Youth and Trade Programme Support Intern

Work LocationGeneva, Switzerland Expected duration26 January 2026 to 25 July 2026 Duties and ResponsibilitiesBackground: The International Trade Centre (ITC) is a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, focusing in particular on developing the export capabilities of small and medium-sized businesses in developing and transition economies. ITC is 100% \"Aid for Trade\", supporting trade that delivers inclusive and sustainable development results. ITC works at three levels: - Strengthening the integration of the business sector in developing countries and economies in transition into the global economy, - Improving the performance of trade and investment support institutions for the benefit of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs), and enhancing the abilities of trade support institutions to better support them, - Improving the international competitiveness of SMEs. The Youth and Trade initiative: Within the International Trade Centre, the Division of Sustainable and Inclusive Trade and within the section of Women, Youth and Vulnerable Communities, the Youth and Trade initiative offers specialized solutions, in partnership with relevant institutions, to create opportunities to support youth economic empowerment by reinforcing their skills for employability and entrepreneurship. ITC manages a global community supporting young entrepreneurs – Ye! Community, which connects youth entrepreneurs and key ecosystem actors to provide access to resources, tools, opportunities, and networks, to enhance their entrepreneurial capacities. The overall objective (impact) of the Ye! Community is to empower young people with the right skills, networks, and support to build sustainable and impactful enterprises. The Ye! Community provides a platform to connect youth entrepreneurs, ecosystem enablers, and experts to one another to empower young entrepreneurs and contribute to sustainable economic development and trade for good. The six-pillar offering of the Ye! Community includes access to: NETWORKING: Seek out business opportunities, co-founders, buyers, partners in our global community MENTORS: Find a mentor bringing business expertise from finance to logistics E-LEARNING: Build skills with e-courses on entrepreneurship and trade as well as webinars and virtual workshops OPPORTUNITIES: Join the community to learn about funding opportunities, programmes for enhancing business competitiveness, and global awards, provided by ITC and its partners EVENTS: Get connected via events hosted by ITC and partners happening locally and around the world RESOURCES: Access our complete database of startup tools and country business guides to ensure your business has the right tools and information to succeed In-line with the objectives of the ITC Youth and Trade initiative, the objectives of the Ye! Community are: Build more SMEs: Young people are equipped with the right skills, networks, support and finance to become entrepreneurs and/or find gainful employment. Build better SMEs: Young entrepreneurs have the right skills, networks, support, and access to finance to sustain their entrepreneurial ventures and scale them up to contribute to sustainable job creation. Youth Ecopreneur Program: The Youth Ecopreneur Program powers the green and just transition by investing in young entrepreneurs as catalysts for sustainable development, environmental justice, and advocacy for climate action. The Program cultivates, accelerates, and amplifies youth-led green business solutions. It will influence policy, raise awareness, and foster social values concerning environmental sustainability. The Program has a special focus on nurturing and catalyzing youth entrepreneurship for sustainable land management and ecological restoration. The Program is centred around the objective of cultivating a new generation of ecopreneurs who view sustainable initiatives as a viable and profitable business endeavor. It will advocate for the importance of green youth entrepreneurship, raise awareness, and foster sustainable land management practices and social values that prioritize environmental sustainability. Duties and Responsibilities: A) Ye! Community Management Support: The intern will support the effective functioning and growth of the Ye! Community by performing the following tasks: - Contribute to the operation of the Ye! Community and Youth & Trade social media profiles (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), including developing communication materials and curating content, in collaboration with ITC Communications focal points. - Assist in maintaining Ye! Community resources, including adding new tools, updating resource sections, and supporting e-learning page improvements. - Support updates to Youth & Trade pages on the ITC corporate website. - Assist in facilitating connections between Ye! Community members and external opportunities, events, and resources relevant to the development of their enterprises. - Support the coordination and execution of Ye! Community webinars, mentoring activities, and virtual training sessions. - Conduct research on best practices in community management and other topics relevant to the Ye! Community’s growth and engagement. B) Results-Based Management (RBM) and Project Management Support: The intern will assist with project-related tasks to strengthen results delivery and programme coherence, including: - Contributing to periodic reviews of results and providing support to results-based management processes for ITC youth economic empowerment projects. - Conducting research on potential new intervention areas and contributing inputs for the design of new project proposals. - Supporting project managers in coordinating activities with other ITC projects focused on youth. C) Youth Ecopreneur Programme (YEco) Support: The intern will provide support to the implementation of the Youth Ecopreneur Programme (YEco) through: - Assisting the project manager in the coordination and implementation of YEco activities, including the Accelerator, Youth Ecopreneur Awards, and alumni engagement. - Supporting the planning and organization of online and in-person events for YEco participants. - Assisting in outreach efforts to programme participants (e.g., email campaigns, WhatsApp groups). - Supporting the preparation of PowerPoint presentations and communication materials. - Assisting with data management tasks. - Contributing to monitoring and evaluation (M&E) efforts by supporting data collection, organization, and documentation. ITC champions workforce diversity, inclusion, gender equality and gender parity and considers all qualified persons - of all genders - equally, including those with disabilities, without discrimination or prejudice of any kind. Qualifications/special skillsApplicants to the programme shall, at the time of application, meet one of the following requirements: a) Be enrolled in the final academic year of the first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent); or b) Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or c) Have graduated with a university degree (Bachelor’s or Master’s equivalent) and, if selected, must commence the internship within one year of graduation. In one of the following fields or similar: Communications, Marketing, International Development, International Relations/Affaris, Sustainability, Business Management or related fields. - Previous experience or internships relating to trade-related technical assistance and/or international development is desirable - Previous experience in project management and communications is desirable LanguagesLanguages and Skills: - Fluency in written and spoken English is required. - Ability to work independently and learn quickly - Proficiency in Excel - Experience in drafting communication material with Canvas - Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and ability to interact with colleagues in an international office environment Additional InformationLearning Elements: During the course of the internship, the intern will: - Gain meaningful work experience in trade-related technical assistance, contributing to the expansion of their academic, professional, and personal learning. - Acquire experience in the work of ITC and deepen their knowledge and understanding of ITC’s goals, mission, and operational approaches. - Gain exposure to project management processes and partnership-building activities within an international development context. - Participate in events and activities related to youth economic empowerment and learn from interactions with partners, stakeholders, and beneficiaries. Upon successful completion of the internship, the intern is expected to have: - Improved understanding of project management principles, including planning, coordination, and reporting processes relevant to youth economic empowerment initiatives. - Enhanced communication skills, including the ability to draft clear and engaging content for a range of communication channels (e.g., social media, web stories, newsletters, and outreach materials). - Practical experience in supporting event coordination, from initial planning through implementation, including liaising with stakeholders and assisting with logistical arrangements. - Strengthened teamwork and collaboration skills, gained through working closely with colleagues, partners, and programme stakeholders to support project objectives. - Demonstrated professionalism and strong organizational abilities, including attention to detail, time management, and adaptability in a dynamic and multicultural work environment. Intern Specific textInterns 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. 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.