INTERN - Peace Operations Support (multiple positions)

We recruit interns throughout the year for assignments of at least 3 months. In your cover note, please indicate when you would like to start your internship. Please note that start and end dates are flexible:

• Fall (September to December)
• Winter/Spring (January to April)
• Summer (May to August)

Internships with us focus on one of three areas. In your cover note, please indicate which work stream you are interested in:

• Executive and Management Support
• Analytics and Business Intelligence
• Communications and Design

Due to the high volume of applications received, we can ONLY contact successful candidates. All UN internships are UNPAID. Our interns work up to five days per week, with supervision and support of a staff member. Except for the summer periods, we also consider part-time internships.

The United Nations Department of Field Support (DFS) is a service provider for international peacekeeping, special political and other field operations. Our mission is to help these peace operations succeed with support solutions that are rapid, effective, efficient and responsible. We work with UN and non-UN partners to plan, mobilize and sustain field missions in the world's most complex environments. Our core services range from budget, personnel, technology, and logistics support, to supply chain, facility, and asset management. In 2015/16, our operations span 36 field missions across 30 countries, with nearly 170,000 authorized civilian and uniformed personnel, and a total budget of $9 billion.

The Strategic Support Team in the Office of the Under-Secretary-General of Field Support provides direct executive and management support to DFS leadership. Our work covers DFS strategy, performance, and analytics; as well as communication, coordination, and external relations.

Our interns work as full members of our team, pursue projects that are designed to make a permanent difference in DFS, and have opportunities to learn about the UN beyond field support. We offer internship opportunities in three broad areas:

AREA 1: EXECUTIVE AND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT
• Support the preparation of senior-level meetings, conferences and engagements
• Prepare research, analysis and policy options for improved support to peace operations
• Attend meetings with UN counterparts and committees, and coordinate follow-up to decisions
• Assist in speechwriting, messaging, preparation of reports and background documents

AREA 2: ANALYTICS AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
• Help analyse the performance of the global mission support portfolio against key indicators
• Support the analytics teams in preparing data, data models, and surveys
• Develop dashboards and visualizations for senior managers, and provide user support
• Support data mining, optimization, metrics development, and forecasting

AREA 3: COMMUNICATIONS AND DESIGN
• Design core identity products that illustrate corporate vision, mission and values
• Design and prepare content/copy for corporate briefings, presentations, fact sheets, and snapshots
• Support the development of web sites, including layout, content, look and feel
• Provide design support across a range of print and online products

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

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

Technological Awareness
• Actively seeks to apply emerging technology across tasks
• Keeps abreast of available technology
• Understands applicability and opportunities of technology for the organization

We are open to a broad range of educational backgrounds. Typically, our interns are pursuing studies in the following areas:

AREA 1: EXECUTIVE AND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT
We seek candidates with relevant coursework in International Relations, Global Affairs, Management, Economics, Public Affairs or Public/Business Administration.

AREA 2: ANALYTICS AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
We seek candidates with relevant coursework in Computer Science, Economics, Statistics, Operations Research, Engineering, Marketing, Mathematics, Data Visualization or Analytics

AREA 3: COMMUNICATIONS AND DESIGN
We seek candidates with relevant coursework in Design, Web Development, Strategic Design and Management, Information Design, Public Relations, Media Studies, Journalism or Data Visualization

Please note that to qualify for an internship with the United Nations, applicants must meet one of the following requirements: (a) be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); (b) be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent); or (c) have graduated with a university degree (as defined above) and, if selected, commence the internship within one year of graduation.

Candidates for our internship positions are not required to have significant professional experience, though it can be an advantage if you have interests, skills and knowledge in the areas below:

AREA 1: EXECUTIVE AND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT
• Keen interest in international affairs, international organizations, management and change
• Strong planning, writing and communication skills
• Proficient in standard software applications
• Attention to detail and a passion for big-picture analysis
• Experience in consulting, policy work or executive management support is an advantage

AREA 2: ANALYTICS AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
• Keen interest in analytics, information management, visualization, and performance optimization
• Strong knowledge of data management techniques, quantitative analysis and methods
• Knowledge of key business tools (e.g. Microsoft SQL, Excel, PowerPivot, PowerPoint)
• Knowledge of analytics tools (e.g. Microsoft SQL, PowerBI, SAP Business Objects, Tableau, Qlik)
• Experience in management analytics, visualization or survey design can be an advantage

AREA 3: COMMUNICATIONS AND DESIGN
• Keen interest in communications, design and change management
• Understanding of user-experience design, information hierarchy, design principles and typography
• Knowledge of industry standard software (Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop)
• Knowledge of key online platforms and technology (e.g. Microsoft SharePoint, Drupal, HTML, CSS)
• Please submit a portfolio or a link to a portfolio along with your cover letter and CV

• Fluency in one of the working languages of the UN Secretariat.
• For this duty station, English (both oral and written) is required; knowledge of French is desirable.

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by an interview.

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.

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.