Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations ESCAP (UN ESCAP) invites candidates who are interested in building their capacity through learning-by-doing and direct experience in working with professional Staff and experts on trade and trade policy to apply for the 4-to-6 month internship position in the Trade Policy and Facilitation Section (TPFS) of the Trade, Investment and Innovation Division of UN ESCAP. This position focuses on trade-policy-related work. The opportunities are available both for the remote and onsite internship programmes.

The work covers broad areas related to trade and trade policy. We aim to provide evidence, training, and policy guidance to governments and relevant stakeholders in the Asia-Pacific region. Types of services include: conducting research and analysis; providing training and capacity building for policymakers and researchers; delivering advisory services to member governments; organizing regional dialogues, meetings and forums. Much of our work is focused on the development needs of the region’s least developed countries and other countries with special needs.
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 calibre candidates, who, as part of this internship, gained invaluable academic and applied skills.

Applicants who may be suitable for the scope of work should meet at least one of the following academic backgrounds:
– Possessing an academic background in economics, with a particular emphasis on international trade economics and development economics.
– Having academic backgrounds in econometrics, data management, data analysis, and data presentation.
– Having academic backgrounds in international law.

Internship opportunities are available throughout the year in both remote and onsite formats. The deadline for applications for the current call for interns is 30 September 2023. Internships are expected to commence around 15 October 2023 or at a mutually agreed-upon date between the candidate and the internship supervisor.

Responsibilities

Daily responsibilities will depend on the intern’s background, the work of the intern’s supervisor, and the internship period. Duties may include some of the following items but are not limited to:
– Contribute to the policy research activities on contemporary issues related to trade, digital trade, e-commerce, global value chains, multilateral and regional trade agreements, globalization, and trade-related regulations with a focus on implications on sustainable and inclusive development.
– Undertake literature analysis, draft background and discussion documents and policy notes,
– Support the preparation of presentations, training-course materials
– Support the data work, including the identification of data sources, the collection and analysis of data, the update and maintenance of databases
-Edit and format papers
-Support the organizing of online or onsite events such as seminars, training, online courses, and meetings, including related substantive, administrative, logistics, communication, and dissemination tasks, including preparing letters, event documents, social media and website

Competencies

Communication: Ability to draft clearly and concisely, good written and oral command of English.
Teamwork: Good interpersonal skills and 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 the client’s point of view.
Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies and identifies
priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required.

Education

To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, applicants to the programme 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).

Due to the scope of work, the candidates who have met at least one of the following criteria may be given priority:
• Commit to spending six months in the internship programme (onsite or remote)
• Having a degree or studying PhD or postgraduate level in Economics or Laws
• Experience (through study, work, etc.) in international trade or development policies or Laws (trade-related or international laws)
• Experience in data management, data analysis and programming (e.g.excel, R, Python, web scraping, SQL)
• Experience in regulatory analysis or trade agreement analysis
• Having excellent drafting skills in English (academic style)
• Strong media and communication skills (e.g. Infographic, video, presentations, social media, copywriting, editing, formatting)
.

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

Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the internship. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an asset.
Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

Assessment

N/A

Special Notice

1) MODE OF INTERNSHIPS: While it is optional to do internship remotely, applicants may be requested to undertake the internship remotely in view of constraints regarding visa issuance, international travel and access to UN premises. Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions.

2) A complete online application (Motivational Statement and Candidate Profile) is required. Please explain why you are the best candidate for this position based on the selection criteria outlined in this job opening. Be sure to include all relevant past work experience, skills, and provide three references.

IMPORTANT: The Motivational Statement MUST include the information stipulated in the selection criteria above. Please make sure you organize the cover letter clearly showing the following information:
– Planned internship period and mode: Please specify the expected internship duration, starting and ending dates, and whether it will be conducted onsite or online. Note that a commitment to a 6-month internship could be advantageous.
– Software skills that you possess at a good or excellent level of knowledge.
– Relevant courses you have taken in the areas of Economics, International Trade Economics, Development Economics, Data Analysis, and International Laws.
– Highlights of research or work experience related to Economics, International Trade Economics, Development Economics, Data Analysis, and International Laws.

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 many applicants, the Division is not necessarily able 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.