INTERN - POLITICAL AFFAIRS

Org. Setting and ReportingIn February 2013, 11 nations signed the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the region, in a renewed drive to end the recurring cycles of devastating conflict in eastern DRC, which impacts stability and development in the Great Lakes area of Africa. On 31 January 2014, two more countries, Kenya and Sudan, became signatories of the PSC Framework. The framework aims to help \"address the root causes of conflict and put an end to recurring cycles of violence\" in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes Region. In its Resolution 2098 (2013), the Security Council welcomed the signing of the PSC Framework. It called on the Special Envoy, in coordination with the Special Representative for the DRC to \"lead, coordinate and assess the implementation of national and regional commitments under the PSC Framework, including through the establishment of benchmarks and appropriate follow-up measures\". The Security Council further encouraged the Special Envoy to \"lead a comprehensive political process that includes all relevant stakeholders to address the underlying root causes of the conflict\". This position is located in the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes region (OSESG-GL) in Nairobi, Kenya. Nairobi is classified as a \"B\" hardship duty station and a family duty station. The internship is UNPAID and full-time (35 hours per week) for an expected duration of six months. The desired start date is in April 2025, or sooner. ResponsibilitiesUnder the overall supervision of a Political Affairs Officer within the OSESG-GL Political Affairs Unit (PAU), the responsibilities of the intern may include, but are not limited to: • Prepare documents, for review, including correspondence, talking points and background notes; • Conduct research in areas of interest to the Political Affairs Unit, based on public sources; • Attend and prepare summary notes of meetings, conferences, and seminars; • Provide logistical and other assistance in organizing conferences, meetings, seminars, and workshops; and, • Perform other duties, as required. CompetenciesCommunication: • Speaks and writes clearly and effectively • Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately • Asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication • Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience • Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed 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 Client Orientation: • Considers all those to whom services are provided to be \"clients \" and seeks to see things from clients' point of view • Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect • Identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions • Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems • Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects • Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client EducationApplicants must meet one of the following requirements: (a) be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); (b) be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent). The field of study must be closely related to the Office’s areas of work. Job - Specific QualificationNot available. Work ExperienceNo 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. A field of study closely related to the Office's areas of work (political science, international relations, international security, human rights, and related fields) is required. Please explain how your field of study is relevant to the Office's areas of work, notably the work of the Political Affairs Unit. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English and French is required for the internship. AssessmentPotential candidates will be contacted by the hiring manager directly for further consideration. Special NoticeInterns 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. 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. United Nations ConsiderationsAccording 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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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 FeeTHE 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.