INTERN - Designer [Temporary]

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located within the Security Sector Reform (SSR) Unit (SSRU) in the Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions (OROLSI), Department of Peace Operations (DPO), and United Nations (UN) Secretariat. The intern will report to the head of the Knowledge and Guidance team within SSRU.

The Internship is unpaid, full-time (35 hours per week), or Part-time (20 hours per week). The Internship is for six (6) months and will be undertaken remotely or based in New York (Hybrid work arrangement).

Responsibilities

Within the delegated authority, the Designer will be responsible for the following duties:
¿ Conceptualize and develop engaging visual products to effectively spotlight the work of the United Nations on SSR and deliver strategic messaging to reach varied and diverse audiences such as practitioners, decision-makers, civil society, and academia. Visual products may include, inter alia: policy publications, banners, posters, infographics, newsletters, one-pagers, fast facts and quotes, data visualization, and social media and webpage graphics.
¿ Render and develop the highest quality of publication design and layout services to produce policy products that reflect the United Nations, are stylistically attractive, professional, and modern, fit the requirements for UN publications, and are highly readable for a time-constrained audience of practitioners within the UN
¿ Actively participate in the creative ideation process to develop graphic products in close collaboration with the SSRU team.
¿ Specifically support the design and formatting of a set of high-level policy products on SSR, developed under the UN-World Bank programme ‘Advancing Policy Tools for Sustainable SSR’.
¿ Support the unit’s knowledge management processes by maintaining a dedicated database of branding materials, including graphics and template documents.
¿ Liaise with internal and external stakeholders on communications-related tasks including, but not limited to, social media engagement
¿ The following activities will be required:
a. Develop one design/layout for the UN SSR policy briefs that should be consistently applied to 10 similar products InDesign. The publication design concepts should take into account the entirety of the design and layout of policy products including front cover, coloring, text typeface and structure, tables, charts, graphs, and images and make it ready for online publishing.
b. Develop one design/layout for the UN Guidance modules on SSR. This includes the same elements listed above under “a)”, but also the design of infographics that will facilitate easy navigation within and between modules. This design should be carried out in Word or a similar application that can be easily used by UN staff for future modules.
¿ Take on other special design projects as assigned.

Competencies

Professionalism:
¿ Proficiency in industry standard graphic design and photo editing software, including but not limited to, Adobe Creative Cloud products as well as advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office applications for high-level designing and formatting purposes.
¿ Strong knowledge of visual communications and graphic design—including industry standards in design, production, printing and multimedia processes and procedures—and ability to develop creative solutions and produce high quality graphic material for print and digital media.
¿ University experience managing creative processes, from concept to delivery, as well collaborating with design/creative teams on projects is an advantage.
¿ Ability to convert complex and abstract ideas into simple visual concepts.
¿ Familiarity with main social media platforms.
¿ Strong organizational skills and ability to multi-task.
¿ Ability to plan work and manage conflicting priorities.
¿ Basic knowledge of the work and the institutions of the UN and commitment to its ideals.
Creativity:
¿ Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs.
¿ Promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas.
¿ Thinks "outside the box";
¿ Takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things.
¿ Is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
Communication:
¿ Speak and write clearly and effectively.
¿ Listen to others and correctly interpret messages from others and respond appropriately.
¿ Ask questions to clarify and engage in two-way communication.
¿ Tailor language, tone, style and format to match the audience.
¿ Demonstrate openness in sharing information.
¿ Interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds.
Teamwork:
¿ Work collaboratively with colleagues to achieve team goals.
¿ Solicit input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise.
¿ Learn from others.
¿ Place team agenda before personal agenda.
¿ Support final group decision that may not entirely reflect own position.
¿ Share credit for team accomplishments and accept joint responsibility for team
shortcomings.

Education

To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, the following
conditions must be met:

1.Applicants at the time of application must meet one of the following requirements:

(a) Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree
or equivalent, or higher); or, (b) Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree
programme (minimum bachelor's level or equivalent)

2.The field of study must be closely related to the type of internship you are applying for. At the time of application, candidates must be enrolled in, or have completed the final academic year of at least a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor's level or equivalent) in graphics design, marketing, communications, or a related field.

3. Proficient in standard word processing and software applications such as Microsoft Word,
Excel and PowerPoint or similar; Be proficient in standard office automation equipment,
scanner, printer, etc.).

4.Have demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal
commitment to the ideals of the United Nations Charter.

5.Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural
backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of
differing opinions and views.

Work Experience

No working experience is required to apply for the United Nations Internship Programme. Your training, education, advance course work or skills should benefit the United Nations during your internship.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat. For this internship, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required.

Assessment

Shortlisted candidates may be contacted by SSRU for interviews.

Special Notice

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

We recruit interns throughout the year for assignments of at least 2 months. In your cover note, please indicate when you would like to start your internship. Please note that start and end dates are flexible.
A completed online application (Cover Note and Personal History Profile) is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

The Cover Note must also include:
•Title of degree you are currently pursuing.
•Graduation Date (When will you be/are graduating/have graduated from the programme?)
•List the IT skills and programmes that you are proficient in
•List your top three areas of interest and please explain how your interests, skills and knowledge match either the strategic support or the analytics track.
•Explain why you are the best candidate for this specific internship • Explain your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme

In your online Personal History Profile, include all past work experiences, IT skills, and three references.
Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Due to the high volume of applications, ONLY successful candidates will be contacted by SSRU.

The United Nations does not financially remunerate interns. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation, and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. For internships in the United States of America, interns who are not United States citizens, permanent residents, or not currently in the United States on a non-immigrant visa status will be required to obtain a G-4 visa. If already in the United States of America on another non-immigrant visa status other than G-4, interns will be responsible for ensuring that they have a valid visa and work permit, allowing them to undertake the Internship.

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.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

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.