Economic affairs Intern: Development Cooperation

UNHQ; This internship is designed to be in-person and full-time (35 hours) but can be adjusted based on request by the successful candidate.

3-6 months

The position is located in the International Tax and Development Cooperation Branch (ITDCB) of Financing for Sustainable Development Office (FSDO) in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and is for a period of three (3) months, with an opportunity and preference for extension up to a total of six (6) months, depending on the needs of the department. Start date is Summer 2026, though applicants interested to take up an internship in Spring 2027 are also encouraged to apply. The intern will support the work of the Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) and the UN capacity development initiative on infrastructure asset management. The DCF is a core function of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. It is the global multistakeholder forum mandated to review trends, progress and emerging issues in international development cooperation. The DCF generates concrete guidance for policy makers and practitioners on the role of development cooperation in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. For more information on the Development Cooperation Forum, please see: https://financing. desa.un.org/what-we-do/ECOSOC/development-cooperation-forum/DCF-home. The UN capacity development initiative on infrastructure asset management focuses on increasing the capacities of national and local governments in developing countries to effectively manage critical infrastructure assets to increase their resilience, accessibility and sustainability over their entire lifespan. For more information on UN work on infrastructure asset management, please see: https://financing.desa.un.org/capacity-development/topics/infrastructure-asset-management. The internship is UNPAID and full-time. Depending on the situation of the successful candidates, the internship may also offer a Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) to be conducted fully remote, hybrid (in-person and remote), part-time, and/or temporary remote for the purpose of G-4 visa processing. Interns work five days per week (35 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in the department or office to which they are assigned.   Responsibilities: The objective of this internship is to support the effective dissemination, outreach, and communication of the analytical, policy, and capacity development work of the DCF and the UN infrastructure asset management initiative at national, regional and global events, among stakeholders, and through targeted communication channels. Under the supervision of a staff member of the Development Cooperation Forum Team, within the International Tax and Development Cooperation Branch (ITDCB) of FSDO, the Intern will support communication, outreach, and knowledge management activities related to international development cooperation and infrastructure asset management. Duties may include, but are not limited to: • Assist in the development and execution of a comprehensive communication strategy for disseminating analytical work; • Prepare and manage communication materials for websites, newsletters, social media platforms, blog articles, news articles, presentations, and other outreach products; • Support the preparation of communication and visibility materials for workshops, seminars, conferences, and high-level meetings; • Conduct research and contribute to data collection and visualization on key trends and emerging issues in international development cooperation and sustainable infrastructure asset management; • Participate in planning and coordinating national regional and global events on FFD, ensuring visibility of DCF and IAM content; • Engage with stakeholders through various channels; • Track and report on the effectiveness of communication strategies and suggest improvements where necessary; • Stay updated with the latest trends, technologies, and methodologies in digital marketing and social media to ensure maximum effectiveness of communication strategies; • Support in any other communication-related tasks as assigned by the supervisor; • Perform other duties as assigned in accordance with the established policies and procedures. Competencies The United Nations Core Competencies include: Communication: • Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; • Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; • Asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; • Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience; • Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. Teamwork: • Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; • Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; • Places team agenda before personal agenda; • Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; • Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. Multimedia & Content Production: • Basic understanding of visual communication, photography, and short video production. • Experience or ability to edit photos, videos, and graphics using standard tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, CapCut, Premiere Pro, etc.). • Experience or ability to create clear and visually engaging PowerPoint presentations using tools (e.g., Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, Canva, Adobe Express, Figma, Pitch, or Gamma, etc.) • Familiarity with design principles for social media, web posts, and official communications. • Able to support event documentation: taking photos, capturing highlights, and producing visual summaries. • Proficient in using latest design platforms and digital content tools to create visuals, edit videos, and produce communication materials. • Familiar with contemporary design practices and digital editing workflows for social media, websites, and official publications. Public Relations & Media Coordination • Basic knowledge of public relations (PR) and communications workflows. • Experience or willingness to support media outreach, press materials, and media liaison. • Able to coordinate with communications teams, partners, and media contacts in a professional manner. • Understands how to align content with UN branding, tone, and communication standards. Client Orientation: • Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from the clients’ point of view; • Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; • Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; • Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; • Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to clients. The intern is expected to: •Have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter; •Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which includes a willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.

To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, the following condition must be met: • Applicants to the programme must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements: (a) Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or (b) Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s level or equivalent); Be computer literate in standard software applications. Study in the fields of communications or journalism is desirable. 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. Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, 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 is desirable. Ability to design surveys and polls is desirable. Study in the fields of communications or journalism is desirable. 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. Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, 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.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the Internship Programme. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an asset. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

The internship is UNPAID and full-time. Depending on the situation of the successful candidates, the internship may also offer a Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) to be conducted fully remote, hybrid (in-person and remote), part-time, and/or temporary FWA for the purpose of G-4 visa processing.

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.