Programme Internship

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture.., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, empowerment

The Programme Effectiveness team supports the UNICEF Eritrea Country Office (ECO) in the effective design, coordination and management of the country programme through evidence-informed, results-based planning, strengthened multisectoral coordination and strategic communication and advocacy. It ensures mainstreaming of social and behaviour change, gender equality between girls and boys, disability inclusion, nexus-based programming and climate-risk resilience across all programme components, while strengthening the use of timely data and evidence and promoting appropriate innovation and technology. The team enables enable quality programme delivery, including disaster risk reduction, preparedness and emergency response capacities.

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of the Assignment

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist (Emergency), the intern will provide support to the Programme Effectiveness team to enable the coordination, implementation and monitoring of cross-sectoral initiatives within the ECO.

Specific tasks and responsibilities include:

• Assist in conducting research and collating information on issues relevant to the work of UNICEF in Eritrea.
• Support in the collection and validation of sectoral data from programme sections, including for activities related to the Basic Service Response Priorities (BSRP), Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) and humanitarian grants.
• Assist in coordination of multisectoral preparedness and response efforts, including by gathering and validating sectoral inputs, drafting meeting notes, and engagement with relevant programme teams.
• Provide support to ECO Cross-Sectoral Task Force, including through documentation of meetings and support to the preparation of workplans and monitoring frameworks.
• Support knowledge management initiatives and monitoring of programme implementation, in coordination with relevant programme teams.
• Contribute to data analysis and visualization in collaboration with PME teams.
• Support in monitoring the implementation of workplans, action plans, grants and others.
• Assist in preparation of presentations, briefing notes, reports, factsheets and other internal documents as needed.
• Provide logistical and preparatory support to coordination meetings, workshops, trainings and events.
• Support ad hoc Programme Effectiveness initiatives as needed.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

Qualifications

• Be enrolled or recently graduated from an advanced/undergraduate university degree in a related field.
• Demonstrable proof of excellent academic performance.
• Strong research and analytical skills.
• Good organization and planning skills.
• Good knowledge of MS Office (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and data analysis tools.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a multicultural environment.
• Previous relevant work or volunteer experience is an asset.

Conditions of the Internship:

• In accordance with UNICEF's guidelines, all interns must receive a stipend.
• There is no expectancy of employment at the end of the internship.
• UNICEF will not be responsible for costs arising from accidents and/or illness incurred during the intern's service, whether on or off UNICEF premises. Therefore, the selected candidate must provide proof of enrollment in a health/accident plan prior to start his/her work. If accepted, the intern will be required to provide a copy of health insurance coverage and to fill out the relevant UNICEF forms on conditions regarding service as an intern.
• Interns may take up to 2.5 days per month off work for any reason, including for medical reasons.
• Interns shall observe all applicable rules, regulations, instructions and procedures and directives of UNICEF.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others

[add the 8th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role].

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments are conditional on the selected candidates’ willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel.
Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

CANDIDATES SHOULD PROVIDE EVIDENCE OF COMPLETION/EXEMPTION FROM NATIONAL SERVICE. PLEASE NOTE THAT COMPLETION/EXEMPTION OF NATIONAL SERVICE IS A REQUIREMENT. COPY OF CARD/EXEMPTION MUST BE ATTACHED. APPLICATIONS WITHOUT THIS REQUIREMENT WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.