INTERN - POLITICAL 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 This internship is located in either the Peacebuilding Commission Support Branch or the Peacebuilding Strategy and Partnership Branch of the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA).

The Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) focuses primarily on five action areas in international peace and security, ensuring sound analysis and early warning, preventing conflict and engaging in peacemaking, managing political crises and violent conflicts, sustaining peace, and enhancing partnerships. The Department's mandate is to prevent and resolve conflict through inclusive political solutions.

Established in 2005, the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) helps to sustain peace by fostering international support for nationally owned and led peacebuilding efforts. The Office assists and supports the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), manages the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) on behalf of the Secretary-General, and works to enhance system-wide coherence and partnerships with UN and non-UN actors in support of building and sustaining peace in relevant countries.

The Intern reports to a Political Affairs Officer in either of the Branches. The internship is for an initial period of two months and may be extended up to six months depending on the needs of the Office.

The internship is UNPAID and may be either full-time or part-time. It should be noted that full-time internship working hours are 35 hours per week, while part-time internship working hours are 20 hours per week. Be aware that part-time interns can earn a certificate if the internship is at least 4 months, and while full time interns need at least 2 months internship. The internship will be undertaken either remotely outside the duty station or in a hybrid working arrangement at the UN Premise, New York, United States.

Responsibilities Our interns work as members of the team in the Peacebuilding Support Office. Tasks will include:

1) Conducts research and prepares analytical material and assessments related to peacebuilding; 2) Supports PBSO’s work aimed at advancing the Secretary-General agenda on peacebuilding and sustaining peace in several areas such as: the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), the Youth, Peace and Security agenda, including through background research, data analysis, inputs to documents, and the provision of meeting summaries; 3) Participates in UN mechanisms and coordination platforms to ensure integrated and coherent system approach to peacebuilding; 4) Prepares briefing materials for the Assistant Secretary-General and other senior officials; 5) Participates and supports relevant meetings of the Peacebuilding Commission as well as supports Peacebuilding Fund-related work when needed; 6) Performs other related duties as required.

The Office strives to offer interns an opportunity to work independently with substantive issues while also assisting colleagues in the day-to-day operations of the office.

The intern will be encouraged to actively explore relevant training options from the wide range of training courses being offered on an on-going basis to UN staff at Headquarters, including self-paced online training courses on conflict-sensitive planning and programming.

Competencies Professionalism Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations.

Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; Asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be "clients "and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; Identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Education To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, the following conditions must be met:

1.Applicants at the time of application must meet one of the following requirements:

(a) Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or, (b) Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor's level or equivalent)

2.The field of study must be closely related to the type of internship you are applying for.

3. Proficient in standard word processing and software applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint or similar; Be proficient in standard office automation equipment, scanner, printer, etc.).

4.Have demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the United Nations Charter.

5.Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.

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. Knowledge of an additional UN language is an asset. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

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

Special Notice The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

The United Nations does not financially remunerate interns. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation, and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. For internships in the United States of America, interns who are not United States citizens, permanent residents, or not currently in the United States on a non-immigrant visa status will be required to obtain a G-4 visa. If already in the United States of America on another non-immigrant visa status other than G-4, interns will be responsible for ensuring that they have a valid visa and, if required, employment authorization, allowing them to undertake the internship. For internships outside the United States, interns who are not citizens of the country, permanent residents, or not currently in the country's non-immigrant visa status will be required to obtain a valid visa and work permit, allowing them to undertake the internship.

Applicants who are children or siblings (including stepchildren, half-siblings, or stepsiblings) of a staff member and sons or daughters-in-law may not be engaged as an intern.

We recruit interns throughout the year for assignments of at least 2 months. In your cover note, please indicate when you would like to start your internship. Please note that start and end dates are flexible. A completed online application (Cover Note and Personal History Profile) is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

The Cover Note must also include: •Title of degree you are currently pursuing. •Graduation Date (When will you be/are graduating/have graduated from the programme?) •List the IT skills and programmes that you are proficient in •List your top three areas of interest and please explain how your interests, skills and knowledge match either the strategic support or the analytics track. •Explain why you are the best candidate for this specific internship - Explain your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme

In your online Personal History Profile, be sure to include all past work experiences, IT skills, and three references.

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.