Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is the UN Secretariat department responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to complex emergencies and natural disasters. OCHA also ensures that there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response effort.

This job opening announcement broadcasts internship opportunities within the Information Management Branch (IMB) in Geneva. The work will be done in direct support to the Global Information Management Functional Team (GIFT).

The internships will be based in Geneva, Switzerland, or virtually, and the interns will be under the general guidance and direct supervision of OCHA-Geneva supervisors. The internship is being offered for a maximum period of six (6) months, beginning at a mutually agreed time.

Responsibilities

The internship profile will support various product/application teams participating in GIFT with:

• Rolling out systems and training end users in understanding new features and modules through various modes of tools.
• Gathering knowledge in management of business processes via enterprise system.
• Developing materials required for the launch/maintenance of systems in various languages to support the overall process of rollouts.
• Communicating through various channels and designing guidance videos in strengthening the knowledge and awareness of the processes.
• Performing other tasks requested by the supervisor.

Competencies

CREATIVITY: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.

TECHNOLOGICAL AWARENESS: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitations of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.

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.

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).

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 oral and written) is required.
• Knowledge of French is an advantage.

Assessment

Desk review of candidates PHPs and cover letter.

Special Notice

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
her/his suitability and do so carefully in order to enhance the value of the internship for both
the intern and the receiving UN department.
Applicants may be requested to undertake the internship remotely in view of constraints
regarding visa issuance, international travel and access to UN premises. Applicants must be
willing and prepared to undertake the internship remotely for a part or the entirety of the
internship.
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 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 fulltime
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. For more information on
the Programme, please visit: https://www.unog.ch

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.

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.