Internship vacancy with UNISDR

Job description

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 setting and reporting relationships

The position is located in the secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) in Geneva, Switzerland under the overall guidance of the Senior Programme Officer of the Information Management Unit (IMU). The Intern will report to the Librarian/Documentalist of and work in close collaboration with the IMU Content Team.

Duties and responsibilities

1. Assist in identifying sources of information, publications and documents on disaster risk reduction and related subjects.
2. Help with the classification and cataloguing of all types of documents for the ISDR Library, using PreventionWeb.net Content Management Systems (CMS) and UNISDR terminology.
3. Participate in the harmonization of the ISDR Library database (Voyager) with the PreventionWeb.net.
4. Help ISDR Library users in information search, including use of the PreventionWeb.net.
5. Assist in the inventory update of UNISDR publications.
6. Assist in sending and receiving mail by post.
7. Perform any other related tasks assigned by the UNISDR Secretariat.

Results expected

- Expansion of the online Library of qualified disaster risk reduction related publication and information sources;
- Contribution to the ongoing development of the ISDR Library by providing support to the organization and maintain of the physical collection;
- Becoming fully capable and confident in conducting specialized searches on the online Library catalog in order to locate requested books/information resources in an efficient and timely manner;
- Effective and timely assistance in the inventory and dissemination of UNISDR publications;
- Continuous learning and contribution on the subject of disaster risk reduction within the application of good information management practices.

Competencies

- Professionalism: good academic and analytical skills.
- Communication: Ability to draft clearly and concisely, very 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 with experience in Information Management or Communications.
- Experience: Prior knowledge or experience in information management in an editorial capacity strongly preferred. Working knowledge and familiarity with international and national development agencies is preferred, though not mandatory. Knowledge of librarianship or Content Management Systems (CMS) is an advantage.
- Language: Fluency in written and spoken English. Knowledge of other UN languages is an added advantage.
- Other desirable skills: Strong computing skills: MSWord and Excel Programme is required, and knowledge of basic HTML and Photoshop editing a plus.

General Information and Conditions Governing Ad Hoc Internships at the United Nations Office at Geneva with UN/ISDR

1. With the exception of the 2½-week “Graduate Study Programme”1 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 United Nations, secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, Geneva - International Environment House II, 7-9 Chemin de Balexert CH 1219 Châtelaine, Geneva, Switzerland
Tel. :(+41 22) 917 8908/8907 - Fax : (+41 22) 917 8964 - isdr@un.org - www.unisdr.org Postal Address: Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
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 (obligation to submit a certificate of insurance policy valid in Switzerland).
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.

How to apply

Available here

• Internship description [PDF 129.60 KB]