets that summarize key research finding on specific technologies and /or their applications to development issues. These technologies will include those core to digital finance (mobile, payments, fintech) and those which support them (big data, artificial intelligence, internet of things, distributed ledger);
• Identify and review research, publications and news related to how the digitization of finance is being applied to achieve the SDGS; Work on areas related to impact investment, research and assist with developing reports that contribute to different agenda of UNCDF;
• Data Analytics that includes working with team on bigdata engagement, analyzing trends, assist the team with documenting the same;
• Communication support that includes social media engagement, through UNCDF community of practice platform and engaging with the members on the topic related to digital economy;
• Engage on developing infographics, production of video blogs, pictures repository, etc. With UNCDF staff, participate in calls with industry leaders to take notes which will help provide up to date perspectives on the current applications of digital finance to the SDGs are progressing, the key barriers and risks, as well as the opportunities going forward;
• Be assigned to assist identified leaders to conduct and conclude their own research;
• To the extent convenient and possible, help prepare for participate in, and help document virtual or in person convenings on the topic working with the assigned UNCDF leader;
• Assist in other organizational efforts related to the outreach to stakeholders;
• Other tasks as requested.

More Information and Application Details