Communications Intern

Target Start Date

2024-04-01

Job Posting End Date

March 18, 2024

Terms of Reference

Terms of Reference for Internship

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is offering a part-time internship with the Liaison Office at UNHCR New York, USA.

Established in December 1950, UNHCR is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for asylum seekers, refugees, returnees, internally displaced communities and stateless people. Every year, millions of men, women and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. UNHCR currently operates in over 130 countries, using its long expertise to protect and care for millions.

Title: Communications Intern

Duty Station: New York, USA

Duration: 4 months

Contract Type: Internship

Earliest Hire Date: 01 April 2024

Target End date: 31 July 2024

Organizational context

NYO represents UNHCR in New York-based UN processes and functions as a liaison working closely with UNHCR's Headquarters, regional bureaus, and country operations, along with UN Headquarters (UNHQ), including the UN Departments of the Secretariat, UN agencies, funds, and programs, the General Assembly and its Main Committees, the Security Council, and the Economic and Social Council. NYO also works with Permanent Missions of UN Member States (MS), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and international and other civil society organizations.

NYO engages in advocacy and partnership to ensure that UNHCR’s mandate and positions are promoted with key (UN, MS, and other) stakeholders in New York. Matters of central concern to UNHCR are high on the agenda of the United Nations and are also of prominent concern to MS, civil society, and the media. UNHCR is appreciated as the agency with operational and policy expertise on refugee, displacement, and statelessness matters.

With increasing numbers of refugees and internally displaced persons, the Security Council is often engaged with matters of central importance to UNHCR and the High Commissioner regularly addresses the Security Council. These matters often engage the Department of Peace Operations as well as the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, whose leadership role in integrated and mission settings coincides with some of the largest UNHCR operations globally.

Additionally, NYO is frequently called upon to brief and partner with civil society, including academic institutions, regarding refugees and stateless persons. Moreover, NYO is increasingly the port of call for global media based in New York on issues pertaining to UNHCR's global programs and persons of concern.

The position: The Communications and External Relations pillar in New York covers all communications and external relations functions. The intern, reporting to the New York Office Senior Communications Officer, will assist the pillar in identifying and executing external engagement activities to raise awareness about issues of forced displacement at UN headquarters and in NY. The individual will therefore help to identify partners and stakeholders at NY based institutions, including with academia and civil society, and conduct outreach. They will also help execute events, roundtable discussions and other innovative collaborations at UN headquarters and other venues in NYC to increase visibility of and understanding on issues of forced displacement. This may require leading on the creation of event check lists, engagement with relevant UN offices, and helping to accompany guests and visitors at venues, as well as work on procurement of vendors, as needed. The unit regularly represents UNHCR in briefings, interviews, presentations and lectures and the intern will assist the Senior Communications Officer in preparing talking points, perform related research and create decks/PowerPoint presentations, as well as create comms products that can be used in public outreach. In particular, the intern will help coordinate activities on the occasion of World Refugee Day, the UN High Level Political Form, and other key moments throughout their internship and as required.

Duties and responsibilities

• Duties include leading on a mapping exercise to identify diverse stakeholders based in NYC, to update contact lists, and to work with the Snr Comms Officer on finalizing an outreach plan to enhance UNHCR engagement in diverse forums in NY.
• The individual will work on the preparation of comms products and materials for use by NYO personnel, including the creation of one-pagers on topical issues, brochures, flyers, and PowerPoints.
• The individual will help manage logistics and planning coordination, working under the supervision of the Senior Comms Officer, on events and other activations for World Refugee Day (June 20), and other key moments, as needed.
• The intern will attend UN meetings, briefings and press events taking place at the UN as needed and share readouts and notes with relevant UNHCR NY office personnel.
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Minimum Qualifications Required

In order to be considered for an internship, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Be either a recent graduate (having completed their studies within two years of applying) or a current student in a graduate/undergraduate school programme from a university or higher education facility accredited by IAU/UNESCO; and
• Have completed at least two years of undergraduate studies in a field relevant or of interest to the work of UNHCR.
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Desirable Qualifications And Skills

• Degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Information, or related field;
• Demonstrated commitment or strong interest in international relations, refugee issues, and humanitarian response;
• Fluency in English with excellent written and oral communication skills;
• Proficiency in PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Excel, and Teams.
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Conditions

It is a part time role with the successful candidate expected to work 20 hours per week. The time/date can be further coordinated and agreed upon by the manager. The successful candidate will be assigned to support the NY Office team in New York, USA.

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

Before the start of an internship with UNHCR, candidates are responsible for arranging medical insurance and for providing proof to UNHCR of valid medical insurance covering the period of internship.

UNHCR accepts no responsibility for any costs connected to medical insurance of interns, nor does the organization cover the costs for medical evacuation of interns.

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 or stateless background.