UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfil their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. And we never give up.
For every child, hope…
UNICEF’s Programme Group leads the organization’s efforts to achieve results for the most disadvantaged and excluded children everywhere, following the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022–2025. Work is done in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the international commitments related to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Programme Group provides global thought leadership, influences global policies and partnerships in support of child rights, and contributes technical support to UNICEF’s Regional and Country Offices to maximize the difference our programmes make in children’s lives. The division shapes internal policy and practice in priority areas, supports UNICEF’s engagement in key programme partnerships and collaborates with other divisions for fundraising, advocacy and influencing. It also plays a vital role in managing technical talent and promotes a management approach that strengthens connections with Regional and Country Offices and enhances collaboration across sectors and divisions. The Director, Programme Group, guides UNICEF programmes and can commit the organization to programme strategies and approaches aligning with the goals and targets of the Strategic Plan, SDGs and universal Child Rights.
UNICEF is exploring ways of delivering programmes more at scale and with greater efficiency. In recent discussions, the role of the private sector has increasingly emerged as a possible avenue for growth. To advance this area of work, UNICEF has proposed some promising initiatives and themes it would like to unpack further and create a roadmap for testing different business models.
Through this internship, you will have the chance to contribute to a new and emerging strategy and help the organization think through new business models to fund, finance or deliver our programmes.
How can you make a difference?
As part of our team, you will be a key contributor to developing a strategy and roadmap engaging private sector for programme delivery, as well as an investigation of innovative approaches to programme delivery at scale and greater efficiency.
This work is part of a forward-thinking initiative designed to explore innovative approaches to partnerships for programme delivery. It aims to reexamine and potentially redefine how UNICEF collaborates with various partners to achieve greater scale, efficiency, and impact. This initiative involves a thorough investigation of new partnership models, addressing key areas of interest, and proposing experimental trials. Through these efforts, the initiative seeks to uncover and implement strategies that can significantly advance UNICEF's mission to support and protect the world's most vulnerable children.
A list of topics and regions already exists; this will be discussed at the start of the internship to narrow it down.
The expected scope of work includes:
Further flesh out the concept note into something actionable:
Consultations with external experts and internal experts at UNICEF:
Support in establishing the Founders Council for the Social Entrepreneurship pillar:
For the Social Entrepreneurship pillar, identify business model innovations and improvements:
Are you eligible?
Are you qualified?
The following are considered assets:
Work modality: The internship is full-time, either onsite in New York or remotely, if in an appropriate time zone. Please indicate your availability in the cover letter.
For every Child, you demonstrate...
UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
During the recruitment process, we may test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.
UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our interns, including leave entitlement and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
Remarks:
UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to delivering the best results for children.
UNICEF Interns must have proof of medical insurance covering their time at the duty station.
UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer, without compensation, if a visa or Proof of health insurance coverage is not obtained, or necessary medical/inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
There is no expectancy of employment at the end of this internship.