Mission and objectives

Established in 1965, UNDP is the United Nations’ global development network, operating in nearly 170 countries and territories. Its mission is to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities, and build resilience to crises and shocks. The Istanbul Regional Hub (IRH) is UNDP’s primary knowledge and advisory center for the Europe and Central Asia region.

Context

The Innovation and Digital Team supports Country Offices and their government partners to navigate the landscape of digital transformation and emerging technologies, combining policy advisory with hands-on build work. Technical workstreams include the design and deployment of AI sandboxes; maintenance and scale-up of internal AI platforms; and internal AI adoption tools for UNDP Country Offices in Europe and Central Asia. Uzbekistan is a priority country over the assignment period, with a digital economy and AI transformation agenda. The team acts as the regional extension of UNDP's global Digital, AI, and Innovation Hub (DAI Hub). The UN Volunteer will sit at the intersection of advisory and build — supporting prototyping, technical reviews, and light engineering work that enables the team to translate policy advice into working systems.

Task Description

Under the direct supervision of the Team Leader and the guidance of the team's digital lead, the UN Volunteer will support the Innovation and Digital Team's technical artificial intelligence (AI) workstream. As part of the team, the UN Volunteer will: • Contribute to technical reviews of AI solutions and proofs-of-concept proposed or implemented by Country Offices in the region (e.g., language models, AI sandboxes, agentic AI use cases), including feasibility, data readiness, and responsible AI considerations. • Support the development of simple AI prototypes, scripts, and automation tools using Python and common AI/machine learning (ML) libraries, as well as low-code tools, to accelerate the Innovation and Digital Team's delivery. • Assist with light engineering tasks for existing Innovation and Digital Team products, including documentation, testing, and minor enhancements. • Contribute to technical sections of project documents, concept notes, and Terms of Reference (ToRs) — translating technical requirements into clear, implementable specifications. • Assist in preparing technical training materials, demos, and live sessions for Country Office staff and government counterparts. • Participate in technical exchanges with partner Country Offices, documenting requirements, blockers, and opportunities. • Contribute to UNDP’s regional Future of Work Academy in fall 2026, engaging youth throughout the region on acquiring critical AI skills. • Support the team's internal AI adoption efforts, including experimentation with agentic AI tools and workflows for knowledge management and delivery. • Perform other tasks as required by the supervisor in support of the Innovation and Digital Team's technical work. • Lead the volunteer action in AI and crosscutting topics by encouraging the ownership of Country Offices: o Participate in meetings and consultations with Country Offices, alongside the team, to listen to, assess, and clarify digital and technology-related needs and provide technical scoping support, including assessing feasibility, level of effort, risks, and technical readiness, and advising whether and how the team can support the request. o Support the definition of volunteer profiles and team compositions, including estimating the number of volunteers and types of technical expertise required for each request. o Contribute to drafting concept notes, scopes of work, and task descriptions by translating Country Office needs into clear, implementable assignments, and provide technical accompaniment during implementation, including troubleshooting, quality assurance, documentation, and coordination between volunteers and Country Office teams. Results/Expected outputs • Technical reviews completed for at least three Country Office AI initiatives during the assignment. • At least two working prototypes, tools, or scripts delivered and documented for reuse by the Innovation Team or partner Country Offices. • Documented contributions to one or more Innovation Team products. • Technical training or demo content delivered to at least one partner audience in the sub-region. • Evidence of volunteerism promoted and integrated into the work: o Clear technical assessments and scoping inputs produced for Country Office digital support requests. o Technical assistance provided throughout implementation, contributing to timely and usable digital deliverables.

Competencies and values

☒ Accountability ☒ Adaptability and Flexibility ☒ Commitment to Continuous Learning ☒ Communication ☒ Creativity ☒ Ethics and Values ☒ Integrity ☒ Knowledge Sharing ☒ Planning and Organizing ☒ Professionalism ☒ Respect for Diversity ☒ Technological Awareness ☒ Working in Teams

Living conditions and remarks

Istanbul is a major global city and the cultural, economic, and diplomatic hub of Türkiye, offering a rich urban environment and excellent international connectivity. It hosts one of the UN's largest duty-station presences in the region. Housing, public transport, healthcare, education, and consumer services are well-developed. As a volunteer, candidates should be aware that the cost of living in Istanbul — especially rent — is significant relative to the UN Volunteer living allowance, and applicants are encouraged to plan their finances accordingly. Türkiye is generally safe for international staff, though UN security guidance should be followed at all times. The climate is temperate, with warm summers and mild, wet winters. The assignment will be based in Istanbul and required [full-time engagement with presence in the office]. The UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging her/his own housing and other living essentials. The Summary of UNV Entitlement (International Associate): All paid in USD currency • Current Monthly Living Allowance (MLA): USD 2,259 • Private insurance: Health, dental, life, and dismemberment coverage by CIGNA • Entry allowance (one-time payment): USD 3,500 • Exit allowance: USD 225 per month and upon the satisfactory completion of assignment • Annual leave: 2.5 days accrued per calendar month • Free access to different learning platforms and the UN & UNV network Notes: 1) The allowances are in no way to be understood as a compensation, reward or salary in exchange for the volunteer work. 2) It's important to note that UNV assignments are volunteer assignments, not employment. The purpose of the allowances and entitlements paid to UN Volunteers is to enable UN Volunteers to sustain a secure standard of living at the duty stations in line with United Nations standards without incurring personal costs. 3) You can check full entitlements at the duty station: https://app.unv.org/calculator 4) Please read the complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos