Organization Mission

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN”s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP is on the ground in some 170 countries and territories, supporting their own solutions to development challenges and developing national and local capacities that will help them achieve human development and the Sustainable Development Goals. Our work is concentrated on three main focus areas: Sustainable development; Democratic governance and peacebuilding; Climate and disaster resilience. UNDP helps countries attract and use aid effectively. In all our activities, we promote gender equality and the protection of human rights. UNDP has enhanced its support to countries to work towards the eradication of extreme poverty, enabling us to build back better and work towards innovative solutions to the complex global challenges. We have refined our service offering through six signature solutions to provide a more integrated response to the development challenges that we are all facing in this complex global environment. This includes a mix of policy advice, technical assistance, catalytic financing and innovative programmes tailored to country specific needs to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals through six our signature solutions on – poverty, governance, resilience, environment, energy, gender equality.

Context

The Creative Industries Business Summit (CIBS) 2026 builds on the 2025 momentum by focusing on turning opportunities into tangible business outcomes for Zambian creatives. It aims to strengthen capacity in market access, financing, digital inclusion, policy alignment, and the use of emerging technologies especially Artificial Intelligence (AI) to drive innovation.

The summit will serve as a high-level platform to promote commercialization, attract investment, foster partnerships, and position the creative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth and youth employment. Under the theme “Commercialising Creative Industries for Youth Employment Through Digital Innovation,” it aligns with national priorities and global digital trends.

CIBS 2026 marks a shift to a localized approach, bringing together key stakeholders to advance digital transformation in Zambia’s creative sector. It highlights opportunities presented by AI, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT), and gaming, which are reshaping how creativity is produced, monetized, and shared. The summit aims to equip creatives with the skills and access needed to compete and thrive in a fast-evolving digital economy.

Therefore, recruiting CIBS volunteers is essential to ensure thorough preparation and the smooth execution of the Summit, including its pre-event activities and post-event engagements.

Key Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the Director of Arts and the direct supervision of the National Coordinator – Youth Programme, the CIBS Volunteers will:

Logistics and Operations
• Assist with venue setup, registration desks, and delegate information sharing.
• Manage signage, seating, and audio-visual equipment.
• Coordinate transportation and accommodation support for delegates.
• Assist with organizing side meetings.

Programme Support
• Facilitate session logistics (panels, workshops, keynote speeches);
• Take notes during sessions and prepare summary reports;
• Distribute materials and manage speaker liaison.

Exhibitions and Business Pavilion
• Support exhibitors with setup and troubleshooting;
• Guide attendees through the exhibition space;
• Assist with Business-to-Business (B2B) or Business-to-Consumer (B2C) networking sessions.

Communications and Media
• Manage social media updates (live-tweeting, Instagram stories, etc);
• Assist press and content creators with interviews/coverage;
• Document sessions through photography/videography.

Networking and Side Events
• Coordinate cultural excursions;
• Assist with welcome and closing receptions and catering logistics.

Administrative Support
• Maintain organized filing systems for summit documents;
• Track attendance and feedback surveys.

Required Skills and Experience

• Prior volunteering in events, conferences, or creative sectors is an added advantage.
• Ability to work with multicultural teams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office or Google Suite.
• Social media savvy (for communications roles).
• Multilingual skills (e.g., French, Portuguese) welcome but not required.
• Strong organizational and teamwork abilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office or Google Suite.
• Social media savvy (for communications roles).
• Multilingual skills (e.g., French, Portuguese) welcome but not required.

Core Competencies

• Accountability
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Creativity
• Judgement and decision-making
• Professionalism
• Self-management

Living Conditions

Zambia is a land-linked, resource-rich country with sparsely populated land in the centre of Southern Africa. It shares its border with eight countries (Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe) that serve as an expanded market for its goods.

Lusaka is the capital of the Republic of Zambia. The climate is sunny and temperate, but it can be very cold during few months, with freezing temperature at times especially during the night. It is therefore advisable to bring warm clothing and foresee using heaters and other heating options when necessary. As the commercial and cultural centre of Zambia, Lusaka has seen rapid development in recent decades, with reasonable transportation connections and widely spoken English making the city highly attractive to vacationers and experts alike. Unemployment and poverty are issues in the city, and beyond. Key industries for the region and Zambia as a whole, include mining, agriculture, and tourism. Like most Southern African cities, life in Lusaka will require some adjustments for a person moving from outside the region, but the potential rewards and opportunities for experiences are well worth the effort.

Lusaka hosts several international organisation and embassies/diplomatic missions, therefore there is a very large community of expatriates from around the world. Housing is most of the time readily available and of good standard options are available. Most foodstuffs, beverages, household goods, furniture, and clothing, mostly imported from South Africa, Europe, and China while some ranges of local brands are available at a competitive price to imports. Meat, fish, fresh fruits, and vegetables are reasonably priced and abundantly available.

The basic infrastructures roads, utilities, and telecommunications are of reasonable standard, although the city experiences power outages from time to time. Medical facilities are still largely inadequate, although several private clinics and hospitals provide reasonably good routine care. Several restaurants around the city serve local or international cuisine and there are numerous social and sports facilities (fitness, tennis, swimming, riding, golf, etc.) in the major hotels or in different establishments around the city. There are no major or special security concerns within Lusaka city limits. For more information, please visit http://zambiatourism.com.