INTERNSHIP: Bureau Of Human Resources Management (Multiple, Multiple)

OVERVIEW

Duty Station: Headquarters, Field Offices, and Institutes

Type of contract : Internship

Duration of contract : 1 to 6 months

Recruitment open to : External Candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 30 June 2026

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

UNESCO recognizes the importance of having a highly talented, skilled and committed workforce, which is empowered and supported by an organizational culture and environment that enables staff to grow, be creative develop and realize their potential within a secure, inclusive, modern, and flexible working environment.  To achieve the Organizational goals, the Bureau of Human Resources Management strives to attract and retain the very best of talent, provide innovative learning, career development and mobility opportunities to allow staff to reach their full potential, encourage and reward excellence, creativity, and high performance.  

Under the overall authority of the Director of the Bureau of Human Resources Management, and the direct supervision of the relevant Chief of Section, Head of Unit, or HR specialist, the intern will contribute to the work of the Bureau of Human Resources Management (HRM).  

Areas of activity within HRM are: 

• Management Support & Coordination Unit 

Coordination of HR flagship initiatives, HR Communications, Data Analytics & Statistics, IT Support & Shared Common Services 

• Staffing & Recruitment Section 

Recruitment of Fixed-term appointments, Project Appointments, Outreach activities, Young Talent Diversity Programmes, Geographical & Functional Mobility, Lateral transfers/placements. 

• Human Resources Staff Services Section 

Administrative services to staff at Headquarters and the Field : staff appointments/on-boarding, compensation and benefits, pension and insurance, post classification, organizational design, post management, HR applications & IT support, and social welfare

• Staff Pension & Insurance Unit 

Medical Benefits Fund, UN Joint Pension Fund, other insurance schemes. 

• Classification, Compensation & Post Management Unit 

Determining the grade of a post based on duties and responsibilities assigned to the post by the responsible manager, analysis of the job elements, including its placement in the organizational structure, classification standard

• HR Strategic Support 

Administrative Review and Staff Regulations & Staff Rules

• HR Policy Coordination Unit 

Interpretation, application and revision of the Human Resources Manual policies and provisions. 

• Performance Leadership Unit 

    Performance management for personnel 

• Centre for Learning & Partnerships Development 

Corporate & individual learning programmes, Language learning programme, Internship programme, Junior Professional programme, Sponsored Trainees, UN and UNESCO Volunteers. 
 

TASKS

The Intern will have the opportunity to learn and support the overall work of Bureau’s mission. Activities will vary depending on the requirements of the assignment. Specific Terms of Reference and learning objectives will form part of the agreement.
The work entrusted to interns falls under one or more of the following categories as per the requirements/needs of each team.

• Contribute to the production/preparation of documents, working papers, and conceptual framework/concept notes on area of work or development challenges.
• Collect, organize and analyze data.
• Assist in the development of technical support in the development of new interventions or projects.
• Undertake research and reviews to produce parts of documents, presentations etc.. 
• Contribute to the preparation of communication materials
• Participate in meetings and seminars.
• Provide administrative and logistical support in the planning and organization of briefings, information sessions, workshops and other similar activities

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

It is expected that the assignment will provide the intern with the opportunity to develop skills in some of the specific domain of Human Resources depending on the assignment, and in areas such as: 

• Carry out data analysis and data presentation 
• Understand project management in the context of an international organization. 
• Gain insight into the development and dissemination of communication materials 
• Strengthen verbal and written communication skills, including through participating in meetings and presentations. 

The intern will also gain an understanding of the overall work of UNESCO and be given an opportunity to develop soft skills of the UNESCO Competency Framework, such as teamwork, flexibility, results-focus and client-focus.    

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Age:

You must be at least 20 years old to apply.

Academic qualifications:

At the time of your application to the internship programme:

You should be currently enrolled AND on the 3rd (third) year or final year of your Bachelor’s degree;

OR

You should be currently enrolled in your second university degree, Master's or PhD degree or equivalent;

OR

You should have finished your Bachelor’s, Master's or PhD degree within the last 12 months (date of completion as indicated in diploma).

Applicants in technical/vocational assignments must be enrolled in a specialized technical/vocational institution and must have reached the last year of their studies, or have recently graduated (within the last 12 months) from their school or institution.  

Languages:

You should have an excellent command, both written and spoken, of English or French. A working knowledge of the other language (English or French) is an asset, and may be required for internships in secretarial and assistantship assignments at the Headquarters.

Computer skills: You must have an excellent knowledge of computer systems and office-related software.

Team player:

You should be able to work well in a team and adapt to an international working environment.

Communication skills:

You should possess strong interpersonal and communication skills.

BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS

UNESCO does not remunerate interns. There is no compensation, financial or otherwise for internship assignments. 

Interns are entitled to 2.5 days of leave per month during their internship and an additional leave of 1 working day per complete month of internship.

Interns are provided with a limited workplace insurance coverage against risk of injury, illness, disability, or death incurred during the period of the internship and directly attributable to the execution of the internship.

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Candidates shall apply to this vacancy notice (or any of the available vacancy notices that match their expertise, domain, or interest). Please note that you are applying to become part of the pool of intern candidates, not to a specific internship opening.

Candidates who successfully applied will stay in the intern talent pool and will be further assessed and selected by relevant hiring managers.  The candidature will be valid for 6 months. Candidates who have been selected will be contacted directly by the relevant hiring manager. If the candidate does not receive any update from UNESCO within six months, it means that the application has not been successful. 

KEEP IN MIND

• Have your motivation statement and résumé (CV) ready before filling out the application form. You will be asked to answer questions about your skills, competencies, experience (if any), and interests. You only have one hour to finish the process.
• Make sure your contact details will be valid in the next 6 months. 
• You can only use either English or French in applying.
• Please provide an unofficial French or English translation of your documents if they are not in these languages.
• Even if you are eligible, there is no guarantee of placement. We receive more applications from qualified candidates than we can place.
• Please note that you are submitting your application to become part of the pool of internship candidates. Your application will be further accessed by UNESCO managers around the world and will stay in our internship portal for a period of six months.
• We do not respond to each and every candidate. If there is an internship opening and if you are selected, you will be directly contacted by the manager. If you do not receive any update within six months, it means that your application has not been successful.