Executive Support Intern (Start ASAP)

Your role

About the Team:

The UN Resident Coordinator (RC) leads the UN Country Team in China, including all entities present. The purpose of the Resident Coordinator System is to bring together different UN agencies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operational activities at the country level, helping the UN to be a more relevant and reliable partner for governments, notable by establishing and strengthening these partnerships for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Job Description and Responsibilities:

RCO China is looking for a motivated Executive Support intern to join the RCO China office. Under the overall guidance of the Head of RCO and Executive Associate, the intern will be responsible for providing support to the Executive Office of the RCO. Specifically, he/she will perform the following duties:

• Provide administrative support to the Executive Office
• Handle documents and archives according to office standards
• IT and basic logistic support for RC’s meetings
• Provide simple translation/interpretation services when necessary
• Complete other ad hoc tasks as requested by the supervisor

About you

Applicants must meet one of the following requirements:

• Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school program (second university degree or equivalent, or higher)
• Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree program (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent)
• Experience in translation of official documents and communications materials is preferred
• Experience with other UN agencies, international organizations, and/or non-governmental organizations would be considered an asset

Languages:

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat
• Fluency in spoken and written English and Chinese is required for the internship
• Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage
• Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat

Note:

• Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.

Benefits

Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation, and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions.

As an intern, you will:

• Enhance your educational experience through practical work assignments
• Deepen your knowledge and understanding of the Organization’s goals, principles, and activities
• Work in an international environment, and network with international civil servants, career professionals, and senior management
• Provide the UN with assistance in your area of expertise

Training & development

The UN internship is for 6 months. Under the overall guidance of the Head of Communications, the internship will provide the successful candidate with a unique opportunity to work closely with team members and learn about how the UN system operates at the country level. 

Among others, the intern will:

• Actively engage in UN communication and advocacy initiatives
• Have hands-on experience with various UN communications products, videos, documents, and articles
• Learn about the functions and roles of a wide range of UN agencies
• Gain insight into the country programming process of the UN
• Become familiar with how the UN interacts with its counterparts
• Interns work five days per week (35 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in the division or office to which they are assigned.

Career progression

The global and flexible nature of every UN position will allow you to develop your professional interests around the world, as your career progresses.

Will my internship lead to employment?

Your internship will not automatically lead to a job with the UN, but with the experience you have acquired during your time as an intern, you might be interested in applying for General Service or consultancy positions. If you want to apply to positions at the Professional and Higher or Field Service levels, the organization asks you to let at least six months pass after the end of your internship before you submit your application, and ensure that you fulfill not only the educational but also the work experience requirements that are outlined in each job opening.

How to apply

United Nations Hiring Process:

• Submission of job application
• Evaluation of application
• Assessment exercise
• Competency-based interview
• Selection notification and roster
• Reference checks

Sources

The following sources were used in researching this page:

• careers.un.org/job-level
• careers.un.org/how-to-apply
• youtube.com/@UN_Careers