Org. Setting and Reporting

The Trade, Investment and Innovation Division, Trade Policy and Facilitation Section internship program is looking for a candidates who can join us for 3 to 6 months. The candidate who has background in Economics are preferable.

This internship program is UNPAID and full-time. Interns work five days per week (35 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in the division or office to which they are assigned. This internship program has attracted very high caliber candidates, who as part of this internship gained invaluable academic and applied skills.

To expedite the internship process, please kindly specify your preferred start and end dates in the cover letter. The Trade Policy and Facilitation Section is a busy and dynamic team within UN ESCAP. The section involves in a wide variety of work in the areas related to trade, trade policy and trade facilitation. Types of services includes: research and analysis; providing training and capacity building for policymakers and researchers; delivering advisory services to member governments; organizing regional dialogues, meetings and forum. Much of our work is focused on the development needs of the region’s least developed countries and other countries with special needs.

Responsibilities

Daily responsibilities will depend on the intern’s background and the work of intern’s supervisor as well as the internship period. Duties may include, but are not limited to:

– Background research, literature reviews and drafting inputs including contributions to ESCAP publications on the issues related to trade, trade policies, regional integration, trade facilitation, traderelated sustainable development issues.,
– Support for the Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network (ARTNeT), the UN Network of Experts for Paperless Trade and Transport in Asia and the Pacific (UNNExT) and the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) including work to improve research dissemination by various channels (e.g. social media, webpage)
– Monitoring and evaluation of regional trade agreements and maintaining the APTIAD database
– Data analysis on trade flows, tariffs, non-tariff measures trends
– Support for section events, including through the website and social media
– Logistical support for training events, conferences and meetings
– Other tasks as required by the work programme

Interns are encouraged to engage in research topics of their and supervisor’s interest. Past interns, under the supervision of the professional staff, have published joint working papers and policy briefs.

Competencies

• Communication: Ability to draft clearly and concisely, good written and oral language skills.
• Teamwork: Good interpersonal skills, ability to work collaboratively with colleagues from different national and cultural backgrounds to achieve organizational goals.
• Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be ‘clients’ and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view.

Education

To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, applicants must, at the time of application, 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).

Candidate must be studying or have a degree in Economics preferred.

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 United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in English (both oral and written) is required for the Internship Programme. Knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.

Assessment

N/A

Special Notice

A complete online application (Motivational Statement and Candidate Profile) if required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

The Motivational Statement must include:
– Title of degree you are currently pursuing
– Graduation Date
– Period of availability for taking internship. (The availability for more than 4-month internship could be an advantage)
– List of IT skills and programmes that you are proficient in
– List of top three areas of interest/department preferences
– Explanation why you are the best candidate for this post
– Explanation of your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme

In your Personal History Profile, be sure to include all past work experience, IT skills, and three references.

Should there be a need for an intern that matches the applicant’s profile, the applicant will be contacted directly by the Division. Please note that due to the large number of applicants, Division are not necessarily in a position to reply to each request and only short-listed applicants will be contacted for further consideration.

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.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

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.