Position Title: Intern - Information Management, I (Temporary Job Opening)
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. The Communications and Information Management Unit is responsible for strengthening the information management capacity of OCHA ROSEA in both disaster preparedness and response. The Information management team provides coordination and leadership in the application of information management in disaster preparedness and response, helping to assure that the information resources and information management expertise required by OCHA to function effectively in emergencies is available; and build sustainable partnerships in advance of disasters that directly contribute to the predictable exchange of information in emergencies.
This internship will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, and the intern will be under the general guidance and direct supervision of the of Information Management’s Team Leader. The internship is being offered for a period of six months, starting as soon as possible.
Responsibilities
Daily responsibilities will depend on the intern's background and will be related to information management, GIS and/or graphic design where s/he will become familiar with international humanitarian emergency response mechanisms. Duties may include but are not limited to:
- Support production of OCHA ROSEA graphics products, including infographics and maps.
- Support maintenance of the geographic (GIS) & thematic data repository.
- Support the Who-What-Where database, Contact Lists, Email distribution lists and humanitarian key figures update.
- Support OCHA ROSEA humanitarian response website updates - meeting calendar, document uploads etc.
- Any other duties as may be requested by the supervisor
Competencies
CREATIVITY: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks "outside the box"; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches. 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: Actively seeks to apply emerging technology across tasks, keeps abreast of available technology, Understands applicability and opportunities of technology for the organization
Education
Applicants must meet one of the following requirements: (a) be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or (b) be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor's level or equivalent); or (c) have graduated with a university degree (as defined above) and, if selected, must commence the internship within a one year period of graduation; The field of study must be closely related to the type of internship you are applying for. Studies in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, Information Management, GIS, Statistics, Mathematics, Management and Strategy, Analytics, Operations Research, Data Visualization or Information Design, Economics, Business Administration or closely-related fields;
All interested candidates must:
- Be computer literate in standard software applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint;
- Have a keen interest in the work of the United Nations and a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter;
- Have the ability and willingness in working in a high-paced executive setting - ability to take initiative, assess priorities, handle multiple assignments, and meet deadlines;
- 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;
- Ability to understand or use at least one computer programming language to work effectively with data;
- Ability to understand and apply basic statistics;
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. For this internship fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of French or Portuguese is an advantage.
Assessment
Potential candidates will be contacted by hiring manager directly for further consideration. Applicants are encouraged to apply for internships which relate directly to their studies and/ or skills-set, and they will be assessed based on information indicated in their Personal History Profiles (PHPs). A completed on-line application is required; the cover note must mention the title of the degree which you are currently pursuing and the scheduled date of graduation (month and year). Indicate all standard office software packages in which you are proficient, including information technology applications and/ or programs. Please specify the names of the Branches and/ or Sections whose work most interests you and clearly indicate preferences which best match your suitability in order of interest as well as your general interest in the United Nations. Please do not forget to designate three references. Due to the high volume of applications received, applicants will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
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 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 students 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 Programme is unpaid and full-time, though it may be undertaken through a combination of in-country and remote modalities, depending on the circumstances of the candidate. The general working hours at United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) are 40 hours per week. All costs associated to the internship are to be borne by the intern, specifically: travel to/from Nairobi, 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
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.