Internship vacancy with UNISDR (Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery)

Vacancy ISDR/I/06/2011

United Nations Core Values: Integrity - Professionalism - Respect for diversity

Background:

The International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) is a multi-disciplinary and multistakeholder platform to enable societies to increase their resilience to natural, technological and environmental disasters and to reduce associated environmental, human, economic and social risk and losses. A range of United Nations organizations and international partners participate in cooperation with Governments and civil society organizations. The implementation of the ISDR is supported by a secretariat led by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction. The secretariat’s main functions are policy coordination, advocacy and information management, at the international and regional levels, to ensure synergy between disaster reduction strategies and those in the socio-economic and humanitarian fields.

In January 2005, the World Conference on Disaster Reduction adopted the Hyogo Declaration and the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters. The Hyogo Framework constitutes the essential guide for implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and represents the key policy framework for reducing risk and to strengthen community resilience. The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, established by the UN General Assembly in 2006, is the main global policy forum for disaster risk reduction, and is complemented by a system of regional, thematic and national platforms, which bring together all relevant stakeholders.

Organizational settings and reporting relationships:

This internship assignment will be carried out in the secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) in Brussels, Belgium. The Intern will report to the Programme officer and to the Coordinator for Europe.

Responsibilities:

1. Support Project activities of the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) jointly implemented by UNISDR Europe.
2. Support the Programme Officer in capacity building activities and high level events in DRR co-organized by the UN-ISDR Office.
3. Support the implementation of the City Campaign by performing duties as required by the Programme Officer.
4. Support through follow up, the development, maintenance and updating of the Regional Website for Europe through relevant guidance.
5. Support in maintaining the database of contacts for the Office.
6. Perform additional duties as deemed necessary.

Competencies:

- Professionalism : Good analytical skills.
- Communications: ability to draft clearly and concisely, good language skills.
- Planning & Organizing: Ability to organize, plan and implement work assignments.
- Teamwork: Good interpersonal skills, works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organisational goals, ability to develop and maintain effective work relationships with different national and cultural backgrounds with sensitivity with respect for diversity.

Qualifications:

- Education: Applicants must be currently enrolled in post graduate studies: in Disaster Management, Environmental Science, Agriculture, Ecology, Environmental Law, Development, International Relations, Economics or a similar field.
- Experience: Working knowledge and familiarity with international and national agencies is preferred, though not mandatory. Prior knowledge or experience in operational, disaster or development contexts – local, national or international is preferred.
- Language: Fluency in oral and written English; working knowledge of French is desirable.
- Other desirable skills: Good skills in basic computer usage, including Internet searches, MS Office- Word, Excel, Access, Power Point, Intra-Internet and e-mail applications.

General information and conditions governing Ad Hoc internships at UNISDR:

1. With the exception of the 2½-week “Graduate Study Programme” conducted yearly in July/August by the United Nations Information Service for an international group of outstanding young graduate students, the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) undertakes no formal obligation to provide internships or training. It may occasionally arrange ad hoc internships for graduate students specializing in a field related to the work of the United Nations. These internships are intended: a) to promote among the participants a better understanding of international problems and to provide them an insight into the work of the United Nations; and b) To provide departments with the able assistance of outstanding young students specializing in a field related to their own work.

2. Interns are selected from among applicants strongly supported by their schools or nominated by the Permanent Missions to the United Nations and in whom a department or office has expressed interest.

3. Interns are not paid. Acquisition of necessary visas, travel costs, travel arrangements and living accommodations are the responsibility of the interns or their sponsoring institutions.

4. The United Nations accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness incurred during an internship; the intern therefore has to have health-insurance coverage.

5. While working at UN/ISDR, the interns are not considered in any respect as officials or staff members of the United Nations. However, they are normally expected to work full time like regular staff members and to carry out the duties assigned to them. They are bound by the same duties and obligations as regular staff members; they must, in particular, keep confidential any and all unpublished information obtained by them during the course of the internship and not publish any reports or papers on the basis of such information except with the express authorization of the United Nations. Any work produced by interns during their internship within the framework of the duties assigned to them should be used for academic purposes exclusively. All economic and moral rights (copyright) pertaining to such work will remain the exclusive property of the United Nations.

6. Internships carry no expectancy of employment by the United Nations and the intern cannot apply for or be appointed to any position with the United Nations during the period of internship and for the six months immediately following the expiration of the internship.

7. The intern will provide notice in case of illness or other unavoidable circumstances, which might prevent him or her from completing the internship.