United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity
Special Notice
Applicants are encouraged to apply for internships which relate directly to their studies and/or skills and expertise. Applicants are asked to please indicate preferences which best match her/his suitability and do so carefully in order to enhance the value of the internship for both the intern and the receiving UN department.
A person who is the child or sibling of a staff member shall not be eligible to apply for an internship at the United Nations. An applicant who bears to a staff member any other family relationship may be engaged as an intern, provided that he or she shall not be assigned to the same work unit of the staff member nor placed under the direct or indirect supervision of the staff member. For purposes of this advertisement, ‘child’ means (i) the child of a staff member; (ii) the child of the spouse of a staff member (stepchild); and (iii) the spouse of a child of a staff member or a staff member’s spouse (son- or daughter-in-law). ‘Sibling’ includes the child of both or either parent of a staff member and the child.
In line with the United Nations internship programme, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs-(OCHA) internship provides a framework by which students from diverse academic backgrounds gain exposure to the work of the United Nations through assignment to offices within the Secretariat. The Programme endeavours to attract qualified students, offering them an opportunity to enrich their educational experience through exposure to the work of the Organization. Equally, it provides the Office with the assistance of students specialized in various professional fields. The internship is an unpaid and full-time opportunity and the intern must adhere to the established official weekly working hours of the duty station where it is based with one hour for a lunch break. For more information on the Programme, please visit: https://www.unog.ch
Organizational Setting and Reporting
The United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is the UN Secretariat department responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to complex emergencies and natural disasters. OCHA also ensures that there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response effort.
The Partnerships and Resources Mobilization Branch (PRMB) coordinates and supports OCHA’s institutional and strategic partnerships with three sets of partners: (i) Member States, (ii) regional and inter-governmental bodies, and (iii) the private sector. Working in close cooperation with relevant Branches at HQ and with field offices, PRMB ensures focus and coherence in OCHA’s existing and future partnership initiatives and is the custodian of OCHA’s corporate partnership strategies with these three sets of partners.
Located within PRMB, the Private Sector Section (PSS) develops and drives implementation of OCHA’s private sector strategy, focusing on increasing private sector partnerships and principled engagement to improve humanitarian preparedness and response. PSS also supports, prioritizes and coordinates private sector humanitarian action by: supporting OCHA’s engagement in private sector network(s), platforms and events in support of agreed goals; acting as OCHA focal point for World Economic Forum (WEF), UN Foundation (UNF), UN Global Compact (UNGC), UN Business Partnership Mechanism; interfacing with Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) on private sector Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), and; conducting research for advocacy purposes.
This internship will be managed by the local Humanitarian Affairs Officer and with a direct reporting line to PSS/ PRMB in Geneva.
This internship will be based in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa, based in Cairo, Egypt, providing support related to private sector engagement in humanitarian action. This internship is being offered for a maximum period of six months, beginning at a mutually agreed time no later than 15 July 2017.
Responsibilities
The intern will support OCHA in fulfilling its mission to coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention; and facilitate sustainable solutions.
The intern will serve as a PSS focal point in the OCHA Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa, based in Cairo, Egypt on private sector humanitarian action in the region. S/ he will conduct research to map private sector related events, activities and contributions in the region and propose opportunities to increase and/ or improve humanitarian partnerships with the private sector. In addition, s/ he will propose their own research related to this topic, to be developed in consultation with their supervisor during the first three weeks of the internship.
Daily responsibilities will depend on the individual’s background and emergency priorities in the OCHA Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa, based in Cairo, Egypt. Duties may include, but are not limited to: conducting research on how business can and should engage in humanitarian action; providing initial due diligence research on companies of potential collaboration interest to OCHA in the region; assisting with the identification of potential business partners and the drafting of studies, background papers, policy guidelines, parliamentary documents etc.; developing and maintaining reference/ resource information on specific topics or policy related issues; contributing and responding to various inquiries and information requests internally and externally; assisting in the implementation of relevant communication strategies, including the organization of meetings, seminars, conferences, workshops, and other fora with other agencies and partners to facilitate exchanges of professional expertise and views on related subjects/ issues, serving as reporter to such events; liaising with OCHA staff at HQ and field level and other relevant partners to gather and disseminate information about private sector partnerships and the OCHA private sector partnership strategy; accompanying the supervisor to meetings with partners, UN agencies and take notes; and performing tasks as requested by supervisor, as appropriate.
Competencies
CLIENT ORIENTATION: considers all those to whom services are provided to be ‘clients ‘ and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.
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 the audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
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, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
- Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or
- Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent); or
- Have graduated with a university degree and, if selected, must commence the internship within a one year period of graduation from an academic programme.
Applicants who are unable to commence the internship within one year of graduation shall not be accepted.
The University degree must be in the area of political science, social science, international studies, public administration, economics, engineering, earth sciences or in a related field.
Work Experience
Applicants are not required to have professional working experience for participation in the Programme though any academic and/or practical experience in humanitarian affairs issues including humanitarian financing mechanisms, humanitarian funding trends, gender equality programming, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development and/or human rights is desirable.
Applicants should be computer literate in standard software applications; have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations, a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter and; have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which includes willingness to understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of Arabic is an asset. Knowledge of another United Nations official language is an advantage.
Assessment
Candidates will be assessed based on their Personal History Profile (PHP). Individual interviews may be conducted by the Hiring Manager directly for further consideration. A complete online application (Cover Note and Personal History profile) is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. The cover Note must include:
- Title of degree you are currently pursuing;
- Graduation date (when will you be graduating from the programme);
- IT skills and programmes in which you are proficient;
- Explanation why you are the best candidate for the internship position.
In your Personal History Profile, be sure to include all past work experience, if any; IT skills and three (3) references. Due to high volume of applications received, ONLY successful candidates will be contacted.
United Nations Considerations
Candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, 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 and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
The United Nations shall place 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. (Charter of the United Nations – Chapter 3, article 8). 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 inspira account-holder homepage.
Applications are pre-screened by the system according to the published requirements of the job opening on the basis of the information provided in the application. In relation to the requirements of the job opening, applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their qualifications, including their education, work experience, and language skills. Each applicant must bear in mind that submission of incomplete or inaccurate applications may render that applicant ineligible for consideration for the job opening. Initial screening and evaluation of applications will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted. Applications cannot be amended following submission. 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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