Partnerships Intern, Tokyo, Japan

General Information

Position Title: Partnerships Intern

Job Category: Partnerships

Duty Station(s): Tokyo

Seniority Level: Entry Level

ICS Level: Internship

Contract Type: Internship

Contract Level: Internship

Posting Start Date: 10-Jul-2026

Posting End Date: 23-Jul-2026

Duration: 6 months

Job Highlight

The Partnerships Intern (Full-time) supports the Tokyo LiaisonOffice's efforts to build and maintain strategic partnerships withJapanese stakeholders, including government, private sector, and UNagencies, through research, coordination, communication, andadministrative assistance.

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MANAGEMENT

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About the Group

The Partnerships and Futures Group (PFG) is responsible forstrengthening and expanding UNOPS partnerships and buildingknowledge, innovation and foresight capabilities throughnon-programmatic missions, underpinning UNOPS ability to scale upand speed up delivery for impact - for the people we serve.

PFG works across the range of UNOPS partner segments - includingUN agencies, international financial institutions andmultilateral/regional development banks, donors, partner countrygovernments, vertical funds and multilateral initiatives,south-south cooperation, and the philanthropic and private sectors- to deepen engagement, expand implementation capacity andaccelerate progress toward the SDGs.

PFG collaborates closely with HQ groups and geographic officeson partner segment strategies, partner leadership, and opportunitydevelopment, ensuring that partner engagement is coherent,intelligence-driven and aligned with UNOPS strategic priorities tostrengthen UNOPS positioning and visibility.

PFG leads the development of knowledge, innovation and foresightthrough eight thematic missions relating to the sustainabledevelopment goals, enabling UNOPS to anticipate partner needs andemerging trends and respond proactively to strengthen missionreadiness. It brings mission-led intent to partnerships andopportunity development, and drives the horizontal integration ofmissions into policy framing, service offering refinement andservice delivery. It provides expertise and business partneringsupport to teams across UNOPS, and technical advice topartners.

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Management

PFG has personnel based in UNOPS headquarters in Copenhagen andin locations close to key partners: Beijing, Brussels, Manila,Riyadh, Tokyo, and Washington.

Job Specific Context

This internship experience will provide an opportunity to gainhands-on understanding of how UN agencies contribute to sustainabledevelopment through partnerships, as well as an excellent chance tocollaborate with development partners such as the Japanesegovernment and JICA, which are key donors for UNOPS.

Role Purpose

The Partnerships and Liaison Group (PLG) supports UNOPS effortsto build closer ties with partners across the full spectrum ofUNOPS activities. Tokyo Liaison Office (TLO) aims to developstrategic partnerships with organisations based in Japan. We workwith the relevant ministries of the Government of Japan, the JapanInternational Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the private sector. Theoffice further assists UNOPS operational teams to manage theportfolio funded by Japanese donors.

Functions / Key Results Expected

Under the guidance of the Head of Office, the Intern will beresponsible for:

Partnership building

Organize and attend meetings with various partners in Japan,including the government counterparts, private sector and other UNagencies, and draft minutes of meetings.

Conduct research to explore potential partnerships with newstakeholders in Japan and make recommendations to the Head ofOffice.

Research and analysis

Conduct research and summarize information on topics such ascountry data, partner profiles and strategies, UNOPS projects andmarket trends. Review, edit and translate documents assigned by theHead of Office.

Advocacy and public outreach

Maintain and update the Tokyo Liaison Office (TLO) website, X(former Twitter) account and intranet and serve as a communicationsfocal point in the TLO.

Liaise with UNOPS Communications Group to analyze TLO's X postsand make recommendations to the Head of Office.

Coordination support Liaise with UNOPS country offices acrossthe world to monitor Japan-funded projects and ensure timelyimplementation, reporting and closure.

Support procurement and payment processes for officemaintenance.

Support missions and event organization, including logistics,preparation of briefing materials and post-event summaries.

Assist the internal and external reports and publications.

Manage visibility items such as booklets, fact sheets andenvelopes.

Skills

Microsoft Office

Competencies

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively todifferences and encourages others to do the same. Upholdsorganisational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards oftrustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit.Collaborates and supports the development of others. For peoplemanagers only: Acts as positive leadership role model,motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizingappropriate leadership styles.

Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on allpartners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds andmaintains strong external relationships and is a competent partnerfor others (if relevant to the role).

Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for selfand/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total taskaccomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Seesopportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understandsthat responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on ourbeneficiaries.

Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment.Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances orrequirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior.Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursuescontinuous improvements.

Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmaticdecisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculatedrisks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner.Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needsof others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge.Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinionand finding common ground.

Education Requirements

Required:

The applicant should be enrolled in a university programme suchas Bachelor, Masters or Ph.D. (or the equivalent) or have graduatedfrom such studies within three (3) years prior to the applicationsdate of the internship.

Desired:

Area of study should preferably be in development studies,public policy and administration, international relations,economics, business, communications, engineering, or other relatedareas.

Experience Requirements

Desired:

While no prior work experience is required, some experiencewith, Microsoft Office programs, particularly with Microsoft Excel,Word, and PowerPoint and Google Workspace would be an asset.

Language Requirements

Language: English

• Proficiency Level: Fluent
• Requirement: Required

Language: Japanese

• Proficiency Level: Fluent
• Requirement: Required

Additional Information

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process requestcandidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnightCopenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement.Applications received after the closing date will not beconsidered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited toproceed to the next stage of the selection process, which mayinclude various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employmentopportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range ofnationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities,sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain andstrengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive workingenvironment where all personnel are treated with respect and haveequal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills,qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement.We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process andwelcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenousand racialized communities, individuals of diverse genderidentities and sexual orientations, and persons withdisabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at theirbest during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted andrequire support or reasonable accommodation to complete anyassessment, please inform our human resources team upon receivingyour invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse(SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct,including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. Touphold these standards, background checks are conducted for allfinal candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history ofsuch conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS,candidates acknowledge and consent to these verificationprocesses.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint acandidate at a lower level than the advertised level of thepost.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatorycourses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time,before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatorycourses may be required during your contract. Please note that youwill not receive any compensation for taking courses andrefreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• For more details about the contract types, please clickhere.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their dutiesin accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies andInstructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks.In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of theSustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UNcore values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on allpotential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on theresults of such checks.