Org. 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.
OCHA ReliefWeb aims to provide reliable disaster and crisis updates and analysis to humanitarians by: collecting information from more than 4,000 global information sources around the clock; delivering content which is most relevant to ReliefWeb’s global audience, includes country and disaster reports, maps, info-graphics, job announcements and learning opportunities thereby; enabling humanitarian partners to analyze context and situations and make better decisions.
This internship will be situated within OCHA ReliefWeb office based in Bangkok, Thailand, and the intern will be under the general guidance of the Editorial Assistant with a directing reporting line to the Head of ReliefWeb office. The internship is being offered for a minimum period of three (3) months, with a possibility of extension up to a maximum period of six (6) months, starting on 1 April 2018.
Responsibilities
In general, 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.
Daily responsibilities will depend on the individual’s background and duties may include but are not limited to:
1.supporting with editing and preparation of reports, bulletins and information products;
2.researching, analysing and presenting information gathered from diverse sources on assigned topics/issues;
3.monitoring of the local and international media for current humanitarian issues;
4.assisting in the writing of web stories;
5.assisting in the dissemination of information through social media (facebook, twitter etc);
6.assisting in the organization of meetings, seminars, conferences, work-shops, etc., and serving as note-taker to such events;
7.assisting in the preparation of briefing materials/pack for high-level or donor missions;
8.supporting the flow of information between the country office and sub-offices;
9.performing other tasks 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 UN 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 communication, journalism, international relations, public administration 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 coordination, humanitarian financing mechanisms, humanitarian funding trends, gender equality programming, is an asset. Research interest and published work on these or/and any related areas 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 desirable. 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 included in the PHP) 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 PHP, 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.
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 United Nations (UN) Secretariat department/ office.
A person who is the child or sibling of a staff member shall not be eligible to apply for an internship at the UN Secretariat. 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 UN 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 UN 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.
Qualified individuals may apply directly to this and other opportunities with the United Nations Secretariat at: https://careers.un.org
For more information on the United Nations Internship programme, please visit: https://www.unog.ch
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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