About the job

Duration: 24 weeks, April 2026 – October 2026

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Internship offering is limited to candidates applying from within the duty station of the hiring unit. Candidates must have legal residency/appropriate visa status for the duty station if applicable.

Position Summary:

Under the direct supervision of the Hub Manager and the Investment Portfolio Specialist at WomenX Collective, the UNFPA Intern will support the efficient functioning of the Collective by assisting with event management, communications, and knowledge management. The intern will gain practical experience working closely with the WomenX team, the wider Innovation and Transformation Branch, and external partners. A learning and work plan will be developed upon commencement.

About UNFPA:

UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, working to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. Our strategic plan focuses on ending unmet need for family planning, ending preventable maternal death, ending gender-based violence and harmful practices, and harnessing demographic change.

WomenX Collective:

The Innovation and Transformation Branch, plays a pivotal role in guiding UNFPA towards a future of heightened efficiency, impact, and relevance, by shaping and executing strategic initiatives through cultivating innovation. Through the Equalizer, UNFPA Accelerator Fund, UNFPA’s Innovation and Transformation Branch leverages innovation, research, and technology to deliver at the scale and pace needed to achieve its transformative results by 2030. Against this backdrop, UNFPA established the WomenX Collective to advance innovation, research and investment in women’s health. This initiative aims to close the gap in women’s health solutions by enhancing partnerships and mobilizing resources and financing for scaling evidence-driven solutions. . The WomenX Collective seeks to address women's unmet health needs in low- and middle-income countries by linking global solutions with local capabilities, ensuring sustainable impact. It emphasizes utilizing knowledge and expertise from UNFPA program countries to foster international collaborations focused on improving women's and girls' health and well-being.

Key Responsibilities:

The intern will assist in the following areas:

Communications, Visibility & Event Support:

• Assist in drafting content for digital platforms (website, social media, newsletters).
• Support the development and distribution of communication materials for WomenX activities and milestones.
• Help prepare knowledge products, briefing notes, and presentations for partners and stakeholders.
• Provide logistical and administrative support for meetings and events (e.g., invitation management, venue coordination, catering, audio-visual setup).
• Assist in drafting event concept notes and post-event reports.

Knowledge Management:

• Support the organisation and maintenance of project files, databases, and shared platforms.
• Research relevant topics as requested.

Resource Mobilisation and Partnerships:

• Providing support to monitor trends and new developments with respect to resource allocations and new windows of financing of UNFPA Women X programmes, including the private sector.
• Supporting the analysis of private sector engagements is key for Women X.
• Supporting the identification of innovative partnership opportunities with potential partners in close relationship with the other UNFPA business units.
• Supporting the organisation of Women X country catch-up calls.
• Assisting in any other task as required by the Women X collective team.

Learning Opportunities:

• Gain insight into UNFPA's mandate and innovative programming for women's and girls' health.
• Develop practical skills in project support, event coordination, and strategic communications within a UN context.
• Experience working in a multicultural and multidisciplinary team environment.

Educational Requirements:

• Be enrolled in a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent) and have completed one full academic year;
• Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as master’s programme or higher);
• Have recently graduated with a university degree as defined above and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation; or
• Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional trainee programme and undertake the internship as part of this programme.

Other Eligibility Requirements:

• Demonstrate interest in the field of development;
• Demonstrate written and spoken proficiency in at least one of the working languages of the United Nations (English or French) and fluency in the official language (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish) of the UNFPA office as set out in these Terms of Reference;
• Demonstrate ability to adapt to new environments and to establish and maintain good working relations with individuals of different cultural backgrounds.

An individual whose father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister is a UNFPA staff member is not eligible for an internship with UNFPA.

Your Experiences:

• Some experience in working with development agencies, including in a volunteer capacity.
• Strong analytical and writing skills.

Learning Elements:

Upon completion of the assignment, and depending on its duration, the Intern will gain the following knowledge assets:

• Increased understanding of the UNFPA Women X and the Programme Division within UNFPA
• Understand the UNFPA mandate and policies, including the regional set-up
• Understand and familiarise with UNFPA Governance and Executive Board
• Understand UNFPA programme design and delivery mechanisms
• Understand the dynamics of operational and programme support and communications to the field, and at the level of HQ
• Learn UN technical language, working procedures, and coordination mechanisms
• Write and formulate substantive documents
• Network with UN colleagues
• Work experience as a team member in a multicultural setting
• Learn about private sector engagement within UNFPA
• Learn about innovative financing

Financial Aspects:

Interns do not receive a salary or any other form of remuneration from UNFPA. The costs associated with an intern's participation in the programme must be assumed either by the nominating institution, which may provide the required financial assistance to its students, or by the students themselves, who will have to meet living expenses as well as make their own arrangements for accommodation, travel and other requirements. However, the Intern will receive a stipend to help cover basic daily expenses related to the internship, if not financially supported by any institution or programme, such as a university, government, foundation, or scholarship programme. The amount of the stipend varies according to the duty station. In addition, applicants must have medical insurance for the duration of the internship. Proof of insurance will need to be submitted before the internship begins. UNFPA does not provide medical insurance for interns.

• Assist in drafting content for digital platforms (website, social media, newsletters).
• Support the development and distribution of communication materials for WomenX activities and milestones.
• Help prepare knowledge products, briefing notes, and presentations for partners and stakeholders.
• Provide logistical and administrative support for meetings and events (e.g., invitation management, venue coordination, catering, audio-visual setup).
• Assist in drafting event concept notes and post-event reports.
• Support the organisation and maintenance of project files, databases, and shared platforms.
• Research relevant topics as requested.
• Providing support to monitor trends and new developments with respect to resource allocations and new windows of financing of UNFPA Women X programmes, including the private sector.
• Supporting the analysis of private sector engagements is key for Women X.
• Supporting the identification of innovative partnership opportunities with potential partners in close relationship with the other UNFPA business units.
• Supporting the organisation of Women X country catch-up calls.
• Assisting in any other task as required by the Women X collective team.

• Strong analytical and writing skills.

• Be enrolled in a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent) and have completed one full academic year;
• Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as master’s programme or higher);
• Have recently graduated with a university degree as defined above and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation; or
• Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional trainee programme and undertake the internship as part of this programme.
• Demonstrate interest in the field of development;
• Demonstrate written and spoken proficiency in at least one of the working languages of the United Nations (English or French) and fluency in the official language (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish) of the UNFPA office as set out in these Terms of Reference;
• Demonstrate ability to adapt to new environments and to establish and maintain good working relations with individuals of different cultural backgrounds.
• Some experience in working with development agencies, including in a volunteer capacity.