Org. Setting and Reporting

The internship in the Hernán Santa Cruz Library, ECLAC, Santiago will last 2 to 6 months, depending on the needs of the Office. Candidates may be selected throughout the posting period, on an “as-needed” basis.

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean is one of the five regional Commissions of the United Nations. It was founded in 1948 with the purpose of contributing to the region’s economic and social development. Its mission includes the design, monitoring, and evaluation of public policies and the provision of advisory services, expertise, and training to Governments, as well as support for regional and international cooperation and coordination activities. Please visit our website at www.eclac.org for further information.

Responsibilities

Daily responsibilities will depend on the individual’s background and the internship period. Duties may include:

1) Reference services and liaison
Offers personalized information services.
Responds to in person, email and telephone reference requests.
Organizes training and activities that increase the visibility of Library products and services, both for internal and external users.

2) Communications and outreach
Help in developing and implementation of the Library communications and outreach plan.
Prepares promotional materials about Library products and services.
Identifies and organizes activities in order to strengthen links with member states, UN agencies, academia and cultural institutes all over the region.
Maintains the Library’s web pages and other information resources up to date.

3) Digital Library and Technical Processes
Selects and prepares materials for inclusion in the Institutional Repository and the library catalogue in the Alma system.
Catalog and indexes documents to make them available online and keep the database updated.
Checks data quality to ensure the standardization of the information under UNBIS and ECLAC rules.

Competencies

· Professionalism: Shows pride in work and in 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.

· Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

· Planning& 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, the following conditions must be met:

(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).

– For this internship, studies in the area of Libraries and Information Sciences is desirable.

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 Spanish is required. Knowledge of English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language would be an asset.

NOTE: “Fluency” equals a rating of ”fluent” in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and ¨knowledge of¨ equals a rating of ”confident” in two of the four areas.

Assessment

Potential candidates will be contacted by the hiring manager directly for further consideration.

Special Notice

This internship is designed to be in person and full-time up to 35 hours per week. Depending on the situation of the successful candidates, the internship may also be conducted remotely and/or in part-time. Subject to certain conditions Flexible Working arrangements may be applied.

The internship is UNPAID. All costs of travel and accommodation, including living expenses, must be covered by the intern or any relevant sponsoring institution.

Interns shall not be eligible to apply for, or be appointed to, positions at the professional level and above for a period of six months following the end of their internship.

A completed online application (Cover Note, Personal History Profile and copy of university degree or proof of enrollment) is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

The Cover Note must include:

– Degree programme (What are you currently studying or what have you studied ?)
– Graduation Date (When will you graduate or when did you graduate from the programme?)
– List the IT skills and programmes that you are proficient in.
– List your top three areas of interest.
– 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, be sure to include all past work experiences, IT skills, and three references. Due to the high volume of applications received, ONLY successful candidates will be contacted. Applicants are encouraged to apply for internships which relate directly to their studies and/or skills and expertise. Applicants are asked to please indicate preferences which best match his/her suitability and do so carefully in order to enhance the value of the internship 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 of the staff member nor placed under the direct or indirect supervision of the staff member. For purposes of this instruction, “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.

The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

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.