Intern - Political Affairs at United Nations

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is in the Office of the Special Envoy of The Secretary-General for the Great Lakes in Nairobi.

Nairobi is classified as a "B" hardship duty station and a family duty station.

The incumbent reports directly to a designation Supervisor - OSESG-GL Nairobi.

The duration of this Job Opening will be six (6) months only.

In February 2013, 11 nations signed the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the region, in a renewed drive to end the recurring cycles of devastating conflict in eastern DRC which impacts stability and development in the Great Lakes area of Africa. On 31 January 2014, two more countries, Kenya and Sudan, became signatories of the PSC Framework. The framework aims to help "address the root causes of conflict and put an end to recurring cycles of violence" in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes Region. In its Resolution 2098 (2013), the Security Council welcomed the signing of the PSC Framework. It called on the Special Envoy, in coordination with the Special Representative for the DRC to "lead, coordinate and assess the implementation of national and regional commitments under the PSC Framework, including through the establishment of benchmarks and appropriate follow-up measures".

The Security Council further encouraged the Special Envoy to "lead a comprehensive political process that includes all relevant stakeholders to address the underlying root causes of the
conflict".

Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the designated Supervisor, the Intern will:

• Conduct research on various issues, including political and security developments, human rights, economic and social developments, humanitarian issues in the Great Lakes region;
• Contribute to the preparation of concept notes, project proposals, weekly reports, background papers, briefing notes, Talking Points and other relevant documents;
• Provide support in the coordination and substantive servicing of meetings, including coordinating participation of key stakeholders, contributing to the preparation of relevant documents and undertaking other related tasks;
• Support the preparation of presentations and other visual materials;
• Assist in the development of databases and other office management tools;
• Support the production of web stories and updating of social media; and
• Undertake other assignments as required.

Competencies

• Professionalism:
  • Demonstrates professional competence;
  • Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
  • Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges;
  • Be able to interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs; and
  • Be tolerant of differing opinions and views.
• 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; and
  • Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
• Teamwork:
  • Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals;
  • Solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others;
  • Places team agenda before personal agenda;
  • Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; and
  • Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

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:

• Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher);
• Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor's level or equivalent);
• Have graduated with a university degree (as defined above) and, if selected, must commence the internship within a one-year period of graduation.
• Be computer literate in standard software applications.
• Have a demonstrated 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 include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.

Work Experience

• Applicants are not required to have professional work experience for participation in the programme. However, exposure to political affairs and/or peacekeeping operations is an asset.
• Applicants are required to be either a student enrolled in a Bachelor's (final year), Master's or
• Ph.D. program or equivalent. Applicants who recently completed their degree must be able to
• commence the internship within a year of graduation.
• Applicants should be able to cover the cost of travel including visa, accommodation and other
• living expenses for the duration of the internship.
• Applicants should have a field study closely related to the internship they are applying for.
• Knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, PowerPoint and Excel is required.
• Knowledge in managing data using excel or other tools to collate and present data effectively
• is desirable.
• Applicants should have a field of study closely related to the internship they are applying for is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of French is an advantage.

Assessment

Candidates will be assessed based on their Personal History Profiles (PHP). Individual interviews and/or tests may be conducted for further assessment.

Special Notice

A completed online application (Cover Note and Personal History Profile) is required.

Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. The Cover Note must detail your degree programme and graduation date, time availability, IT and social media skills as well as motivation.

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