INTERN - PUBLIC INFORMATION, I (Temporary Job Opening)

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 as soon as possible.

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 researching, analyzing and presenting information gathered from
diverse sources on assigned topics/issues; tracking information on assigned topics/ issues;
gathering information from diverse sources and helps to assess news value and other potential
impact, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of information campaigns; drafting/ compiling
a specific type or types (e.g. print, broadcast, etc), of information communications products
for target audiences, to include press releases, talking points, web stories, media packets and
reports, brochures, briefings, video clips, newsletters, websites, multimedia, etc. In
consultation with supervisor, identifies and proposes information opportunities, activities and
approaches, taking into account the situation/topic and target audience; identifies key
contacts/constituencies and opportunities for strategic partnerships to facilitate
communication efforts and maintains working relationships with the same; responds to a
variety of inquiries and information requests internally and externally; prepares related
correspondence; and performs other duties as assigned by supervisor.

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 French or
Spanish 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. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.
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 Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The 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 according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. 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 reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (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.

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