Work Location
New York. In person, possibility for remote and hybrid modality options, subject to approval.
Expected duration
Six months, starting date 1 February 2025. The minimum internship period is 2 months full time. The maximum period is 6 months full time. A part time set-up may be considered as long as it fulfills the needs of the office and equates to the full time minimum and maximum periods (for example, a 50% part time internship of 4 months equates to the minimum period of 2 months full time). The start date is flexible.
Duties and Responsibilities
The United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response efforts. OCHA’s mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions. All internships are within the Pooled Funds Management Branch (PFMB) in the Financing and Partnerships Division of OCHA. OCHA coordinates humanitarian actors to ensure effective emergency response, funding aid to people in crises via two multi-donor funds: the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and Country-Based Pooled Funds (CBPFs). These funds provide timely, flexible aid where it’s needed most, supporting humanitarian reform efforts and coordination led by Humanitarian and Resident Coordinators. The PFMB team values diversity, empathy, and collaboration, encouraging open communication and the sharing of knowledge. Members lead their areas of work independently while contributing to team decisions, voicing opinions, and focusing on continuous improvement. Interns will monitor humanitarian developments, support anticipatory action frameworks, and draft funding application responses. Responsibilities include preparing guidance, conducting training, and coordinating with Resident and Humanitarian Coordinators. Interns will manage data on localization, gender, and funding trends, maintain information resources, and assist in partnerships with Member States and UN agencies. They will help organize high-level events, analyze complex data, develop financial workflows, automate reporting, and create dashboards to improve efficiency and transparency in funding allocations. Within the delegated authority, the incumbents will be responsible for performing the following duties, or a combination thereof, as determined by the hiring unit: 1. Monitor, Analyze, and Research Humanitarian Developments: Collaborate with OCHA desk officers on disaster-affected countries, using quantitative and qualitative research to support funding decisions for underfunded emergencies and anticipatory action frameworks. 2. Support Anticipatory Action Frameworks: Assist in setting up Anticipatory Action (AA) frameworks through research, analysis, document development, and work plan implementation, while coordinating with AA teams. 3. Review and Draft Funding Applications: Work with Programme Officers to review and draft responses for funding applications, ensuring accountability with other OCHA branches and UN agencies. 4. Prepare Guidance and Conduct Trainings: Support the preparation and revision of internal and public guidance, participate in training, and provide support to Resident and Humanitarian Coordinators for pooled funding processes. 5. Document Preparation: Prepare or contribute to drafting documents like presentations, briefings, guidance notes, and talking points for senior staff. 6. Data Collection and Management: Assist in collecting and organizing data on themes such as localization, gender, and funding trends, and prepare updates and dashboards for management and external audiences. 7. Maintain Information Resources: Develop and maintain reference information on humanitarian topics, respond to inquiries, and provide updates on latest developments. 8. Coordinate Lessons Learned and Good Practices: Liaise with field offices to gather lessons learned, share good practices, and identify story hooks to raise visibility for pooled fund efforts. 9. Support Partnerships with Key Stakeholders: Assist in CERF and CBPF partnerships processes with Member States, UN agencies, and humanitarian partners, including key working groups and advisory bodies. 10. Support the organization of High-Level Events: Assist in planning high-level events such as General Assembly-related side events and the CERF Annual High-Level Pledging Event. 11. Conduct Research and Draft Advocacy Materials: Support research and data analysis on CERF and CBPF-related topics, contributing to advocacy and information products, including thematic areas and fund allocations. 12. Analyze Complex Data Sets: Analyze and interpret complex data to drive informed decision-making in humanitarian projects and pooled fund allocations. 13. Document Financial Workflows and SOPs: Create and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), document workflows, and develop manuals for financial processes. 14. Propose and Implement Financial Process Improvements: Assist in proposing automation solutions, process optimizations, and predictive models for financial workflows, fund utilization, and payment disbursements. 15. Automate and Build Financial Dashboards: Develop interactive dashboards, automate financial reporting, and monitor payment cycles, fund balances, and KPIs to improve efficiency and transparency. 16. Perform other duties as required.
Qualifications/special skills
Competency: All applicants must have good knowledge of standard software applications, especially MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Excel and MS Teams. All applicants must have a demonstrated keen interest in humanitarian issues and in the work of the United Nations, and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter. All applicants must have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views. Knowledge of Statistics, Python, and data visualization tools is desirable. Strong background in experience testing LLMs like ChatDialoClaude 3.56 GPT, or similar conversational AI models is desirable. Skills: All applicants must have excellent written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to quickly assimilate processes and systems. All applicants must have the ability to rapidly analyze and integrate diverse information, identify trends, and provide solutions. Academic Qualifications: Be a student in the final year of a first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), a Master’s or a Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or PH.D. Programme (with completion date not more than one year before the start-date of the internship). Please note that proof of this will have to be attached to the application and that an official certificate will have to be provided at a later stage. Language: • English and French are the official working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in spoken and written English is required for all internship positions. • Fluency or working knowledge of French is desirable. • Fluency or working knowledge of other UN official languages is an advantage.
Additional Information
OCHA encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability. The United Nations will assist with arrangements for a G-4 visa for interns who are serving in the United States of America and require such a visa.
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.