Internship

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a global organization established to protect the rights and well-being of refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless individuals. Founded in 1950, UNHCR operates in over 130 countries and employs more than 18,000 staff members. The organization is dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights, and building a better future for those who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, violence, and persecution. The Regional Bureau for West and Central Africa (RBWCA), located in Dakar, oversees operations in eight countries, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. This region is currently home to over 21.9 million forcibly displaced individuals, including internally displaced persons, refugees, asylum-seekers, and returnees, with significant concentrations in Chad, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and the DRC, where ongoing conflicts and human rights violations continue to drive new displacements.

Job Overview:
The internship-position" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">internship position within UNHCR’s Risk Management Team is designed for individuals who are passionate about refugee issues and program oversight. The intern will play a crucial role in supporting the development and monitoring of the project risk register and related mitigation measures. The ideal candidate will possess strong analytical and communication skills, a familiarity with standard financial rules, and excellent organizational abilities. This internship is an opportunity for a dynamic and proactive team player to contribute to the important work of UNHCR, particularly in the context of the ongoing challenges faced by forcibly displaced communities in West and Central Africa. The intern will be expected to engage actively with various stakeholders and contribute to the overall mission of UNHCR by supporting the Risk Management Team in their efforts to mitigate risks associated with program implementation.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Under the supervision of the Senior Risk Officer, the intern will be responsible for a variety of tasks related to communications, partnerships, and program regional coordination. Key responsibilities include:

• Supporting the development and monitoring of the Project Risk Register by contributing to its regular updates, assisting in identifying key programmatic, operational, and financial risks, and documenting mitigation measures.
• Providing programmatic support to the Refugee-Led Organization (RLO) Portfolio by assisting with financial assessments and reviewing required partnership documentation in accordance with UNHCR procedures.
• Supporting RBWCA in the overall follow-up of project implementation across the region, compiling programmatic updates, and contributing to the preparation of presentations, briefing materials, and communication products for regional meetings and events.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must meet the following essential minimum qualifications: be of Senegalese nationality, hold refugee status in Senegal, or possess the right to work in Senegal; be available to work full-time for the duration of the internship; be a student in International Relations or Business Administration; possess excellent communication skills with strong interpersonal abilities; be comfortable working in an international and multicultural environment; be fluent in French and have a good knowledge of English, with advanced writing and editing skills; have experience using the Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Power BI); demonstrate analytical thinking, innovation, and creativity; be highly organized with good attention to detail; be able to multi-task and prioritize workload; and be a flexible team player. Experience in data collection, analysis, and presenting data is considered an asset.

Educational Background:
Candidates must be either graduates or current students in a graduate or undergraduate school program from a university or higher education facility accredited by UNESCO. Additionally, candidates should have completed at least two years of undergraduate studies in a field relevant to the work of the Organization.

Experience:
The position requires candidates to have relevant experience, particularly in areas related to risk management, program oversight, or refugee issues. While specific years of experience are not mandated, familiarity with data analysis and programmatic support is advantageous.

Languages:
Fluency in French is mandatory, and a good knowledge of English is also required. Advanced writing and editing skills in both languages are essential for effective communication within the team and with external stakeholders.

Additional Notes:
The successful candidate will be based in Dakar, Senegal, for a six-month full-time internship role, requiring 40 working hours per week from Monday to Friday. The internship includes a Food and Local Transportation Allowance (FLTA). If the intern is sponsored by another source during the internship, this allowance will be deducted. Applications from refugees and women are strongly encouraged, and candidates must not have any direct family ties to current UNHCR staff members to be eligible for the internship.