Title:  Intern (UNIDO Country Office in Kenya)

​​Requisition ID: 7255 
Grade: Intern
Category: Internship
Employment Type: NonStaff-Regular
Country: Kenya
Duty Station: Nairobi   
Entry Date: As soon as possible
Internship Duration: 3-6 months
Application Deadline: 25-Mar-2026, 11:59 PM (Vienna, Austria time)

Vacancy Announcement

UNIDO welcomes applications from qualified persons with disabilities. Reasonable accommodation will be provided to applicants and employees with disabilities to support full participation in the recruitment process and in the performance of their duties.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty and hunger reduction, inclusive and fair globalization and environmental sustainability.  The mission UNIDO, as described in the Lima Declaration adopted at the fifteenth session of the UNIDO General Conference in 2013, the Abu Dhabi Declaration adopted at the eighteenth session of UNIDO General Conference in 2019 as well as the Riyadh Declaration adopted at the twenty-first session of UNIDO General Conference in 2025, is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development in Member States. The relevance of this mission as an integrated approach to all three pillars of sustainable development is recognized by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will frame United Nations and country efforts towards sustainable development. UNIDO’s mandate is fully recognized in SDG-9, which calls to “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”. The relevance of inclusive and sustainable industrial development, however, applies to all SDGs.

The medium-term programme framework (MTPF) 2026 - 2029 is UNIDO’s core strategic document and it is in line with UNIDO’s Vision 2050. It sets a renewed vision to support Member States and shape their industries for development. The priorities include fair and sustainable global and regional supply chains, ending hunger through innovation and local value addition, renewable and clean energy, sustainable energy access and climate action. Cross-cutting priorities focus on industrial and economic policy advice, skills development, fostering digitalization and artificial intelligence, gender equality and the empowerment of women, supporting youth, promoting cleaner production and circular economy, and leveraging private sector investment and development finance.

Each of these programmatic fields of activity contains a number of individual programmes, which are implemented in a holistic manner to achieve effective outcomes and impacts through UNIDO’s four enabling functions: (i) technical cooperation; (ii) analytical and research functions and policy advisory services; (iii) normative functions and standards-related activities; and (iv) convening and fostering partnerships for knowledge and technology transfer, investment mobilization, networking and industrial cooperation. Such core functions are carried out in Divisions/Offices in its Headquarters, Sub-regional Offices and Country Offices.

Under the overall direction of the Director General, and in close collaboration with all relevant organizational entities within UNIDO, the Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO), headed by a Managing Director, is responsible for UNIDO's relations with Member States and all external partners, including through the policymaking organs. It plays a central role for interaction and collaboration with traditional and non-traditional donors; oversees the regional bureaus as well as the network of established field offices, liaison offices and Investment and Technology Promotion Offices. The Directorate is responsible for the Liaison Offices in Brussels (GLO/BRO), Geneva (GLO/GVO) and New York (GLO/NYO) as well as following Divisions: Policymaking Organs (GLO/PMO), Funding Partner Relations (GLO/FPR), Investment and Technology Promotion Offices and Institutional Partnerships (GLO/ITP), and Regional Bureaus and Field Coordination (GLO/RFO). The Directorate also ensures close coordination and collaboration among the Divisions as well as with organizational entities in all Directorates across the Organization.

Under the supervision of the Managing Director of the Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO), the Division of Regional Bureaus and Field Coordination (GLO/RFO) coordinates the field representation and interventions of UNIDO in Member States and regions. Within this context, the Division is responsible for determining programmatic priorities for UNIDO's services and ensuring that UNIDO responds to the specific needs and requirements of Member States and development partners at the country and regional levels. It facilitates the development of regional strategies and country programming, including Programmes for Country Partnerships – PCPs, and monitors their implementation, in close collaboration with SPP/SSC. The Division encompasses all the UNIDO field offices and the five Regional Bureaus: Africa (GLO/RFO/AFR), also hosting the IDDA III Secretariat; the Arab Region (GLO/RFO/ARB); Asia and the Pacific (GLO/RFO/ASP); Europe and Central Asia (GLO/RFO/EUR); and Latin American and the Caribbean (GLO/RFO/LAC).

The Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO) focusing through various mechanisms and tools, on the relation with Member States and partners, including the current field office structure. The position is located in the Country Office in Kenya, under the Division of Regional Bureaus and Field Offices (GLO/RFO/AFR/KEN)

PROJECT (240172) CONTEXT

Kenya’s coffee sector stands at a crossroads as climate change and global market fluctuations amplify systemic inefficiencies in the Kenyan coffee value chain. While Kenya is a globally renowned coffee exporter, the industry grapples with significant challenges including overreliance on global market trends, low domestic value addition, shrinking labor force engagement, declining productivity, convoluted regulatory environments, poor knowledge flow and coordination, and the structural exclusion of women and youth. Despite these issues, the coffee value chain retains its potential to provide productive and sustainable livelihoods, to catalyze new business models and innovation, and to support inclusion of youth and women.

UNIDO and FAO are collaborating in a Joint Programme (JP) that leverages the insights of a preparatory assistance phase to unlock this potential. It focuses on new jobs creation by using new and innovative sustainable business models in the coffee sector. It will promote a unique approach based on technology and access to finance as two key elements while at the same time targeting youth, women and marginalized communities, especially in rural areas. The project ventures into new domains to catalyze growth in an inclusive and sustainable model. It advocates for increased domestic coffee consumption and local value addition to diminish reliance on volatile export markets, encompassing initiatives such as coffee awareness campaigns and the development of innovative and circular local coffee products, thereby generating new jobs and income streams for coffee communities and especially women and youth. Youth and women empowerment is crucial for creating equitable coffee value chain and therefore they are mainstreamed across all our activities, to promote inclusion of women and youth, especially in rural areas, to provide better lives and leave no one behind.

The JP is innovative in its focus on a short value chain approach: By promoting a “from Kenya to Kenya” perspective, supporting productive activities and driving social, environmental, and economic development in Kenya, the project enhances resilience to and independent from global challenges. This approach will foster the growth of new coffee entrepreneurs and businesses and contribute to broader economic growth, increasing the share of the locally consumed coffee currently less than 5%).

In the context of the JP, UNIDO focuses on two main outputs:

Output 1: Increased Domestic Value Addition and Consumption

Most coffee (90%) is exported from Kenya in the form of cherry or beans (green coffee). The project will address this by focusing on adding more value in Kenya through promoting (i) innovation in coffee and coffee uses (beyond drinking coffee – e.g. coffee beauty products), (ii) consumption of coffee in Kenya (currently estimated at 2-5%) and (iii) public procurement of locally processed coffee (enhancing local markets and leading by example). We believe that entrepreneurship, innovation and technology will attract youth to the coffee space and ensure creation of new jobs (for example in providing services such as energy efficient coffee processing) and continuity of coffee farming in Kenya. We further believe that jobs created in rural areas will benefit mostly women, the main workforce in on farm productive activities and the main beneficiaries of access to clean energy (e.g. briquettes from coffee husks) for cooking and productive uses. The JP will promote bankable proposals to attract investments in MSMEs engaged in roasting, packaging, and product diversification. Technical assistance will be provided to enhance branding, quality assurance, and market access. To promote increased local consumption, the project will reposition coffee as a Kenyan lifestyle product through targeted public awareness campaigns (targeting youth as the biggest growth potential).

Output 2: An enabling environment for environment for a profitable, inclusive and sustainable coffee value chain

Unleashing the full potential of the coffee value chain remains a complex challenge. One that could only be addressed through a coordinated approach amongst the various actors along the chain. The project aims to address issues of trust, knowledge flow and coordination, along the coffee value chain and amongst the development partners and government offices, to reduce duplication and attract sustainable investment. This will be done through events, instituting an information sharing mechanism, promoting evidence-based policy advice, communication and advocacy, and a Joint Programme Coordination Secretariat that will, among other tasks, support the implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of project activities.

Activities under this pillar will be aligned with Kenya’s Vision 2030, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Mattei Plan. This proposal’s value-added builds on the UN’s unique convening role to bring partners together to the drawing board and ensuring the voices of women and youth (and other marginalized communities) is reflected in policy and decision making and that no one is left behind. The JP supports national development goals including the ‘Vision 2030’ and the ‘Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda’ (BETA) and aligns with Kenya’s ‘Coffee Development and Marketing Strategy’ which has identified key pillars to be addressed in the value chain including processing and value addition, domestic consumption, inclusivity, financing mechanisms, and government and institutional development.

The JP also aligns with international commitments and supports a range of global and regional development frameworks. It directly contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDGs 1 (No Poverty), 2 (Zero Hunger), 5 (Gender Equality), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and 13 (Climate Action). The programme is also aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, supporting aspirations related to inclusive growth, agricultural transformation, and the empowerment of women and youth. It advances Kenya’s targets under the Paris Agreement and its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by promoting climate-smart agriculture, energy-efficient technologies, and agroecological practices. The programme supports the implementation of the Mattei Plan’s priorities for rural development, job creation, and value chain transformation in Africa, and aligns with the Kampala Ministerial Declaration on Migration, Environment and Climate Change—specifically its call to invest in circular economy practices, climate-resilient agriculture, and nature-based solutions. Through these linkages, the JP positions Kenya’s coffee sector as a driver of inclusive, climate-resilient, and sustainable development.

The Field Offices are responsible for representing UNIDO in their countries of coverage and promoting the Organization as an effective partner for development, and maintain close contact with all local stakeholders at the country and regional levels as appropriate, including government institutions and international entities. They are responsible for identifying development priorities in the countries/regions of coverage, and to support, and/or lead when requested, the formulation, implementation and monitoring of technical cooperation projects and programmes including PCPs and CPs, in collaboration with the relevant technical departments and other appropriate organizational entities. The Field Offices are also responsible for coordinating and reporting on UNIDO activities in their countries/regions of coverage, and contribute to the development of regional strategies and policies to ensure the strategic and programmatic consistency of UNIDO’s work including contributions to the UNRCO/UNCT/CCA/UNSDCF. The UNIDO field network comprises Regional Hubs, Regional Offices and Country Offices.

This internship position is located under the Country Office in Nairobi, Kenya, which is responsible for representing UNIDO in Kenya, Eritrea, and South Sudan and promoting the Organization as an effective partner for development, and for this purpose maintain close contact with all local stakeholders at the country and regional levels as appropriate, including government institutions and international entities.

The duration of an internship at UNIDO is between three to six months. Interns work under the supervision of a staff member, in the division or office that they are assigned to. Interns shall cover all costs associated with their internship, including visa, travel to and from the duty station, insurance, transportation, accommodation and living expenses.

GENERIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The intern will support the Joint Programme on Inclusive and Sustainable Coffee Value Chain in Kenya. The project aims to transform Kenya’s coffee value chain to create more and better jobs, strengthen livelihoods, promote socioeconomic development, enhance resilience and sustainability, and ensure the inclusion of marginalized groups, including women and youth.

Under the direct supervision of the project manager, the intern shall undertake:

1. Exposed to the regular core functions of the GLO/RFO/AFR/KEN and as such shall have the opportunity to observe the day-to-day operations and engage in on-the-job training in specific actions delegated by the Supervisor.
2. Engaged in a specific self-contained assignment described below:

1. 1. Communications Support:
      1. Assist in preparing communication materials, information notes, and visibility content for the project and the office.
      2. Explore effective communication tools and formats and compile stories, best practices, and lessons learned to support communication efforts.
      3. Assist in managing and posting developed materials on social media.
   2. Digitalization & AI Support: Contribute to improving digital workflows and applying AI and digital tools to enhance communication, documentation, and internal processes.
   3. Project Support: Draft briefs, organize materials, and support coordination activities.
   4. Events & Meetings: Support the preparation and documentation of meetings, workshops, and events, including drafting background notes, meetings summaries and lessons learned.
   5. General Project Support: Assist with day‑to‑day tasks that contribute to efficient implementation of the project in Kenya.

3. Other Special emerging Projects that may enhance the learning experience of the Intern.

The Intern will be required to prepare an end‑of‑internship report, which will be submitted to and cleared by HRM.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education: Enrolled in a second level university degree programme (master's or equivalent) or higher; or begin the internship within one year of completing a second level university degree; or be enrolled in the final academic year of a first-degree programme (bachelor's or equivalent); or begin the internship within one year of completing a first level university degree. Only accredited institutions will be considered.

Field of specialization: Knowledge in communication, digitalization, AI, business administration, ICT, or a field relevant to UNIDO’s mandate and project context.

Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required.  

Other skills: Proficiency in the use of software applications (Microsoft Excel, Word, etc). Previous exposure in ICT, AI and project management is an asset.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• Internships at UNIDO are full-time and shall be for a period of six months. For internships fully sponsored through partner institutions, the maximum duration shall be twelve months, subject to prior HRM agreement. Extensions beyond the initially agreed duration are not permitted.
• Interns receive a monthly stipend based on their duty station.
• Interns are responsible for living expenses, accommodation, visas, and related costs.
• UNIDO does not charge any fees at any stage of the internship application or recruitment process.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Core Values

WE LIVE AND ACT WITH INTEGRITY: work honestly, openly and impartially.

WE SHOW PROFESSIONALISM: work hard and competently in a committed and responsible manner.

WE RESPECT DIVERSITY: work together effectively, respectfully and inclusively, regardless of our differences in culture and perspective.

Key Competencies

WE FOCUS ON PEOPLE: cooperate to fully reach our potential –and this is true for our colleagues as well as our clients. Emotional intelligence and receptiveness are vital parts of our UNIDO identity.

WE FOCUS ON RESULTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: focus on planning, organizing and managing our work effectively and efficiently. We are responsible and accountable for achieving our results and meeting our performance standards. This accountability does not end with our colleagues and supervisors, but we also owe it to those we serve and who have trusted us to contribute to a better, safer and healthier world.

WE COMMUNICATE AND EARN TRUST: communicate effectively with one another and build an environment of trust where we can all excel in our work.

WE THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND INNOVATE: to stay relevant, we continuously improve, support innovation, share our knowledge and skills, and learn from one another.

LEARNING ELEMENTS

Become acquainted with the most up-to-date technical, economic and industrial developments in the relevant field of specialization of the Kenya office. Furthermore, interns are expected to deepen their knowledge in the fields of new product/services and process design, such as the coffee value chain in Kenya.

Gain experience in communication, project management, and event organization.

On the job training: be an integral part of the project implementation team, gaining experience in project implementation in the Kenyan coffee sector context.  Gain experience in working effectively in a diverse and multi-cultural environment.

UNIDO Interns are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity at all times, both at work and outside. Only candidates who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for internships at UNIDO.

All applications must be submitted through the UNIDO Online Recruitment System.
Correspondence will be undertaken only with candidates who are being considered at an advanced phase of the selection process.

Visit the UNIDO employment website for details on how to apply: www.careers.unido.org

Notice to applicants:
UNIDO does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. If you have received a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Vacant positions within UNIDO are advertised on the official UNIDO website. Should you have any questions concerning persons or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of UNIDO and requesting payment of a fee, please contact: internship@unido.org