UN Women, Security and Safety Communications Intern, New York

Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

The Security and Safety Services team is responsible for ensuring that UN Women personnel, assets, and programmes operate within a safe and secure environment, enabling the effective delivery of the organization’s mandate. Operating within the framework of the United Nations Security Management System (UNSMS), the team provides strategic, policy, and operational support. The team oversees the implementation of security risk management, promotes occupational health and safety, and strengthens business continuity and crisis preparedness. It leads efforts to mainstream security and safety into all aspects of UN Women’s programming, planning, and budgeting processes, ensuring risk-informed decision-making and accountability. The team also develops internal policies, tools, and training materials aligned with UNSMS standards and UN Women’s strategic priorities, while coordinating closely with other UN entities to advance a gender-responsive, inclusive, and person-centered approach to security and safety.

The Security and Safety Services team at UN Women Headquarters in New York seeks to enlist a full-time intern to support the section in the identification, coordination and educational development of strategic communication outputs within UN Women and the wider UN Security Management System. The position will utilize the previously developed Strategic Communications Plan, to identify tangible deliverables, and develop an implementation strategy together with communications products, to increase security and safety awareness among UN Women personnel. 

Description of Responsibilities

In line with the approved UN Women Security and Safety Services Work Plan and under the guidance of the Regional Security Specialist for the Americas and the Caribbean, the Security and Safety Communications Intern will be responsible for the following:

Supporting the communication efforts of the wider UN Security Management System (UNSMS) as an integral member of the UN Women Security and Safety Services Team, with a focus on facilitating the identification, development, and delivery of person-centered security and safety communications and supporting the implementation of the internal security and safety communications roadmap to strengthen awareness, engagement, and a culture of security and safety across the organization by:
•     Liaising with appropriate units, divisions and sections internally;
•     Liaising with the UN Department of Safety and Security and UNSMS partners to develop robust security and safety communications products;
•     Supporting the development of gender-sensitive security information, coordination and communication materials;
•     Supporting the development of communication campaigns, establishing cohesive and coordinated channels of communication to reach and influence key audiences;
•     Developing effective presentations, with a focus on visually accessible communications;
•     Utilizing communications and design tools to develop communication products (flyers, presentations, graphics, videos, multimedia materials, intranet pages);
•     Participating in the Inter-Agency Security Management System Strategic Communications Working Group;
•     Liaising with all interested parties with regard identified educational materials.

Learning Objectives

The internship programme offers unique learning opportunities for interns, exposing them to the work of the United Nations at Headquarters level, and enriching their educational experience through practical work in an international organization, with a focus on gender equality.

•     Increased understanding of UN Women’s work within the context of the UN system
•     Increased understanding of UN Security Management System
•     Learning different aspects of safety and security in an international environment
•     Increased knowledge of issues related to security risk management
•     Meeting and networking with UN Women colleagues in other units and other UN Security Management System organizations
•     Work as a team member in a multicultural setting
 

Competencies :

Core Values:

Core Competencies:

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework: 

Functional Competencies:

•     Interest in internal-facing strategic communications;
•     Well-developed understanding of communication and design tools – e.g., Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign), PowerPoint, SharePoint, and project management and content collaboration platforms.
 

Qualifications

University studies in one of the following disciplines: security risk management, criminal justice systems, security information management, international relations or media/communications or other relevant subjects is required.

Meet one of the following: 
a)    Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme, or higher);
b)    Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
c)    Be enrolled in a mandatory national service programme of which the internship may form a part;
d)    Have recently graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within two-years of graduation.
 

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.