Internship - Division of External Relations, Partnership and Coordination Service in Geneva, Switzerland

Terms of Reference
Internship
Division of External Relations, Partnership and Coordination Service

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is offering an internship position within the Partnership and Coordination Service in Geneva, Switzerland.

UNHCR is a global organisation dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Every year, millions of men, women and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. We work in over 130 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions.

Title: Internship
Duty Station: Geneva, Switzerland
Duration: 6 months
Contract Type: Internship, full-time basis
Start date: 15 September 2020

Organisational context
UNHCR¿s Partnership and Coordination Service (PCS) is part of the Division of External Relations.  The Service  is responsible for ensuring UNHCR approaches partnerships in a strategic and dynamic manner. The Service provides support to regional and country offices on relationships with UN agencies, NGOs, advocacy partners, sports organizations, and endeavours to ensure UNHCR exercises effective leadership in areas falling under its remit as well as coordination responsibilities in line with its Mandate and agreed frameworks. Located in the UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva, PCS comprises three sections: Inter-Agency and Coordination Section (IACS),  NGO and Civil Society Section, and the Sports Section.

The internship is a unique opportunity to work with one of the leading UN humanitarian organisations in a small team tasked with coordinating multilateral operational policy issues with a specific focus on inter-agency policy and coordination.

During the internship period, the intern will work in a multicultural environment, and acquire knowledge on humanitarian inter-agency policy making, cross-cutting operational processes ¿ particularly on refugee/displacement responses. In addition to exposure gained through the internship, the candidate can take advantage of an array of learning and professional development material and expand understanding on issues of displacement, refugee protection, solutions and delivery of assistance.
UNHCR has a vibrant intern peer network which facilitates networking and exchange on daily work issues and life in Geneva, including on accommodation, transport etc.

The position
We are looking for a team-spirited and dynamic creative thinker, interested in research who is data proficient and can organise and present macro level information in interesting and user-friendly visuals and formats. Specific terms of reference are given below. 
The intern will work under the direct supervision of the Senior Inter-Agency Coordination Officer who will on a regular basis discuss various issues and assign tasks. Further modalities for supervision and support will be discussed with the final candidate. 

The tasks include but are not limited to:
1. Undertaking coordination and partner related mapping exercises and data visualisation using exciting and innovating approaches;
2. Collating comments and feedback on assigned documents received from internal and external stakeholders;
3. Managing and keeping the Partnership and Coordination Teams Platform updated;
4. Undertake primary analysis and research, collate available information on a range of topics relevant to inter-agency fora;
5. Supporting PCS in the follow up of the Global Refugee Forum pledges and contributions;
6. Attending briefings and meetings and taking notes as requested;
7. Assisting in the preparation and coordination of UNHCR meetings;
8. Assisting PCS in supporting regional bureaus and field operations with guidance on partnerships;
9. Providing support to managing social media accounts, producing content, engaging with partner accounts and analysing trends;
10. Undertaking other tasks as required.

Essential minimum qualifications and professional experience required
In order to be considered for an internship, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria:
¿ Recent graduate (those persons who completed their studies within one year of applying) or current student in a graduate/undergraduate school programme from a university or higher education facility accredited by UNESCO; and
¿ Have completed at least two years of undergraduate studies in a field relevant or of interest to the work of the Organization.

Please note that candidates who have immediate relatives (father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister) working as staff members of UNHCR are not eligible.

Required skills and desirable qualifications
¿ Bachelor¿s or Master¿s degree in Political Science, International Affairs, International Development, Communications or other relevant field;
¿ Demonstratable interest in refugee and forced displacement issues;
¿ Ability to work in English;
¿ Excellent written and oral communication skills;
¿ Strong organizational skills;
¿ Experience in organizing events or conferences;
¿ Research, data analysis, data visualization and information management skills;
¿ Very good knowledge of Word, Excel, Power Point;
¿ Flexibility, teamwork skills, professional and personal integrity;

Desirable skills
¿ Knowledge of French and/or other UN languages;
¿ Experience in managing social media accounts, producing content and analyzing trends;
¿ Knowledge of InDesign or other graphics design software;
¿ Knowledge of Microsoft Teams and Sharepoint

What the intern will learn
¿ Understanding of the UN systems and process;
¿ Overview of the humanitarian Inter-Agency system and UNHCR¿s coordination role;
¿ Exposure to wide range of refugee issues;
¿ Internal processes and inter-divisional collaboration in a large humanitarian organisation;
¿ Working in a multicultural and multilingual team.

Location
The successful candidate will be based with the team in the Geneva, Switzerland, however bearing in mind COVID-19 imposed restrictions, the tenure may necessitate remote working arrangements.

Conditions
¿ The internship is full time (40 hours per week) Monday to Friday.
¿ The intern will report to the Senior Inter-Agency Coordination Officer 

Allowance
Interns who do not receive financial support from an outside party will receive an allowance to partially help to cover the cost of food, local transportation and living expenses.

The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.

UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing or training).
We welcome applications from candidates with a refugee background. Please note that the closing date for this internship advertisement is Wednesday 26 August 2020 (midnight Geneva time).