Job Title
INTERN - PUBLIC INFORMATION, I
Department/ Office
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Duty Station
NEW YORK
Posting Period
25 November 2013-16 December 2013
Job Opening number
13-PUB-DESA-31972-R-NEW YORK
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity
Organizational Setting and Reporting
The Communications and Information Management Service (CIMS) of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) provides communications and information technology services to the Department, including the development and coordination of access to electronic information resources in the economic and social field. Using the Department's website at www.un.org/desa and publishing up-to-date news stories, reflecting the work of the Department and its 10 divisions, CIMS handles the Departments overall web based outreach efforts. CIMS also distributes two online newsletters – the internal weekly DESAlert and the external monthly DESA News. CIMS also conducts outreach using social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Slideshare.
The DESA/CIMS internship is for a minimum of two months with an opportunity for extension to a maximum of six months. The internship is unpaid and full-time. 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.
Responsibilities
The interested candidate will assist CIMS in its internal and external communication outreach efforts supporting the 10 divisions of UN DESA, mainly through its main channels DESAlert, DESA News, the website of DESA and via its social media platforms.
Key tasks will include:
To cover/attend events/meetings/seminars and conduct research and interviews, resulting in news stories and articles for DESA's website and the external online newsletter DESA News.
To support the management of UN DESA's social media activities including preparing engaging text entries for UN DESA's social media platforms based on the news stories and material prepared for the other communication channels; and communicating with fans and followers.
Monitoring and responding to supporter comments and emails regarding online content. Providing research based strategic advice on the development and use of new tools to attract new fans.
Possibly assisting with translations of news stories published on DESA's website into other UN official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish and/or Russian).
To assist in ad-hoc requests and projects relating to the internal and external communication efforts of CIMS/DESA
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 organizational goals.
- Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be 'clients' and seeks to see things from clients' point of view. The intern is expected to:
- Have demonstrated a keen interest in the work of the UN and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter; and
- Have demonstrated the ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant to differing opinions and views.
Education
To qualify for an internship with the United Nations New York Headquarters Internship Programme, the following conditions must be met:
Applicants must be enrolled in a degree programme in a graduate school (second university degree or higher); or if pursuing their studies in countries where higher education is not divided into undergraduate and graduate stages, have completed at least four years of full-time studies at a university or equivalent institution towards the completion of a degree.
Applicants must be computer literate in standard software applications.
Work Experience
Applicants are not required to have professional work experience for participation in the programme.
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 an additional official UN language is an asset. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat.
Assessment Method
Potential candidates will be contacted by 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:- Graduate Degree Programme (What are you currently studying?)
- Graduation Date (When will you be graduating 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 online Personal History Profile, be sure to include all past work experiences, IT skills, and three references.
Due to the high volume of applications received, ONLY successful candidates will be contacted.
