Internship in Southern Africa & Great Lakes Pillar - Regional Bureau for Africa in Geneva, Switzerland

Terms of Reference for an Internship in Southern Africa & Great Lakes Pillar, Regional Bureau for Africa (HQ)

Organization: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Job Title: Intern
Duty Station: Geneva, Switzerland (HQ) Duration: 1 June- 30 August (3 months)
Start date: 1 June 2018
Deadline to apply: 23 May 2018

Background information
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Every year, millions of men, women and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. UNHCR teams are in the field in some 127 countries, using their expertise to protect and care for millions of people.

The intern will be placed within UNHCR's Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA) in Southern Africa & Great Lakes Pillar. RBA is responsible for overseeing and representing country operations in Sub-Saharan Africa at headquarters level, in Geneva. Currently, there are 65.6 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, including 17.2 million refugees under UNHCR's mandate. 

Within RBA, the selected candidate will be fully part of the Southern Africa & Great Lakes Pillar. This internship is a unique opportunity to gain exposure to UNHCR's humanitarian and protection work in the Africa region, while simultaneously increasing his/her knowledge in the areas of information management, executive duties and external relations. The selected candidate will also have the opportunity to participate in UNHCR conferences and briefings and benefit from in-house technical and on-the-job training opportunities.

Duties and responsibilities
UNHCR is seeking a dedicated, dynamic and proactive intern, with strong interest in forced displacement in Africa. The intern will be expected to be flexible and work on multiple tasks with varying deadlines. The selected candidate will be assisting the Pillar with the following key duties:
- Under the direct management of the Deputy Director for the Southern Africa and Great Lakes' pillar, carry out tasks from the Deputy Director, Operations Manager and Senior Desk Officer of the pillar;
- Establish country sheets for various operations covered by Pillar;
- Properly structure and organize the L drive, which serves as the hub for various documents sent out and received by the Pillar;
- Assist in updating UNHCR data portals in the region by liaising with IMOs and other focal persons;
- Assist the Pillar with note taking during meetings and conferences;
- Assist with inter-agency coordination and NGO consultations; 
- Provide assistance in organizing events such as Standing Committee;
- Assist in following up on various issues with other Pillars and the field;
- Perform other duties as may be required.

Essential minimum qualifications
- Recent graduate (those persons who completed their studies within one year of applying) or current student in a graduate/undergraduate school programme from a university or higher education facility accredited by UNESCO; and
- Have completed at least two years of undergraduate studies in a field relevant or of interest to the work of the Organization.

The ideal candidate will:
- Possess a Bachelor or a Master's Degree in Political Science, International Affairs, Development, Communications or other relevant field;
- Good knowledge of refugee issues in Africa highly desirable;
- Excellent oral and drafting skills in English (Knowledge of French is an asset);
- Information management skills are an advantage;
- Flexibility, team working skills, professional and personal integrity.

What the intern will learn
Overall:
- Gain more knowledge on UNHCR's mandate and activities;
- Communicate efficiently on UNHCR operations in Africa;
- Gain experience in external relations;
- Work across thematic sectors and HQ divisions to advance the UNHCR's work in Africa. 

The intern will gain knowledge on:
- A wide range of refugee issues in sub-Saharan Africa (incl. emergency response, durable solutions, international protection; livelihoods and self-reliance);
- UNHCR's work on solutions in field and country offices around the world;
- Internal processes and inter-divisional collaboration in a large humanitarian organization;
- Inter-agency and cross-sectoral collaboration in a humanitarian context;
- Different UN organizations, partners, donors; and
- Working in a multicultural, multilingual team.

Conditions
- The internship is expected to begin on 1 June and will last for a period of 3 months. The role is full time (40 hours per week). Working hours are 8.30 am to 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday.
- UNHCR ensures our interns acquire a rich experience that will help them in their future search for work and provide the necessary evaluation and recommendation letters.
- The intern will report to the Deputy Director in charge of the Southern Africa & Great Lakes Pillar, and will be guided by the Operations Manager and various Senior Desk Officers in charge of various countries.
- Applicants must also be entitled to work in Switzerland.

Allowance
Interns who do not receive financial support from an outside party will receive an allowance to partially help to cover the cost of food, local transportation and living expenses.


The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity. Please note that the closing date for applications to this internship is Wednesday 23 May 2018 (midnight Geneva time).