Digital Communications Intern

Work Location

New York

Expected duration

3-6 Months

Duties and Responsibilities

The internship is located in the Chinese Language Unit, Social Media Section, Campaigns and Country Operations Division of the Department of Global Communications. The section is responsible for social media activities of the Department of Global Communications and the integration of social media platforms, including social networking tools such as Facebook, Twitter, WeChat, Weibo, Tumblr, Flickr and YouTube, which are critical component of the Department’s communications. The services of the interns align closely with the Social Media Section’s mandate by supporting the creation, adaptation, and dissemination of engaging content tailored to the Chinese-speaking audience. Interns will contribute to enhancing the visibility of the United Nations’ campaigns, initiatives, and key messages, ensuring alignment with the Department’s broader objectives of fostering awareness, engagement, and advocacy on issues of global importance. Through activities such as content curation, audience engagement, and analytics, the intern will directly support the Department’s efforts to leverage social media as a vital tool for global communication and outreach. We encourage candidates who can ideally commit to a full-time schedule for a minimum duration of three months and work with us in person. However, interns can begin working remotely until they successfully obtain a G4 Visa and all necessary travel documents. Within delegated authority, the public information intern may be responsible for the following duties: – Research, compile, draft and edit basic information (text, images, videos, infographics) for use in the preparation and production of Chinese social media content, often under tight deadlines. – Monitor and analyze statistics related to social media content, including Engagement Metrics (Likes, shares, comments, retweets, and saves; Click-through rates on links in posts; Video views, watch time, and completion rates); Audience Analytics (Demographics such as age, gender, location, language; Audience growth and Audience activity such as peak engagement times, device usage); Content Performance (Post reach and impressions; Top-performing posts based on engagement; Content types and their effectiveness); And Platform-Specific Metrics. – Create content by capturing highlights from special events promoting UN mandates held at the UN Headquarters in NY. – Develop engaging and creative content tailored for platforms like Weibo, Kuaishou, and Bilibili to effectively communicate the UN’s core priorities—such as the Sustainable Development Goals, climate action, and peacebuilding—while reaching younger and broader audiences in the Chinese-speaking world. – Edit short-form and long-form video content for a variety of social platforms. – Attend meetings as an observer. – Manage meeting agendas and draft meeting notes. – Assists with special projects as assigned.

Qualifications/special skills

Please note that to qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, applicants must meet one of the following requirements: (a) be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); (b) be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s level or equivalent). Have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter; and 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 view. Communication: -Speaks and writes clearly and effectively. -Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately. -Asks questions for clarification 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 Creativity: -Offers new and different options to solve problems. -Promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas. -Takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas. -Thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things. 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 must be computer proficient, including familiarity with MS Office applications (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); and working experience with PC-based graphic design and video editing software such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, iMovie, and Adobe Premiere. Additional knowledge with web and social media tools such as Drupal, Canva and Trello is an advantage. Ability to design PowerPoint presentation, surveys and polls is desirable. Strong analytical and writing abilities in Chinese are essential. Potential candidates will be contacted by hiring manager directly for further assessment and consideration.

Languages

English or French are the working languages of the United Nations. For the internship advertised, fluency in Chinese is required, Knowledge of another official language of the United Nations (Arabic, French, Russian and Spanish) or Portuguese, Kiswahili or Hindi is desirable.

Additional Information

=Special Notice= A completed online application (Cover Note and Personal History Profile) is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. The Cover Note must include: • Degree Programme (What are you currently studying) • Graduation Date (When will you graduate or when did you graduate from the programme) • Explain why you are the best candidate for this specific internship • Explain your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme In your online Personal History Profile, be sure to include all past work experiences, IT skills, and three references. Due to the high volume of applications received, ONLY successful candidates will be contacted. Applicants who are children or siblings of a staff member shall not be eligible to apply for an internship at the United Nations. Interns will need to provide all necessary hardware (computer), software and internet connection in case of performing the internship remotely. This job opening is generic and further notice about any non-selections will not be issued due to the nature of the advertisement. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. 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. For internships in the United States of America, interns who are not United States citizens, permanent residents or not currently in the United States on a nonimmigrant visa status will be required to obtain a G-4 visa. If already in the United States of America on another non-immigrant visa status other than G-4, interns will be responsible for ensuring that they have a valid visa, and if required, employment authorization, allowing them to undertake the internship. United Nations Considerations According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially, or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment, or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, Inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the Inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in Inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision, or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

Intern Specific text

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.

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.