Grade: Internship
Publication date: 03 May 2023
Application deadline (midnight Geneva time): 17 May 2023
Vacancy no.:
Job ID: [[10634]]
Department: [[ENTERPRISES]]
Organization Unit: [[Small and Medium Enterprises Unit ]]
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Duration of contract: 3 to 6 months (starting on the 1st or the 15th of a given month)
You are applying to the ILO generic internship roster, which is published several times per year. The roster will be made available to all departments and field offices, which will then select and directly contact suitable candidates. Due to the high volume of applications we receive, the ILO does not inform candidates about the status of their application.
ILO Internship Programme provides an opportunity for talented individuals to:
(a) increase understanding of relevant issues at the international level by involving them directly in the work of the Office and the application of ILO principles, programmes and strategies;
(b) gain practical experience with the ILO directly related to their field of study.
The internship programme is not intended to lead to a career in the ILO. There should be no expectation of further employment at the end of the internship.
**Please note that you can apply to a maximum of three internship profiles during the current application period. If you apply to more than three internship profiles, your application will not be considered for any profile.** Note that you may withdraw your candidature at any time via the Jobs Applied section of your profile.
It is highly recommended that you submit your application as soon as possible to avoid last minute technical issues or delays. Late applications will not be considered.
The ILO values diversity. We welcome applications from qualified women and men, particularly those with disabilities and from non- or under- represented member States. If needed, reasonable accommodation will be provided to those with disabilities in the recruitment phase as well as during the internship to promote equality of opportunities. If you are unable to complete our online application form due to a disability, please send an email to ilojobs@ilo.org
IMPORTANT:
Please only apply for an internship if you fulfil the following two criteria:
(1) You have no close relative serving in the ILO.
(2) This is your first internship with the ILO (only one internship is permitted).
Please note that in the context of the new ILO organigram, the naming of the departments may be subject to change.
The position is located in Geneva, Switzerland, within the ILO headquarters in the Small and Medium Enterprises Unit (SME) of the ILO Enterprises Department (ENTERPRISES). Within the Department’s mandate to promote sustainable enterprises, the SME unit seeks to unlock the potential of creating more and better jobs in small businesses - a sector which provides the bulk of all employment. The unit is working with governments, social partners, the private sector as well as other relevant stakeholders and partners on fostering entrepreneurship and productivity in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, through improving the enabling environment and the inclusivity of markets. An important work stream of the unit relates to fostering the formalization of enterprises (for more details see www.ilo.org/sme).
As part of the SME unit, the intern will assist the overall implementation of the enterprise formalization strategy, by providing support to the development of capacity development tools, review of data collected on small enterprises as well as the design and implementation of measures on enterprise formalization.
As an intern in the SME Unit, working to support enterprise formalization activities, you will be exposed to a whole range of areas such as:
Providing support to the team in assisting ILO constituents (governments, social partners) to enhance their services to informal sector enterprises with respect to reducing informality and/or facilitating formalization. This includes, for example, supporting the conceptualization, preparation and implementation of workshops, field missions and the adaptation of country-specific training tools on enterprise formalization requirements and procedures (e.g. registration, bookkeeping, taxation, social security, labour laws and sectoral requirements).
Providing support to the team in conducting surveys on the progress of capacity development initiatives and informality profiles of small enterprises in specific sectors, analysing the data and reviewing how current trends in the world of work (e.g. digitalization, environmental sustainability, youth employability) affect efforts of formalization. This activity will include working remotely with ILO colleagues and consultants in field offices.
Conducting desk research on related topics to gather inputs for the identification of barriers or opportunities to formalize in a particular country, and the design of interventions and project concept notes. This may include researching country-level efforts to increasing the resilience and formalization of informal sector enterprises and reviewing donor funding strategy documents.
Contributing through desk research to applying enterprise formalization approaches to other thematic areas of the ILO, such as access to social finance, women entrepreneurship and employment creation in forced displacement contexts.
As an intern, you are likely to be appointed to work within one focus area and will have the chance to extend your knowledge and experience by working alongside and in cooperation with appropriate ILO specialist staff in HQ and in close contact to the field offices.
The SME unit is a dynamic unit that values information sharing and joint work, so while you may be working on one specific area, you will be exposed to others. The intern can, therefore, expect to be involved in unit tasks outside of his/her specialist area, thereby gaining wider insights into the workings of the unit and the ILO, and learning about the importance of cross-cutting issues, including gender and the environment.
Interns should expect to devote 10% to 20% of their time to administrative tasks.
Previous experience should include work related to the fields of interest to the SME unit, and in particular on small enterprise development, informality and approaches to reduce it and survey data collection and analysis. Excellent desk research skills are expected, as well as interest in broader issues linked to the world of work. Experience with the review of legal documents and procedures related to entrepreneurship would be an advantage.
Strong oral and written English is essential, additional language skills are an asset. If shortlisted, the candidate’s language/writing ability is likely to be verified through a written test. Working knowledge of at least a second of the ILO’s official languages (mainly Spanish or French) is desired
Adaptable to an international, multicultural and multilingual environment, quality orientation, good communication skills and be able to work in a team.
How to apply:
1. Search for an internship profile via the page on ILO Jobs
2. Select the internship profile you would like to apply for, and create a profile on ILO Jobs
3. Complete your candidate profile and apply to the internship profile
4. Be sure to attach a cover letter in the last section of the application, as applications without a cover letter will not be considered and you cannot attach a cover letter after the deadline.
Selection process:
Following a first screening by the Human Resources Development Department (HRD), hiring departments will short-list applicants. You will be directly contacted should an internship opportunity match your profile. If you have not been contacted by any department within six months after your application, you can consider that you have not been selected by any department for this roster. If still eligible, you may apply to the next roster.
If shortlisted, you may be contacted by the hiring department for a written test and/or interview. The ILO may use communication technologies such as Skype, Video or teleconference, e-mail, etc for the assessment and evaluation of candidates.
Stipend:
As an intern in Geneva, you will receive a stipend of 2450 CHF per month from the ILO, unless you receive funding through another institution (for example your university or a foundation). If you receive partial funding, ILO will cover the difference to ensure you receive 2450 CHF per month. Your travel to Geneva will be at your own expense.
In addition to the amounts referred above, each intern shall receive the amount of CHF45 per month, or the equivalent amount in the currency in which the monthly stipend is paid, which is a contribution from the Office towards the cost of medical insurance to cover the period of the internship.
Insurance:
Please note that the ILO does not take responsibility for any costs arising from accidents and/or illness incurred during the internship. You will be responsible for your own insurance coverage for illness and accidents for the duration of the internship at the duty station (whether Geneva or the field).
Fraud warning:
The ILO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process whether at the application, interview, processing or training stage. Messages originating from a non ILO e-mail account - @ilo.org - should be disregarded. In addition, the ILO does not require or need to know any information relating to the bank account details of applicants.
This vacancy is archived.