Communications Intern (Global Communication Service)

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

H (no hardship)

FamilyInternship International

2023-01-16-08:00December 15, 2022Background information/Organizational Context

Established in 1950, 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. UNHCR works to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge, having fled violence, persecution, war or disaster at home.
UNHCR’s Global Communications Service (GCS) generates and maintains public interest and support for people forced to flee: including refugees, internally displaced and stateless people. GCS produces and engages in strategic communications and content so UNHCR can lead the narrative, generate empathy and mobilize action. It employs a wide range of multimedia tools, working across text, photos, video, online and social media platforms for distribution and placement. It works in collaboration with other UN bodies, civil society actors, Goodwill Ambassadors and high-profile supporters, as well as the forcibly displaced and stateless people themselves.

In addition to these, GCS has a Front Office team that looks after the following:

• Strategic planning through quarterly and annual priority-setting and project planning
• Systems and tools for integrated and collaborative communications and coordination
• Reporting
• Staff wellbeing for the entire GCS work force
• Administrative support

The Communications Intern will work as part of the GCS Front Office team and will report to the Communications Officer (Executive Support). They will have regular contacts with staff members across the Service and the Division of External Relations – gaining a thorough understanding of UNHCR’s communications and external engagement work. They will also have limited external contacts on routine matters.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Be a key member in the day-to-day work at the office of the Head of GCS, particularly supporting the Head of GCS and the Communications Officer (Executive Support);
• Help to organize the Global Communications Service weekly meetings;
• Assist with the technical and content-related maintenance of the GCS internal platform for communications practitioners (SharePoint site);

• Help to manage the tools that support the preparation and maintenance of team work plans;
• Support the ongoing work on the Vicarious Trauma Resources for Communicators and the Ethical Communications Guidelines;
• Support the preparation of annual and periodic reports;
• Liaise with colleagues across GCS and the Division of External Relations and consolidate input for reports and other planning and tracking documents; and
• Maintain and update GCS’s digital workspace, email and distribution lists, and calendar of events.

Minimum qualifications required

• Degree in Journalism, International Relations, Political Sciences or related field.
• Good understanding of issues related to forced displacement.
• Experience in project management; excellent organizational skills.
• Interest in digital media and communications campaigns.
• Excellent writing, public speaking, presentation skills.

Eligibility

In order to be considered for an internship, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria:
• Recent graduate (those persons who completed their studies within two years 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.
• An individual whose father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister is a staff member of UNHCR, including a Temporary Appointment holder or a member of the Affiliate Workforce, is not eligible for an internship.
• Engagement as an intern is subject to proof of vaccination against COVID-19.

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

 

Standard Job Description

Required Languages

English

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Desired Languages

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Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Certifications

Other information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance