Communication Intern

Work Location

Flexible (Hybrid, all remote, or in-person)

Expected duration

6 months. Desired start date is 3 August 2026, or sooner.

Duties and Responsibilities

The duration of the internship is for six (6) months. The internship is UNPAID and may be either full-time or part-time. It should be noted that full-time internship working hours are 35 hours per week, while part-time internship working hours are 20 hours per week. The internship will be undertaken either remotely outside the duty station or in either a hybrid or office-based working arrangement at the UN Premise, New York, United States.

This position is located within the Security Sector Reform Unit (SSRU) in the Peacebuilding and Peace Support Office (PBPSO), in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA-DPO) United Nations (UN) Secretariat.

The Communication Intern reports to Deputy SSRU, and/or his delegate based in New York. This internship is UNPAID and is designed to be in person/hybrid and full-time (35 hours per week). It can be adapted for remote and/or part-time (20 hours per week) upon request.

Within the delegated authority, the intern will be responsible for the following duties: □ Prepare a weekly SSR Media Briefing for a global audience of UN and partner SSR experts.

□ Assist in drafting communications materials, including X and LinkedIn (if required) posts. □ Support development and maintenance of the SSRU website. Coordinate and publish approved content. □ Support the implementation and delivery of an annual SSR Week communication campaign (only for interns working with the SSRU in June).

□ Develop short promotional videos on security sector reform. □ Organize photo banks, mailing lists and archival content. □ Support the implementation of SSRU events, with communications, logistical and administrative assistance.

□ Support research for various purposes, including the further development of the SSRU’s generative AI tool (SALMA).

□ Perform other duties as required.

Qualifications/special skills

Applicants must meet one of the following requirements: (a) be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); (b) be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor's degree or equivalent).

• Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work. experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required
• Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master's or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor's, Master's or PH.D. Programme. Please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage.
• Applicants should have good knowledge of standard software applications, especially MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Teams.
• Ability to draft news articles and/or social media posts. Ability to design surveys and polls.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the internship.

Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat

Additional Information

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

Applicants who have previously served six months, in total, as an intern in one or more UN Common Systems cannot be engaged as an intern.

Applicants who are children, siblings, and sons or daughters-in-law (including stepchildren, half-siblings, or stepsiblings) of an active staff member in a UN Common System cannot be engaged as an intern.

In your Motivational Statement, please indicate when you would like to start your internship. Please note that the start and end dates are flexible. A complete online application is required.

The Motivational Statement must also include:

• Title of degree you are currently pursuing.
• Graduation Date (When will you be graduating/have graduated from the programme?)
• Explain why you are the best candidate for this specific internship
• Explain your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme In your online Personal History Profile, be sure to include all past work experiences, IT skills, and three references.

Intern Specific text

Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.