Intern

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is an organization established by the UN General Assembly with the mission to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. It serves as the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. UN-Habitat collaborates with various partners to build inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and communities. The organization aims to leverage urbanization as a transformative force that reduces inequality, discrimination, and poverty. UN-Habitat is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, and operates through regional offices, including the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the Mesoamerica office based in Mexico City. The program is guided by several key principles and declarations, including the Vancouver Declaration on Human Settlements, the Istanbul Declaration, the Habitat Agenda, the Quito Declaration on Sustainable Cities, and the New Urban Agenda. UN-Habitat's work focuses on mitigating the negative impacts of rapid urbanization, ensuring the benefits of sustainable urbanization, and improving the quality of life for urban populations. More information can be found on their website: https://unhabitat.org/.

Job Overview:
The intern will be positioned within the UN-Habitat Subregional Office for Mexico, Cuba, and Central America, working under the supervision of the Head of the Subregional Office. The primary function of this internship is to provide support across various administrative sections, ensuring the smooth day-to-day operations of the office. The intern will engage in a variety of tasks that contribute to the overall efficiency of the office, including administrative support, human resources assistance, procurement processes, asset management, event coordination, and documentation preparation. This role is crucial for maintaining organized systems and facilitating effective communication within the office and with external partners. The intern will gain valuable experience in a dynamic international organization, contributing to meaningful projects that align with the UN's mission of sustainable urban development.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The intern will be responsible for a wide range of duties, including but not limited to: providing general administrative support across all areas based on operational needs; assisting the Human Resources team with onboarding activities for Affiliated Personnel and reviewing supporting documentation; filing financial support documents and tracking routine administrative transactions to ensure completeness of records; preparing procurement comparative charts, coordinating with vendors, and monitoring procurement processes; managing asset control, coordinating maintenance and service requests, and providing logistical support for conferences and events; supporting protocol-related activities, including coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; organizing meetings, events, and official activities; maintaining organized electronic and physical filing systems; preparing drafts of reports, presentations, and official correspondence as required; and performing any other administrative tasks as assigned by supervisors.

Required Qualifications:
Applicants must meet one of the following criteria at the time of application: be enrolled in a graduate school program (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree program (minimum Bachelor's level or equivalent); or have graduated with a Bachelor's degree, Master's, PhD, or equivalent. Additionally, candidates must be computer literate in standard software applications, particularly the Microsoft Office Suite. A demonstrated interest in the work of the United Nations and a personal commitment to the ideals of the UN Charter are essential. Candidates should also exhibit the ability to interact successfully with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds and beliefs, showing a willingness to understand and tolerate differing opinions and views.

Educational Background:
The preferred areas of study for applicants include Business Administration, Human Resources, Management, Public Administration, Finance, Accounting, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, Event Coordination, Logistics, Travel Administration, Hospitality Management, Tourism, or related fields. Applicants must have good knowledge of standard software applications, especially MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Excel, SharePoint, Canva, and MS Teams. It is important that applicants are either currently enrolled in or have recently completed a university degree in a relevant field.

Experience:
While applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience, it is necessary for them to have a field of study closely related to the internship they are applying for. Candidates must be students in the final year of their first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), or in a Master's or Ph.D. program, or have completed such programs. Knowledge of administration processes and project implementation is desirable but not mandatory.

Languages:
For this internship position, fluency in oral and written Spanish is required. Knowledge of English is desirable, and knowledge of another UN language is considered an asset. The working languages of the United Nations Secretariat are English and French, but proficiency in Spanish is essential for this role.

Additional Notes:
Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. All costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation, and living expenses are the responsibility of the interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken may need to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer. It is important to note that the United Nations does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, including application, interview, processing, or training. Additionally, the UN does not concern itself with information regarding applicants' bank accounts.