Apply for the Paid Remote Internship: Education Outcomes Fund Programme at UNICEF

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Closing Date: 16 February 2025

Apply for the Paid Remote Internship: Education Outcomes Fund Programme at UNICEF

Overview

There are few greater challenges faced by the global community than the twin crises of learning poverty and youth unemployment. In response, the Education Commission (chaired by Gordon Brown, former UK Prime Minister and UN Special Envoy for Global Education) and the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (chaired by Sir Ronald Cohen) came together to create Education Outcomes Fund (EOF). EOF aim to improve the education and employment outcomes of 10 million children and youth by supporting governments to utilize a range of innovative finance instruments at scale, including outcomes funds and other results-based financing (RBF) instruments.

EOF supports improvements in the quality of education and skills programs, with a special focus on underserved populations, including the hardest to reach, rural populations, girls, children with disabilities, and refugees. It measures (and pays for) what matters – both core skills like literacy and numeracy, but also critical 21st Century skills such as socio-emotional skills, ICT skills, and other broader fundamentals of a quality education. It helps close the persistent gap between the skills needed by employers and those attained by today’s youth by paying for employment and retention outcomes.

For all the above, EOF pays primarily on the basis of the results achieved, ensuring that taxpayer-funded domestic resources, aid, and philanthropic funds are only used to pay for what works. This is a game-changing way to finance results in education. It is more than just a fund – it is a powerful new set of partnerships and way of working.

How can you make a difference?

The interns will become a core part of the Program Team, supporting the team to work closely with governments, donors, and service providers/impact investors to design and implement programs as needed. The Remote Internship will provide crucial support to the EOF in this phase of rapid growth, and UNICEF needs highly motivated and capable individuals who share its passion for the mission.

Remote Internship Tasks

Country Scoping:

Conducting research on the education systems and challenges across several countries, with the aim of identifying well-suited contexts for results-based financing.
Carrying out detailed data analysis to understand complex educational shortcomings and conduct market research to advise donors on how they can best generate a social return.
Assessing the suitability of results-based financing instruments in different contexts and education sectors and presenting your research to guide decisions.

Program design:

Research the provider and investor markets and engage with market participants to fine-tune program design.
Preparation for workshops to engage government officials with program design.

Participating in the design of new results-based financing programs in the Basic Education, Early Childhood or skills for employment sectors.
Conducting research to guide programmatic decisions.
Working with financial models of innovative finance structures.

Providing inputs to inform EOF’s approach to pricing outcomes.

Research:

Carrying out research projects looking at current developments in results-based financing and the education sector globally, including looking at the cost-effectiveness of existing education programs, or looking at new metrics for comparing learning across different contexts.

Preparing briefs on strategies and policies of international donor agencies and other relevant stakeholders.

Requirements

Essential:

Enrolled in a degree programme in an undergraduate or graduate school, or a recent graduate (within the last 2 years).

Excellent academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records.
At least 18 years old.
Fluency in English is required.

No immediate relatives (e.g., father, mother, brother, sister) working in any UNICEF office; and have no other relatives in the line of authority that the intern will report to.

Desirable:

A degree in a relevant subject, such as economics, business, political science, finance, education, international development, or a related field, is preferred.

Experience or an interest in international development, the global education sector, and international aid is desirable. Additional consideration will be given for any relevant experience.
Proficiency in French, Spanish or Arabic is desirable.

Monthly stipend:

Interns will receive a stipend based on their location. USD 1,700 per month in New York, Geneva, and Copenhagen; or 70% of the monthly salary of the GS level 3 step 1 in all other duty stations.