Political Affairs Intern: Research and Analysis on Security Council practice null

Your role

About the position:

The duration of the internship is six (6) months. The internship is UNPAID and may be either full-time or part-time. Full-time internship working hours are 35 hours per week, while part-time internship working hours are 20 hours per week. The internship will be undertaken either remotely outside the duty station or in a hybrid working arrangement at the UN Premise, New York, United States. The advertised internship is offered with the Security Council Practices and Charter Research Branch of the Security Council Affairs Division (SCAD) in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA).

The Security Council Practices and Charter Research Branch is the advisory and research arm of SCAD, responsible for:

• Preparing the Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council as mandated by General Assembly resolution 686 (VII) of 5 December 1952.
• Providing guidance and information on Council practice/procedure to Member States, the Secretariat, NGOs, and academics.
• Providing substantive servicing to the Security Council Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions.
• Assisting in familiarizing new Council members with the evolving practice and working methods of the Council.
• Acting as the UN Secretariat’s focal point on issues related to Security Council reform.

Under the overall supervision of the Chief of the Security Council Practices and Charter Research Branch, the intern may undertake a range of activities, including, but not limited to:

• Researching events related to political issues, particularly as they relate to countries and thematic mandates on the Security Council agenda.
• Assisting the Branch with documentation and cataloguing information related to the evolution of Council practices and working methods.
• Conducting research, analysis, and drafting studies for the Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council.
• Assisting in outreach efforts, including the preparation of social media content.
• Contributing to the development of the Division's computerized databases capturing the contemporary practice of the Security Council and its subsidiary bodies, and participating in their updating.
• Performing other duties as required.

Duration: Flexible work options (hybrid, fully remote, or in-person) available for a 6-month duration. The start date is 16 September 2024, or earlier.

About you

Qualifications/Special Skills:

Applicants must meet one of the following requirements:

• Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher);
• Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent).
• Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study closely related to the type of internship being applied for is required.

Applicants must be:

• Applicants must be students in the final year of their first university degree (bachelor's or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Ph.D. Programme.
• Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage.
• Ability to conduct research and draft reports.
• Proficiency in standard word processing and software applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint or similar, and standard office automation equipment, scanner, printer, etc.
• Knowledge or prior experience with producing social media content and engaging in social media monitoring (primarily X (formerly Twitter) is an advantage.
• Knowledge of visualization tools such as Power BI and Canva is an additional asset.

Languages:

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English 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.​

Intern Specific text:

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

The internship is an unpaid, full-time role.

If you join as a full-time employee, you will get the following benefits:

• Holidays and leave
• Health insurance
• Retirement pension
• Tax exemption
• Allowances
• Contribute to impactful global initiatives and work towards promoting peace, security, and human rights worldwide.

Training & development

Throughout the internship, interns will develop practical skills in researching political events and thematic issues relevant to the Security Council's agenda. Experience in documenting, analyzing, and drafting reports essential for the Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council.

Career progression

You will be given a real chance to work with the United Nations people. As part of their team, working directly with outstanding and inspiring career professionals and senior management, you will be exposed to high-profile conferences, participate in meetings, and contribute to analytical work as well as organizational policy of the United Nations. Initially, you will take on the amount of responsibility you can shoulder; the growth potential, however, is yours to develop.

How to apply

The Motivational Statement must also include:

• Title of degree you are currently pursuing.
• Graduation Date (When will you be graduating/have graduated from the programme?)
• 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.

Sources

The following sources were used in researching this page:

• youtube.com/unitednations
• careers.un.org/payandbenefits
• https://careers.un.org/job-level-  CP