INTERN - ENVIRONMENT AFFAIRS

Contract

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

Org. Setting and Reporting The United Nations Forum on Forests Secretariat (UNFFS), Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) is accepting applications for internships. The UNFFS provides leadership in promoting the implementation of the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests (UNSPF) and the achievement of its Global Forest Goals, and the effective implementation of the UN Forest Instrument. It provides substantive secretariat support to the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), which is composed of all Member States of the United Nations and specialized agencies. In 2015, the UNFF established the Global Forest Financing Facilitation Network under the UNFFS to facilitate access to and effective use of funding for forests, sharing data and best practices on forest financing and contributing to the achievement of the Global Forest Goals of the UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2030. More information on the UNFFS and the GFFFN can be found at www.un.org/esa/forests. The prospective intern should have a background in environmental issues, economics, data science or computer science-related areas. Experience or knowledge of IT-related work is desirable. The internship is for three months, with an opportunity for extension up to a maximum of six (6) months, depending on the needs of the Office.

The unpaid internship is designed to be in person and full-time at the New York duty station. Depending on the situation of the successful candidates, the internship may also offer a Flexible Work Arrangement to be conducted hybrid (in-person and remote), or temporary FWA for the purpose of G-4 visa processing. Interns work five days per week (35 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in the department or office to which they are assigned.

For more information about the Office, please see https://www.un.org/esa/forests/

Responsibilities The selected intern(s) will be responsible for one or more of the following duties in support of the work of the UNFF and its Global Forest Financing Facilitation Network (GFFFN), depending on his/her education background:

1. Conduct desk research and collect information from diverse sources on the forest financing opportunities, learning materials and good practices on financing for forests at the international level, in particular to the interest of developing countries and countries with economies in transition;

2. Assist in drafting and entering data entries into the website of the UNFF Clearing House on Forest Financing;

3. Assist in organizational and logistical preparation of relevant meetings of the eighteen session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF18), including its side events and other informal gatherings, etc.;

4. Assist setting up, uploading or maintenance of the UNFF and CH website;

5. Perform other duties as assigned.

Competencies The United Nations Core Competencies include: •Communication: Ability to draft clearly and concisely, good written and oral language skills. •Teamwork: Good interpersonal skills, ability to work collaboratively with colleagues from different national and cultural backgrounds to achieve organisational goals. •Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be 'clients' and seeks to see things from clients' point of view.

Education To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, the following conditions must be met: Applicants must 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 programme (minimum Bachelor's level or equivalent); or (c) subject to review on a case-by-case basis, applicants within a few years from graduation who could not apply earlier and who are in an early stage of their careers; as a first time entry into the workforce; are changing careers or due to compelling family circumstances. •Be computer literate in standard software applications. •Knowledge of issues in the context of sustainable development would be an advantage.

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. Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the Internship Programme. Knowledge of additional official United Nations language is an asset. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

Assessment Potential candidates will be contacted by the hiring manager directly for further consideration.

Special Notice A completed online application (Cover Note and Personal History Profile) is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

The Cover Note must include: •Degree Programme (What are you currently studying?) •Graduation Date (When will you graduate or when did you graduate from the programme?) •List the IT skills and programmes that you are proficient in. •List your top three areas of interest. •Explain why you are the best candidate for this specific internship. •Explain your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme.

In your Personal History Profile, be sure to include all past work experiences, IT skills, and three references. Due to a high volume of applications received, ONLY successful candidates will be contacted.

G-4 VISAS FOR INTERNS:

All interns assigned to a UN Organization, including Funds and Programmes, at a United States based duty station, i.e. New York or Washington, who are not United States citizens or United States legal permanent residents (LPR) and who are undertaking an internship in which they would work 35 hours or more per week, must have a visa status that allows them to undertake the internship.

Prospective interns who are already in the United States in a non-immigrant visa status other than a G-4 visa (e.g., an F-1, G-1, G-3 visa, etc.) are responsible for ensuring that they have an appropriate, valid visa and, if required, employment authorization, allowing them to undertake the internship. Some of these interns may need to apply for a change of status to G-4 prior to joining the United Nations for an internship.

Prospective interns who are already in the United States in F-1 student visa status, have the necessary employment authorization and seek to work at the United Nations within the scope of their F-1 visa, do not need to seek a change of status to participate in a United Nations internship programme.

Prospective Interns in F-1 status who wish to undertake an internship following the completion of their academic programme as part of Optional Practical Training (OPT) may need to seek a change of visa status to G-4 and should consult their academic institution.

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.