Emergency officer intern, Geneva, Switzerland, 6 months

Contract

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

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Health

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

The Office of Emergency Programme (EMOPS) provides strategic and coordinated support to Country Offices preparing for and responding to humanitarian crises, in collaboration with Regional Offices, to ensure that they have the right capacities to respond effectively and deliver on its Core Commitments to Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs). EMOPS leads efforts to ensure that UNICEF’s role in complex emergencies and natural disasters is clearly defined, that the organisation is properly equipped to fulfil that role, and that all levels of the organisation are prepared to deliver our mandate.

The Risk Analysis and Preparedness Section in EMOPS (RAPS) main purpose is to support UNICEF in being ready to meet the CCCs in humanitarian emergencies and thus to contribute to UNICEF’s general ability to assess and adapt to a multitude of risks. RAPS’ aim is to help UNICEF be best prepared and impactful in saving and protecting lives, and in reducing countries and populations’ fragilities and children’s vulnerability around the world towards reaching the SDGs. The RAPS in EMOPS Geneva supports UNICEF’s efforts to build capacities in emergency preparedness through partnership initiatives and collaboration. This includes responsibility for providing active support globally to UNICEF’s key partnership fora and regional offices (and to country offices as requested by regional offices). To support this work RAPS is seeking an intern to support in Preparedness ’partnership.

How can you make a difference?

The intern, under the supervision of the the Preparedness Partnership Specialist, will be responsible to:

• Support closely the GCCU and UNICEF Programme Division (PG), to implement the agreed Workplan to align inter-agency and internal UNICEF policy directions in emergency preparedness.
• Support UNICEF’s participation in online and/or face-to-face events and meetings, at the inter-agency level, including, relevant IASC meetings, UN conferences, humanitarian task force meetings particularly with OCHA, UNHCR, WHO, WFP, Red Cross and Red Crescent, IOM, humanitarian NGO consortia and bilateral humanitarian NGOs.
• Assist in organizing and preparing events, webinars, meetings, calls, briefings, panels, and/or other activities.
• Undertake any other task that is relevant to the work of the section.

Benefits to Intern:

The intern would be able to:

• Gain knowledge in emergency preparedness in humanitarian contexts
• Learn about Inter agency forums and how it informs emergency preparedness in UNICEF context
• Network with professionals from inter-agency working groups and academia, as applicable.
• Gain access to various professional networks within UNICEF (Young UNICEF, for example)

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Minimum Requirements: (Standard for ALL internship advertisement):

  • Letter of verification from the college or university that the intern is currently enrolled in an undergraduate school and has completed at least two years of full-time studies at a university or equivalent institution towards the completion of an undergraduate degree (if the candidate is 18 years old, this replaces the two-year bachelor’s completion requirement); or, Graduate Degree Program (i.e., Master’s, PhD). It should also state the expected graduation date. Recent graduates are allowed until 2 years after degree completion.

  • Copy of their most recent official transcript showing excellent academic performance

  • Copy of Identification Card (ID)

  • One letter of signed recommendation on letterhead or from professional email address

Qualifications:

• Recently finalized, or currently enrolled in, an advanced university degree in social sciences, management, or a related technical field.

• Fluency in English and in minimum one other UN language (preferably French)

  Excellent drafting skills

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.