Intern - Communications

Internship Programme & Policy

Overview

Support communications and outreach activities in urban sustainability.

You have:

• Be enrolled in a graduate school programme, or in the final academic year of a first university degree program, or have graduated.
• Be computer literate in standard software applications (Microsoft Office Suite).
• Have demonstrated a keen interest in the work of the United Nations and a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter.
• Demonstrated ability to interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs.
• Preferred areas of study include Communications, Public Relations, Administration, Marketing, or related fields.
• Previous academic or professional experience with Adobe Creative Suite and Canva.
• Experience in communicating on issues related to sustainable urban development.
• Fluency in oral and written English is required.
• Knowledge of another UN language 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

Hybrid, Montreal, Canada

Expected duration

3-6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Org. Setting and Reporting The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. UN-Habitat is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. UN-Habitat works with partners to build inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities and communities. UN-Habitat promotes urbanization as a positive transformative force for people and communities, reducing inequality, discrimination and poverty. The Montreal Office fosters linkages among research, policy, and action to advance sustainable urban development globally. The office will activate a network of key partners to accelerate the quality and scale of urban sustainability solutions to implement the UN-Habitat Strategic Plan, with a focus on housing, land use and basic service provision and their linkage to climate and biodiversity action to enhance urban resilience and promote equity and justice. The office will establish a hub to advance the development and synthesis of science, data, innovation, and solutions on urban sustainability. In addition, the Montreal Office will establish close working relations with Canadian and North American subnational governments, grassroots organizations, practitioners, the private sector and other relevant constituency groups. The Communications Intern will support the Office’s efforts to raise visibility, engage diverse audiences, and amplify the impact of its work at the intersection of urban sustainability, climate, and community empowerment under the general supervision of the Senior Programme Management Officer, reporting to the Programme Management Officer. The intern will carry out duties and responsibilities within the below framework Responsibilities Communication & Outreach: Support the planning, coordination, and implementation of communication and outreach activities, including public events, campaigns, and global observances. Draft and edit content for digital and print platforms (e.g., website stories, press releases, newsletters, reports, flyers). Create multimedia content such as social media graphics, videos, and infographics to support program messaging. Assist in the development and dissemination of promotional materials and communication toolkits. Monitor and report on communications metrics (e.g., social media analytics, website performance). Social Media & Digital Presence: Assist with managing and scheduling social media content across UN-Habitat platforms. Conduct research and propose social media content aligned with current urban development themes and global UN campaigns. Support efforts to expand reach and engagement through strategic content creation. Knowledge Management & Research: Conduct background research on topics related to urban sustainability, housing, land use, climate action. Support documentation and achieving communication assets, media coverage, and outreach material. Contribute to the development and maintenance of internal knowledge platforms and databases. Event Support: Assist in event planning, content preparation, and communication coverage of key events, webinars, conferences, and campaigns. Draft talking points, event briefs, and media kits where applicable. Provide real-time communication support during live or virtual events. Other: Attend and summarize key meetings or conferences as required. Support internal team tasks or special projects related to communications and outreach, including website editing and other tasks requiring IT skills.

Qualifications/special skills

Applicants must at the time of application, meet one of the following requirements: a. Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher), b. Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree program (minimum Bachelor's level or equivalent), c. Have graduated with Bachelor's degree, Masters, PhD or equivalent. Be computer literate in standard software applications (Microsoft Office Suite). Have demonstrated a keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter. Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which includes a willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views. Preferred areas of study: Currently pursuing or holding a degree in Communications, Public Relations, Administration, Marketing, or related fields is required (Master’s degree or PhD candidate preferable). 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. Applicants should have previous academic or professional experience in working with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere Pro) and Canva. This may include work completed as part of your current academic program (e.g., a research project or thesis). Do you meet this requirement? If yes, please describe your relevant experience and include specific examples. Experience in communicating on issues related to sustainable urban development would be desirable. Relevant areas include housing, mobility, urban design, urban governance, or similar topics. This experience can also come from academic projects conducted during your studies. Do you meet this requirement? If yes, please provide specific examples of your experience.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship position, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.

Additional Information

Do you have any previous UN internship experience? If yes, please indicate the UN entity and the specific dates.

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.

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Potential interview questions

Added 10 months ago - Updated 9 months ago - Source: careers.un.org