Editorial Intern

Background

Unit/project backgroundUnder the direct supervision and guidance of Urjasi Rudra, Web Editor, the intern will assist the Communications and Advocacy team with writing, editing, producing and posting content on the UN Women website and related platforms. A work plan with achievements for the duration of the Internship and learning opportunities will be agreed upon.

UN Women backgroundUN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

Application information

Please submit the following documents by 15 August to urjasi.rudra@unwomen.org:

• UN Women Internship Programme Application Form, available .here
• Cover letter
• Résumé
• 2 writing samples (ideally on women’s issues)
• 2 letters of recommendation

Once the candidate has been selected, the following additional documents need to be submitted:

• Letter of enrollment from school/college
• Scanned visa document/scanned passport document if no visa is required
• Scanned medical insurance document

UN Women will only be able to respond to those applications in which there is further interest.

Selected applicants must provide the internship application, two letters of recommendation, proof of health insurance and school enrollment, passport, and visa (if applicable).

Note: Interns are not financially remunerated by UN Women.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Writing and editing content for the UN Women website.
  • Keeping abreast of relevant news and UN Women activities or programmes in the field, suggesting topics for news or feature story coverage.
  • Attending events and writing news or feature stories for the website.
  • Assisting with proofreading, editing, and writing blurbs as needed.
• Web production on the UN Women website and cross posting on external blogs.
  • The intern will post content, including photos and other media, on both websites, and/or cross-post web content on other fora.
• Support editorial/web production for special events and key occasions, such as the UN General Assembly in September and 16 Days of Activism in November–December.
• Other tasks as requested by the Communications Team.

Competencies

Functional competencies:

• Experience working in either journalism or institutional communications and experience with web writing and publishing.
• Strong writing and editing skills, attention to spelling and ability to follow style guides.
• Proficiency in using new technologies, content management systems and web-based platforms. Knowledge of HTML, other scripts and web design are a plus.
• Fluency in English. Preference will be given to candidates also fluent in French and/or Spanish.
• Familiarity with women’s rights issues or international development/relations.
• This position requires, and will build on, the following competencies: communications, teamwork, planning and organizing, creativity and technological awareness.
• We seek self-starters and team players, who are able to balance multiple responsibilities.

Core values and guiding principles:

Integrity: Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.

Professionalism: Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.

Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity:

• Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff;
• Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Core competencies:

Ethics and values: Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity.

Organizational awareness: Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.

Development and innovation: Take charge of self-development and take initiative.

Work in teams: Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Communicating and information sharing: Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.

Self-management and emotional intelligence: Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behavior towards other.

Conflict management: Surface conflicts and address them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually acceptable solution.

Continuous learning and knowledge sharing: Encourage learning and sharing of knowledge.

Appropriate and transparent decision making: Demonstrate informed and transparent decision making.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• The intern must have a Bachelor’s degree, preferably in either Journalism or Communications. Preference will be given to candidates with, or pursuing, a Master’s or advanced university degree programme in any field.
• Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor's level or equivalent); Have graduated with a university degree and, if selected, must commence the internship within a one-year period of graduation.

Language: Excellent communication skills (written and oral) in English are required; Working knowledge of another UN language a distinct advantage