Bold statement: Youth holds the power to steer global development, and this is your chance to be at the helm of that change. But here’s where it gets controversial: not every organization truly centers youth voices, so your impact here hinges on authentic influence and concrete outcomes. If you’re ready to explore that promise, keep reading to see how this opportunity works and how you can stand out.
Overview
The UNOPS Youth Engagement Platform (YEP) is a distinctive, high-visibility program designed for young changemakers who want to influence UNOPS leadership and infuse youth-informed perspectives into strategic decision-making. This 12-month, remote internship enables you to shape policies, initiatives, and projects across UNOPS, while collaborating with peers worldwide.
UNOPS, the United Nations Office for Project Services, delivers infrastructure, procurement, project management, and operational solutions to advance sustainable development across the globe.
The YEP carries the motto “30 below 30, to get 2030.” It was launched by the UNOPS Executive Director to embed the voices, creativity, and lived experiences of young people directly into high-level decision-making processes.
What the program offers goes beyond typical internships: it’s a platform for innovation, policy influence, and thought leadership. Participation is pro-bono, but it affords unparalleled exposure to the UN system, professional development, and the opportunity to represent youth perspectives in internal and external forums. Travel-related compensation is provided only for work undertaken on behalf of UNOPS.
Role purpose
As a YEP member, you’ll act as a youth advisor to UNOPS leadership, bringing fresh ideas, lived experience, and youth-centered insights to the organization’s work. Your input will help UNOPS address emerging challenges facing young people, design youth-inclusive programs, and strengthen the organization’s role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Key responsibilities
- Generate Youth-Led Insights on SDG and Development Trends
- Identify emerging risks, opportunities, and trends affecting young people within UNOPS’ areas of operation (infrastructure, procurement, climate, fragility, project management, etc.).
- Deliver rapid, youth-informed feedback on global and regional developments to help shape strategies, policies, and programming.
Contribute youth perspectives to internal analyses, foresight exercises, and strategy reviews.
Provide Strategic Advisory Input
Review and advise on UNOPS frameworks, policies, and initiatives through a youth, diversity, equity, and inclusion lens.
Participate in consultations with UNOPS leadership and key units, offering practical, youth-informed recommendations.
Co-create proposals that enhance the relevance, legitimacy, and impact of UNOPS’ work for and with young people.
Advance Youth Representation and Thought Leadership
Represent youth perspectives in internal forums and selected external events.
Help craft talking points, advocacy messages, and panel contributions that highlight youth priorities.
Support UNOPS participation in system-wide youth initiatives aligned with the UN Youth Strategy and Youth2030.
Strengthen Youth-Inclusive Operational Approaches
Provide feedback to improve youth participation and benefit-sharing in UNOPS projects.
Extract lessons and best practices from youth-engagement efforts and translate them into operational guidance and standards.
Advise on safe, ethical, and meaningful engagement of young people across UNOPS programs.
Who should apply?
The program seeks 15 internal UNOPS staff and 15 external youth visionaries, aged 17–29, who demonstrate:
- A strong passion for sustainable development and the SDGs.
- Experience in youth leadership or active involvement in community, student, or advocacy efforts.
- A track record of representing youth perspectives in local, national, regional, or international contexts.
- An ability to collaborate across diverse groups and meaningfully contribute to decision-making platforms.
- Exposure to SDG-related issues or international development through volunteering, activism, coursework, or networks.
Beneficial extras include prior exposure to UN systems, policy discussions, youth advocacy, or global development work. English fluency is required; proficiency in Spanish or French is a plus.
Why join?
- Influence: Shape UNOPS policies and strategies from a youth vantage point.
- Visibility: Represent young people within UN decision-making and at international events.
- Development: Gain hands-on experience in policy analysis, public speaking, stakeholder management, and advocacy.
- Networking: Collaborate with peers and global experts in sustainable development and the UN system.
- Impact: Directly contribute to advancing youth-inclusive approaches in global development and progress toward the 2030 Agenda.
How to apply
Submit a single PDF containing:
1) A resume/CV detailing relevant experience and qualifications.
2) A description of a project or initiative demonstrating your commitment to sustainable development (up to 2000 characters).
3) An open-source link to a 90-second video explaining your passion for sustainable development and the value you’d bring to the YEP.
Deadline: 31 December 2025 (midnight, Copenhagen time).
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core to UNOPS, and applications from underrepresented and marginalized communities are encouraged.
This is a rare chance for young changemakers to center youth perspectives in global decision-making, helping to shape a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient world.
APPLY: https://careers.unops.org/careersmarketplace/JobDetail/Member-UNOPS-Youth-Engagement-Platform/1326
For more opportunities like this, follow us on:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091911940560
- Instagram: https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fglobalsouthopportunities%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR034hWvLQExa1iAXNScVGjN4INK2z8jsjMTY6Xx5YLyBv21eb99zx9Efy4aemNeVYOXGkD4HSIauOlwpY5g&h=AT3hKapv3bLGjH2UiSU543XExZwQtdwB8GR7D0O5rO1RUs3Y-V8y37XSwiTXqzF-gwiR7nFenEt3FP0ooqSpzBBTX8mqaq469PN6ySIRjwpw4y-eqZW5QkpAT7EBYMdoIyP
- WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/HXTUEyM37ys85jgo477JzR
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlobalOpp1
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-south-opportunities/
- Telegram: https://t.me/+DKimgksqlyI2ZTc8
Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the hiring organization. For inquiries, contact the official organization directly. Do not send applications to GSO. We may not be able to respond to all inquiries due to high volume. Thank you for understanding.
