Org. Setting and Reporting
The United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is the UN Secretariat department responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to complex emergencies and natural disasters. OCHA also ensures that there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response effort. OCHA's mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions.
The Information Management (IM) function, is responsible for both defining and implementing OCHA's information and technology strategy while introducing more effective ways of developing and delivering digital information and technology services that serve OCHA staff and the larger humanitarian sector. The Digital Services team has been recently established to focus on high priority projects that bring together a variety of IM’s existing sections/projects as well as other OCHA platforms. The teams within IM are responsible for a range of matters including humanitarian data (HDX), response-based websites (ReliefWeb & HumanitarianResponse.info) and applications (Digital Situation Report & Humanitarian.ID), technical infrastructure (email, document management, connectivity, etc), and both support to and capacity development of field-based information management officers.
The intern is based in the Hague, within the Digital Services Section, Information Management Branch. The intern is reporting to the Programme Management Officer within the Digital Services Section, Information Management Branch.
Responsibilities
Daily responsibilities will depend on the individual's background, duties may include but are not limited to lending support to projects and/or activities within the branch/Division of assignment. The intern does not need to have a technology background, but rather a strong research background combined with a general interest in technology. In particular, the intern will:
• Undertake research at the interaction of (new or emerging) technology and humanitarian affairs in topics such as artificial intelligence, big data, low-no code solutions, blockchain, quantum computing and UAVs. The aim would be to identify how these already or potentially could affect humanitarian response.
• Draft reports and/or guidelines to help articulate research findings and guide other humanitarians to better understand and possibly adopt the new technology, process or approach.
• Conduct and draft research aimed at improving the integration of digital humanitarians and remote information management into humanitarian response.
Competencies
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
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
-Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings
Technological Awareness:
-Keeps abreast of available technology
-Understands applicability and limitations of technology to the work of the office
-Actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks
-Shows willingness to learn new technology
Education
To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, 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);
Interested candidates must be pursuing or pursued their degree in areas related to this Job Opening:Business Administration (General, Management, or Computer Science), International Relations, Policy Development, Management (General, Information Systems), Information Technology (Information Management, Information Systems, or Information Architecture, Information Systems) or a related field.
In addition, interested candidates must:
• Be computer literate in standard software applications including MS Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point);
• Have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter; and,
• 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. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
Assessment
N/A
Special Notice
The internship within the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, in line with the United Nations (UN) Internship Programme, aims to provide a framework by which students and recent graduates from diverse academic backgrounds gain exposure to the United Nations through assignment to offices within the Secretariat in order to enhance their educational experience and gain experience in the work of the United Nations. Additionally, it provides the United Nations offices with the assistance of qualified interns specialized in various professional fields.
Interns shall not represent the United Nations in any official capacity. For additional information on the Programme, please visit: https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=ip
The internship is unpaid and full-time. Interns work five days per week (35 hours). The general working hours at United Nations Headquarters New York are 40 hours per week, from 9:00 to 5:00 pm with one hour for a lunch break. The intern should adhere to the established official weekly working hours of respective duty station if the internship is based in a field-office location. All costs associated to the internship are to be borne by the intern, specifically: travel, visas, accommodation/ living expenses and medical insurance for the entire duration of the internship. The United Nations accepts no responsibility for the medical insurance of the intern or costs arising from injury, illness or death that may occur during an internship. A person who is the child or sibling of a staff member shall not be eligible to apply for an internship at the United Nations.
To apply to this job opening please go to: https://inspira.un.org or https://careers.un.org. A completed online application (Cover Note and Personal History Profile) is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. The Cover Note must include:
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.
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.
This vacancy is archived.