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UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture.., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to have a future

The Public Partnerships Division (PPD) is responsible for developing and strengthening public partnerships to support UNICEF’s work to protect the rights of every child.

The UNICEF Office in Washington, D.C., supports UNICEF’s work by managing partnerships and resource mobilization with institutions of the Government of the United States, including the White House National Security Council, U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and U.S. Congress.

How can you make a difference? 

The Public Partnerships intern will work with the PPD team based in Washington DC, to deepen collaboration with key stakeholders and help to provide an interface for environmental scanning, knowledge exchange, resource mobilization, and policy influence within the scope of the assignment. The key result is to ensure greater visibility for UNICEF and influence in support of its mission.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS:

• Support UNICEF’s liaison with the Legislative and Executive Branches of the US government (USG), in coordination with multiple partners. Develop briefing documents and external materials to ensure information on UNICEF is conveyed and shared with key stakeholders.
• Provide support to the Washington DC Office Director and team members in strategic engagement with external partners, including foreign missions in Washington, DC, think tanks, and US Government agencies.
• Provide support in management of UNICEF-USG grant agreements related to global health and development, with specific emphasis on high-volume and well drafted/edited reporting requirements.  
• Support promotion of, and advocacy for UNICEF programs by assisting with the preparation of information to internal teams, relevant USG agencies, NGOs, and other partners on the strategy, design, relevance and impact of programs. Attend related meetings and provide readouts for appropriate focal points.
• Contribute in innovative ways to knowledge management, helping to ensure partner information and materials are maintained, updated, and filed; guide other team members to implement knowledge management protocols to ensure consistency and ease of reference. Provide contribution- and partnership-related updates and information to internal and external partners as necessary.
• Other duties as assigned, including but not limited to: planning and logistics for UNICEF HQ or country/regional office leadership to participate in high-level engagements with U.S. Government officials and Congressional delegations; conducting research on prospective new partnership engagements for UNICEF and providing related analysis and outreach to support exploration of such opportunities.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education: To be considered for an internship with UNICEF, applicants have to be enrolled in a degree programme in an undergraduate or graduate school, or be a recent graduate

Language: Fluency in English is required.

Competencies: 

• Knowledge and/or experience of the structure and procedures of the US Government.
• Strong analytical skills to synthesize and communicate concepts clearly.
• Ability to conduct research, review, edit and draft reports.
• Capacity to work independently on multiple assignments simultaneously and adapt to changing demands and circumstances.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Strong information management skills
• Must uphold and demonstrate the UNICEF core values of Commitment, Diversity, and Integrity.
• Builds and maintains partnerships, demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness, drive to achieve results for impact, innovates and embraces change, manages ambiguity and complexity, thinks and acts strategically, works collaboratively with others.

 Salary/Payment:
The candidates will receive a stipend during the internship. The candidate should have no expectation of employment at the end of the internship. UNICEF is not responsible for obtaining any necessary visas.

Insurance:
UNICEF will not be responsible for costs arising from accidents and/or illness incurred during the volunteer’s service. Therefore, the selected candidate must provide proof of enrolment in a health/accident plan prior to starting his/her work.

Living and Working Conditions:
The internships are full time (40 hours per week), with the option to be part-time for the right candidate. The Washington, DC office observes a hybrid approach- with a combination of in-person work in UNICEF’s L-Street office, as well as remote working on days agreed with the Manager.  

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote 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. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per 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.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.