Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response efforts. OCHA’s mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions.

This internship shall be with the Syria Coordination Support Unit (SCSU) in the Regional Office for Middle East and North Africa (ROMENA) in Amman, Jordan. The intern will report and be under the guidance and direct supervision of the Head of the Syria Coordination Support Unit (SCSU).

This internship is being offered for a maximum period of three months, beginning at a mutually agreed time.

Responsibilities

The intern will be responsible for the following duties:

• Support the monitoring, analysis, and reporting of humanitarian developments, disaster relief/management, and emergency situations in the region.
• Contribute to the various documents, reports, and communications, e.g., drafts sections of surveys, background papers, policy guidelines, briefings, case studies, presentations, correspondence, meeting minutes, talking points, etc.
• Assist in the preparation of the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) processes, by supporting the Multi-Sector Needs Assessment process and compiling Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPC)-related inputs as needed.
• Actively engage in working groups, meetings, conferences, and consultations with other agencies and partners on humanitarian and emergency response matters.
• Assist in the daily work of the office, including follow-up on annual programmes, plans of action, and coordination matters.
• Assist the Head of ROMENA in the preparation of documents, reports, and communication for engagement with internal and external partners.
• Perform any other administrative work related to the office.
• Perform other duties as required.

Competencies

Professionalism:

Shows pride in work and achievements. Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter. Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results. Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns. Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

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.

Planning and organizing:

Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies. Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required. Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work. Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning. Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary. Uses time efficiently.

Education

To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, applicants 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).
Students who have completed the academic year before the final year of a first university degree but have not yet commenced the final year are eligible for the internship programme but must provide proof of their continued enrolment.

The University degree must be in Humanitarian Studies or a related field.

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 UN 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.

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. For this internship, fluency in English (both written and verbal skills) is required. Knowledge of Arabic is desirable.

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 and Personal History profile) 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 Personal History Profile, be sure to include all past work experience, if any; IT skills and three (3) references. Due to the high volume of applications received, ONLY successful candidates will be contacted.

Special Notice

Applicants are encouraged to apply for internships that relate directly to their studies and/or skills and expertise. Applicants are asked to please indicate preferences that best match her/his suitability and do so carefully to enhance the internship’s value for both the intern and the receiving UN department.

A person who is the child or sibling of a staff member shall not be eligible to apply for an internship at the United Nations. 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 or placed under the staff member’s direct or indirect supervision. 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 United Nations 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 United Nations 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.

Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation/living expenses, and medical insurance for the entire duration of the internship are the responsibility of interns. The United Nations accepts no responsibility for the medical insurance of the intern or costs arising from injury, illness, or death that may occur during an internship. The Internship Programme is full-time, though it may be undertaken through a combination of in-country and remote modalities, depending on the circumstances of the candidate.

Qualified individuals may apply directly to this and other opportunities with the United Nations Secretariat at https://careers.un.org.

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.

By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions.

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.