Humanitarian Policy Intern Switzerland
Support NRC’s Humanitarian Policy Unit to assist displaced people
Overview
Support NRC’s Humanitarian Policy Unit to assist displaced people
You have:
- Bachelor’s degree in Social Science, Law, Communications, International Relations or a relevant field.
- Interest in humanitarian policy, with ability to demonstrate familiarity with one or more relevant policy areas a strong advantage.
- An interest in and/or knowledge of international humanitarian law and human rights law would be a strong advantage.
- Advanced proficiency in written and spoken English is required.
- Proficiency in French or Spanish is an advantage.
- Proven research, analytical and documentation skills.
Contract
This is a Professional contract (NRC) contract. More about Professional contract (NRC) contracts.
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is a global humanitarian organisation helping people forced to flee.
Join us in assisting millions of people in areas where others cannot, tackling some of the world's most dangerous and difficult crises. Bring your skills and dedication to an organisation recognised for providing high quality aid and for defending the rights of refugees and internally displaced people.
At NRC, we give responsibility to employees at all levels and foster professional growth and innovative teams. You can expect a supportive culture and an open dialogue with management. We are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Together, we save lives and rebuild futures.
Safeguarding is central to NRC’s work. We expect all employees to:
• treat everyone with respect and dignity
• contribute to building a safe environment for all
• never engage in any form of exploitation, harassment and specifically sexual exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment (SEAH)
• always report. NRC has a zero-tolerance approach to inaction against exploitation, abuse and SEAH
NRC Geneva leads Norwegian Refugee Council’s representation and activities in Geneva, especially with the IASC mechanisms and UN agencies, as well as leading on humanitarian policy globally. NRC strives to assist and protect vulnerable and displaced people during crises, especially in situations of conflict. Established in 1946, NRC is an independent, humanitarian, non-profit, non-governmental organisation working in over 34 countries. NRC employs a rights based approach, challenging those with responsibility to uphold the rights of displaced people set out within national and International Laws. NRC endeavours to secure the acceptance of local stakeholders for activities and is committed to the principles of humanity, neutrality, independence and impartiality.
NRC Geneva is now looking for an intern to support NRC’s Humanitarian Policy Unit’s work, including on:
- Protection of civilians
- Humanitarian coordination
- Humanitarian system reform
- Other general humanitarian policy engagement NRC’s Humanitarian Policy Unit’s work
The intern must be enrolled in a course of study and pursuing this internship as a mandatory part of the course/study (the internship must give study credits)
What you will do:
- Support NRC’s engagement on protection of civilians, humanitarian system reform and internal displacement
- Assist in the development of internal policy positions
- Attend relevant calls and events focused on protection, protection of civilians in situations of conflict, accountability for violations of international law, humanitarian coordination, humanitarian system reform and take notes as relevant
- Support outreach and communication internally and externally through communication and outreach products (including key messages, media products, position papers etc.)
- Support the preparation of donor reports and support material for grants in line with donor requirements
- Support to the organisation of any events and workshops led by NRC Geneva
- Support in the development of communication and advocacy materials, including for social media
- Support in drafting of practical research products
- Production of timely meeting minutes
- Support to other teams as requested and agreed with supervisor
What you will bring:
- Bachelor’s degree in Social Science, Law, Communications, International Relations or a relevant field.
- Interest in humanitarian policy, with ability to demonstrate familiarity with one or more relevant policy areas a strong advantage.
- An interest in and/or knowledge of international humanitarian law and human rights law would be a strong advantage.
- Advanced proficiency in written and spoken English is required.
- Proficiency in French or Spanish is an advantage.
- Proven research, analytical and documentation skills.
What makes this position attractive?
- A challenging and exciting opportunity with an international team dedicated to advocating for the rights of people forced to flee;
- A valuable and enriching opportunity for students interested in a career in the humanitarian sector;
- Full-time (part-time contract up to 80% also possible)
- A 6-months internship with NRC in Geneva (candidates need to be EU/EFTA citizens or have a permit allowing them to work as an intern in Geneva, Switzerland in order to be eligible for this role - please ensure to include this information in your application).
We are also looking for people who share our values:
- To be dedicated in what we do;
- To be innovative with our solutions;
- To act as one unified and inclusive team;
- To be accountable to the donors that make our work possible; the beneficiaries that we exist to serve; and to each other… the members of our NRC family.
Are you interested? Please apply through our online application tool, and make sure to attach a cover letter and your CV. We look forward to receiving your application!
Important: Only students enrolled in a course of study and pursuing this internship as a mandatory part of the course/study are eligible for this role. The university must be willing to sign a tri-partite agreement with NRC Geneva and provide an attestation confirming that the internship gives study credits.
Potential interview questions
| Can you describe a situation where you had to conduct research on a complex topic? | This question assesses your research abilities and problem-solving skills. | Share a specific instance that illustrates your approach to research and your analytical prowess. |
| How would you approach drafting communication materials for diverse audiences? | The interviewer wants to gauge your ability to tailor communication. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Tell me about a time you had to work in a team setting to meet a common goal. | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What steps would you take to ensure compliance with international laws in your work? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Describe a challenge you've faced in your studies and how you overcame it. | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |