Location : Khartoum, SUDAN
Application Deadline : 17-Feb-18 (Midnight New York, USA)
Type of Contract : Internship
Post Level : Intern
Languages Required : Arabic English
Starting Date : (date when the selected candidate is expected to start) 01-Mar-2018
Duration of Initial Contract : Six months
Background
Applicants are encouraged to apply for internships which relate directly to their studies and/or skills and expertise. Applicants are asked to please indicate preferences which best match her/his suitability and do so carefully in order to enhance the value of the internship for both the intern and the receiving UN department. A person who is the child or sibling of a staff member shall not be eligible to apply for an internship at the United Nations. An applicant who bears to a staff member any other family relationship may be engaged as an intern, provided that he or she shall not be assigned to the same work unit of the staff member nor placed under the direct or indirect supervision of the staff member. For purposes of this advertisement, "child" means (i) the child of a staff member; (ii) the child of the spouse of a staff member (stepchild); and (iii) the spouse of a child of a staff member or a staff member's spouse (son- or daughter-in-law). "Sibling" includes the child of both or either parent of a staff member and the child. In line with the United Nations internship programme, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) internship provides a framework by which students from diverse academic backgrounds gain exposure to the work of the United Nations through assignment to offices within the Secretariat. The Programme endeavours to attract qualified students, offering them an opportunity to enrich their educational experience through exposure to the work of the Organization. Equally, it provides the Office with the assistance of students specialized in various professional fields. The internship is an unpaid and full-time opportunity and the intern must adhere to the established official weekly working hours of the duty station where it is based with one hour for a lunch break.
Org. Setting and Reporting
The United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is the UN Secretariat department responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to complex emergencies and natural disasters. OCHA also ensures that
there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response effort. OCHA Sudan addresses and facilitates issues relating to coordination, communications and humanitarian financing, and serves the entire humanitarian community. In doing this, OCHA works with the Sudanese Government's Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) and other government counterparts. OCHA provides support to the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) and the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) in Sudan. Working with the entire humanitarian community, OCHA looks to foster a conducive operating environment that facilitates the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance (both material assistance and protection assistance). Crucially, OCHA promotes compliance with humanitarian principles in the humanitarian response. This is an essential element of effective humanitarian coordination and is central to establishing and maintaining access to affected populations, particularly in conflict-affected areas of Sudan. This internship will be based in Khartoum, Sudan, and the intern shall be under the general guidance and supervision of the Head of the Communication and Information Section. The internship is being offered for a minimum period of three (3) months, with a possibility of extension up to six (6) months, starting on 15 January 2017.
Duties and Responsibilities
In general, the intern shall support the Humanitarian Financing and Resource Mobilization Section (HFRMS) of OCHA Sudan in its objectives to:
- To improve humanitarian response by increasing the extent to which funding is allocated to priority humanitarian needs through an inclusive and coordinated process at the field level.
- To strengthen the leadership of the HC.
- To contribute to the delivery of the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) within the context of the Humanitarian Program Cycle (HPC) or any agreed upon strategy by the HC.
- Daily responsibilities will depend on the individual's background; duties may include but are not limited to supporting the humanitarian financing team with the following tasks:
- Assist in centralising information on costing of projects and cost tracking database;
- Provide support during the allocation processes of the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF);
- Researching, analysing and presenting information gathered from diverse sources on assigned topics/ issues;
- assisting with the preparation of various written documents, e.g. information products, infographics, drafts sections of studies, background papers, policy guidelines etc.;
- assisting in the organization of meetings, seminars, conferences, work-shops, etc.; and serving as note-taker to such events;
- assisting with the maintenance of reference/resource information on specific topics or policy-related issues, e.g. gender, accountability to affected population, environment, value for money, protection mainstreaming;
- performing tasks including administrative tasks as appropriate and requested by supervisor.
Competencies
- CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be "clients" and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions.
- COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication.
- TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals and solicits input to learn from others' ideas and expertise.
Required Skills and Experience
Education
To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, applicants must meet one of the following requirements: - Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or - Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor's level or equivalent); or - Have graduated with a university degree and, if selected, must commence the internship within a one year period of graduation from an academic programme. Applicants who are unable to commence the internship within one year of graduation shall not be accepted. The University degree must be in the area of political science, social science, international studies, public administration, economics, engineering, earth sciences or a related field.
Work Experience
Applicants are not required to have professional working experience for participation in the Programme though any academic and/or practical experience in humanitarian affairs issues is desirable. Applicants should be computer literate in standard software applications; have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations, a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter and; have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of diverse cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which includes willingness to understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Arabic would be an advantage.
Assessment
interviews will be conducted by the Hiring Manager directly for further consideration. A complete online application (Cover Note and Personal History profile) is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. The cover note must include: - Title of degree you are currently pursuing; - Graduation date (when will you be graduating from the programme); - IT skills and programmes in which you are proficient; and - Explanation of why you are the best candidate for the internship position. In your Personal History Profile, be sure to include all past work experience, if any; IT skills and three (3) references. Due to high volume of applications received, ONLY successful candidates will be contacted.
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
