CITES Intern - Outreach and Projects Unit (2 position)

Assist in planning, researching, producing and releasing communications and multimedia materials.

UNEP - United Nations Environment Programme

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Application deadline in 18 days: Friday 26 Jun 2026 at 03:59 UTC

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Overview

Assist in planning, researching, producing and releasing communications and multimedia materials.

You have:

  • Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor's level or equivalent) or in a graduate school programme or have graduated with a university degree.
  • Academic background and experience in communication, graphic design, environmental science or other relevant areas are required.
  • Experience with graphic design software applications such as Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, Canva or similar is required.
  • Fluency in English is required; knowledge of French or Spanish is desirable.

Contract

This is a I-1 contract. It usually requires 0 years of experience, depending on education. More about I-1 contracts.

Work Location

Geneva

Expected duration

6 Months

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) regulates international trade in specimens (plants, animals and parts and derivatives thereof) of about 36,000 species listed in the three Appendices of the Convention. In order to efficiently implement the Convention and ensure that when international wildlife trade occurs, it is legal, sustainable and traceable, Parties to CITES need to have in place adequate national legislation and designate one or more Management and Scientific authorities. The role of the Secretariat is to support Parties in the effective implementation of the Convention and the related Resolutions and Decisions. To further assist Parties and to ensure that the Convention continues to respond to current conservation needs and challenges, the Conference of the Parties is directing the Secretariat to undertake an increasing number of specific activities. The Secretariat is also tasked with organizing the annual meetings of the permanent committees and with organizing smaller ad hoc workshops and consultations. The Internships will be for of six (6) months. The timing of the internship can be flexible according to the prospective interns' availability and academic constraints. The Internship is UNPAID and full-time. Interns work five days per week (35-40 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in the department or office to which they are assigned. Duties and responsibilities: Under the direct supervision of the Chief of the CITES Outreach and Projects (OPU) Unit, the intern will assist in planning, researching, producing, and releasing communications and multimedia materials on a broad range of wildlife conservation topics across various CITES channels, as well as supporting capacity building and programme management activities. The tasks will include, but not limited to: • Draft content for social media campaigns and CITES and World Wildlife Day websites • Edit and produce photo and video content • Design outreach and capacity building materials (e.g. factsheets, PowerPoint presentations, branded templates, and others as relevant) • Organize and maintain internal storage for CITES multimedia assets (e.g., images, videos, graphics) • Support communication planning and implementation for campaigns, capacity building activities, and key meetings • Monitor social media and website performance and compile monthly and/or quarterly communications reports. • Support the organization of virtual and in person meetings, workshops, and training sessions • Provide programmatic and coordination support to other OPU projects and initiatives, as required. • Maintain basic tracking lists, calendars, and documentation related to OPU activities • Assist with other tasks as assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications/special skills

Applicants must, at the time of application meet one of the following requirements: (a) be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor's level or equivalent); or (b) be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent or higher); or (c) have graduated with a university degree •Academic background and experience in communication, graphic design, environmental science, or other relevant areas (including social media, web development/management). •Experience with graphic design software applications, such as Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, Canva, or similar, is required. •Knowledge of website content management systems (e.g., Drupal) is desirable. Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required. Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PH.D. Programme. Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French or Spanish is desirable. NOTE: "Fluency equals a rating of "fluent" in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and "Knowledge of" equals a rating of "confident" in two of the four areas.

Additional Information

Not available.

Intern Specific text

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. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.

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.

Potential interview questions

Describe a project where you had to create communication materials. What was your role and the outcome? To assess your practical experience in communication. Highlight your specific contributions and the impact of the materials.
What graphic design software do you have experience using? Can you describe a project where you applied these skills? To gauge your proficiency with important tools. Pro members can see the explanation.
Can you provide an example of how you have monitored and reported on social media performance? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How would you approach designing outreach materials for a new conservation initiative? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Tell us about a time you assisted in organizing a meeting or workshop. What steps did you take? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Describe your experience working in teams. How do you resolve conflicts within a team? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What strategies would you use to engage audiences on social media regarding wildlife conservation? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Why do you want to intern with UNEP specifically in the CITES Outreach and Projects Unit? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Added 4 days ago - Updated 8 hours ago - Source: careers.un.org