Sustainable Development Goals Outreach and Partnerships Intern (Start ASAP)

About United Nations

The United Nations stands as a global sentinel for cooperation, championing diplomacy over conflict and unity over division. Committed to fostering peace, development, and human rights, it transcends borders to address the world's most pressing challenges, epitomizing the collective aspirations of humanity toward a harmonious and just world.

Your role

The Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) / Division for Sustainable Development Goals (DSDG) seeks to provide leadership and catalyze action in promoting and coordinating the implementation of internationally agreed development goals, including the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Duties may include, but are not limited to:

• Supporting in drafting concept notes for events targeting the mobilization of stakeholders from different sectors towards their engagement on the SDGs.
• Contribute to the implementation of stakeholder engagement strategies and plans, including compiling and summarizing inputs from online consultations, and drafting reports and outreach materials.
• Engage collaboratively in research and analysis as well as in drafting and reviewing documents on several topics as well as engage with stakeholders from different sectors and parts of the world.
• Assist with the organization of person, virtual events, and training sessions, including by supporting with the preparation of agendas, co-drafting background materials, and meeting reports, providing technical support to events, monitoring and managing live substantive exchange, drafting public information materials, supporting outreach, including social media, preparing summaries, reviewing participants lists and preparing documents to be posted online.
• Contribute to the review of SDG Partnerships and follow up on their implementation, including analysis and research.
• Supporting the research for the preparation of papers and reports related to the SDGs, including in connection with international Conferences (such as the 2025 UN Ocean Conference and the UN 2026 Water Conference) and intergovernmental meetings (for instance, the High-Level Political Forum, the ECOSOC Partnership Forum, the Science, Technology and Innovation Forum and others)
• Support stakeholder engagement in intergovernmental events and Conferences, including high-level special events and side-events selection and management.
• Attend intergovernmental meetings, expert events, and webinars and prepare summaries
• Provision of general virtual office support (e.g. processing correspondence; maintaining online files and records in Sharepoint; taking meeting minutes for events; etc.).
• Supporting staff with outreach engagement, including on communications and social media.
• Participating in person and virtual UN Headquarters events, as appropriate.
• Providing support to staff with website content updates.
• Other ad hoc related activities to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Training & development

• The intern will have the opportunity to learn and work in a very dynamic environment, targeting different aspects of SDG implementation and where new approaches and methodologies are being implemented and tested daily.
• The intern will be able to contribute to in-person and virtual activities, including intergovernmental Conferences and meetings, capacity-building events, webinar consultations, and online training.
• The intern will also engage collaboratively in research and analysis as well as in drafting and reviewing documents on several topics as well as engaging with stakeholders from different sectors and parts of the world.
• The candidate will have the opportunity for hands-on experience, being an integral part of the Team and working collaboratively in several workstreams.
• The person will be exposed to real-time dynamics, negotiations, projects, and activities.
• The candidate will gain experience in the organization of United Nations Conferences and intergovernmental events and will strengthen organizational and political skills.

Benefits

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

• Health insurance.
• Holidays and leave.
• Retirement pension.
• Travel and shipping expenses, etc.

Career progression

The United Nations encourages exploring where you'll thrive within the team, offering global and flexible opportunities to develop professional interests worldwide as your career advances, ensuring a dynamic and fulfilling journey.

Work-life balance

The United Nations strongly recognizes that interns need time for personal and social activities outside of work to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The intern is expected to work five days a week, on a full-time basis. They provide opportunities for interns to engage in meaningful work while ensuring they have time for personal growth and well-being.

Culture & vibe

At the United Nations, the culture and vibe are truly exceptional. From savoring a delightful cup of coffee to engaging with talented colleagues, it's a place that offers insightful experiences in a friendly environment. Embracing diversity, the workspace becomes a vibrant hub of varied perspectives, while maintaining high standards for sustained success.

About you

The United Nations Core Competencies include:

• Communication: Ability to draft clearly and concisely, good written and oral language skills.
• Teamwork: Good interpersonal skills, and 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 a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations 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.

Academic Qualifications:

To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, the following conditions must be met:

• Applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
  • Be enrolled in a graduate school program (second university degree or equivalent, or higher);
  • Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree program (minimum Bachelor's level or equivalent); or
  • Have graduated with a university degree (as defined above) and, if selected, must commence the internship within one year of graduation;
• Be computer literate in standard software applications.

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 additional official United Nations languages is an asset. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

Sources

The following sources were used in researching this page:

• careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx
• careers.un.org/career-development -- Training and career progression
• careers.un.org/payandbenefits?language=en --- benefits
• youtube.com/unitednations