OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The mission of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme (the Programme) is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain outbreaks and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations.

The WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence (WHO Hub in Berlin) is part of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, located in Berlin. It works with partners to enable the generation of public health relevant information to provide timely actionable insights in response to health emergencies; improve decision making in response to public health threats. It also aims to reduce data fragmentation and inefficiency by creating an ecosystem that promotes collaboration across multiple professional disciplines, sectors, and initiatives; and empower decision makers, public health professionals, and civil society to make informed public health decisions.

The Director’s Office is responsible for the communication and advocacy function of the WHO Hub in Berlin, including strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, event organization, and other activities that promote and advance the Hub’s mission, priorities, and impact.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Terms of reference

Under the supervision of a technical expert in the respective area, the intern is assigned the agreed terms of reference:

  • Conduct background research and literature reviews on global public health-related issues, and prepare background materials, briefing notes, and communication and advocacy products.
  • Assist in the planning and organization of high-level meetings, events, and visits, including logistical and coordination support.
  • Draft and edit communication products, including web content, social media posts, newsletters, media materials and presentations.
  • Support media relations activities, including maintaining media contact lists, identifying media engagement opportunities and conducting media monitoring.
  • Support stakeholder engagement through monitoring, results tracking, and the maintenance of relevant records and database.
  • Assist the team with other duties as needs arise.

Learning objectives

The purpose of the WHO Internship Programme is to provide an enriching learning experience for students and recent graduates. The Learning Objectives outlined within each internship vacancy are a key component of the Programme.

Within this internship, the intern will:

  • Understand the objectives and stakeholders of the Programme/area of work
  • Communicate clearly about the Programme/area of work
  • Know how to conduct desk research and review relevant literature
  • Prepare background documents for meetings
  • Support the organization of events, meetings, and consultations of strategic relevance for the division
  • Gain practical experience in public health communications and advocacy.
  • Develop skills in translating technical information into clear and engaging content for different audiences.

DURATION OF INTERNSHIP

The tentative start date of the internship would be 5 October 2026, for a period of twenty-four (24) weeks.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Have completed the equivalent of at least three years of full-time studies in a degree in the social sciences at a university or equivalent institution prior to commencing the assignment; AND be enrolled in a course of study at a university or equivalent institution leading to a formal qualification (applicants who have already graduated may also qualify for consideration provided that they apply to the internship within eighteen months after completion of their formal qualification).

Skills

Core competencies

  • Teamwork
  • Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
  • Communication
  • Planning & organizing

All interns should be able to demonstrate the following skills in line with the WHO core competencies:
• Communicating effectively orally and in writing
• Showing willingness to learn from mistakes
• Producing and delivering quality results
• Working collaboratively with team members from all backgrounds
• Ability to organise workload efficiently and effectively; multi-task, prioritize and work independently

In addition, interns need to be familiar with commonly used computer programmes, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Knowledge of specialized computer programmes, for example, statistical software such as XLStat may be an advantage.

Experience

  • Experience in communications, stakeholder engagement, advocacy, or related fields.
  • Experience in organizing meetings, events, consultations, or other multi-stakeholder engagements, including participants from the public sector.
  • Experience in conducting research, analysis, and preparing briefing materials, reports, presentations, or other communication and advocacy products.
  • Experience in the subject area through academic work, research, or first professional experience;
  • Field and/or developing country experience is an asset;

Languages

Essential: Expert knowledge of English;
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of German;
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of other UN language.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Interns do not receive a salary. They do however receive a living allowance. The amount of living allowance is different in each duty station. The amount also depends on any other external financial support received by the intern (grant, scholarships, etc.) and whether their permanent residence is in the duty station of the internship. In Berlin, for interns with permanent residence in the duty station, the maximum amount of the allowance provided by WHO is 684 EUR per month. For interns whose permanent residence is outside of the duty station, the maximum amount is 1488 EUR per month. The exact amount of the living allowance will be calculated for each intern, after selection, based on a legal financial disclosure form that the individual will complete. In addition, all interns in Berlin will receive a lumpsum amount for meal expenses. WHO also provides all interns with accident and medical insurance coverage.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • Please note that internships at WHO are very competitive and only a small number of applicants will be accepted every year. Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
  • Living abroad is expensive and finding accommodation can be challenging. All intern candidates should be aware of these factors before they consider applying for a WHO Internship.
  • If selected for a WHO Internship, candidates will be required to provide certified copies of proof of enrolment in an eligible course of studies, a completed WHO medical certificate of fitness for work, and the contact details for reference checks.
  • WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
  • WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.
  • WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.
  • The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.
  • The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its workforce. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply.
  • Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int.
  • WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
  • Please note that WHO’s contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Department of Staff Health and Wellbeing (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int.
  • Interns are not among the International Organisation staff who enjoy privileges. Their entry into and stay in Germany are subject to the valid residence provisions. The requisite approval of the Central Placement Office of the Federal Employment Agency (ZAV) must be obtained in advance by the International Organization and sent to the intern in good time before the visa application is submitted. A visa can only be issued if the necessary certificate from the ZAV is presented.
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