Posting Title: Intern – Public Information, I
Job Code Title: INTERN – PUBLIC INFORMATION
Department/ Office: Department of Public Information
Duty Station: LAGOS
Posting Period: 1 February 2017-2 April 2017
Job Opening number: 17-PUB-DPI-71401-R-LAGOS
Staffing Exercise ID: N/A
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity
Special Notice
Due to the high volume of applications received, only successful candidates will be contacted.
The internship is for a period of six months. The internship is unpaid and full-time. Interns work five days a week for a total of 35 hours per week.
A complete online application, including a Cover Note and a Personal History Profile, on the United Nations careers portal (https://careers.un.org/) is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
The Cover Note must include:
- Your name and current contact information;
- The title of the degree you are currently pursuing;
- Your expected graduation date (the date you will obtain your degree);
- Computer skills, including software program that you are proficient in;
- Top three areas of interest/department preferences at the United Nations;
- Why you think you are the best candidate for the position;
- An explanation of your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme.
The Personal History Profile must include:
- All your past internship and/or work experiences;
- All your language proficiencies, including English;
- Three references, including name and contact information.
Organizational Setting and Reporting
This internship is located in the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Lagos, within the Information Centres Service (ICS), Strategic Communications Division (SCD), Department of Public Information (DPI). The UNIC Lagos is the principal source of information about the United Nations system in Nigeria and is responsible for promoting public understanding and support for the aims and activities of the United Nations by disseminating UN information materials to a local audience in local language; engaging local and regional partners; and, overall, bringing the United Nations closer to the people it serves. The intern is under the overall supervision of the Director and the direct supervision of a National Information Officer.
Responsibilities
Examples of daily responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Research UN and/or external information repositories for print and/or digital materials on specific thematic issues, in cooperation with appropriate substantive focal points.
- Collect, compile, and/or draft content for regular and ad-hoc information materials (e.g. newsletter, fact sheet, talking point, etc.), coordinating with relevant author offices.
- Provide clerical assistance (e.g. formatting spreadsheets, proofreading text documents, searching archives, running basic reports, etc.) on administrative tasks.
- Research, draft and/or update on-line content for web sites and/or social media accounts, with guidance from subject matter experts and relevant substantive focal points.
- Support web-based video conferences between offices at Headquarters and in the field, with guidance from relevant operational focal points.
- Provide general office support (e.g. processing correspondence; maintaining files, records, and/or databases; organizing meetings; taking meeting minutes; etc.)
- Disseminate information materials in both electronic and hardcopy format to field offices.
- Utilise existing UN standard software and applications to facilitate collaboration and communication between ICS staff in the field and at Headquarters; Perform other related duties, as required.
Competencies
- COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
- PLANNING AND ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
- TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
Education
To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, the following four conditions must be met: 1. Applicants are required to: a. Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher) in Journalism, Communication, Media Studies, Information Science, Information Systems, International Relations or related field.
- Or be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent); in Journalism, Communication, Media Studies, Information Science, Information Systems, International Relations or related field.
- Or have graduated with a university degree (as defined above) and, if selected, must commence the internship within a one year period of graduation.
- Be proficient in standard office automation equipment (e.g. computer, scanner, printer, etc.) and software systems (e.g. Microsoft Windows 7 or similar; Microsoft Office or similar; Lotus Notes or similar, etc.)
- Have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter; and Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the United Nations Charter.
- And have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.
Work Experience
No professional work experience required.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of one or more official United Nations languages is desirable.
Assessment
Potential candidates will be contacted by the Hiring Manager directly for further consideration.
United Nations Considerations
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity, including but not limited to, respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to, whether they have committed or are alleged to have committed criminal offences or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the At-a-Glance on ‘The Application Process’ and the Instructional Manual for the Applicants, which can be accessed by clicking on ‘Manuals’ hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The screening and evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications, including but not limited to, their education, work experience, and language skills, according to the instructions provided on inspira. Applicants will be disqualified from consideration if they do not demonstrate in their application that they meet the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations. Applicants are solely responsible for providing complete and accurate information at the time of application: no amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to a reference-checking process to verify the information provided in the application.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at midnight (New York time) on the deadline date.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
More Information
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