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, a 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 provides 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.

A key priority for 2025 is advancing UNICEF’s Thought Leadership in Programme and Policy. A dedicated team has been established to drive this initiative, which focuses on five core streams:

• Staff Book Club: Curated reading sessions and facilitated discussions to foster critical thinking and learning among staff.
• Fellowship Programme: A new initiative connecting fellows with Sector Leads to align UNICEF’s priorities with academic research, generating high-quality evidence and deliverables.
• Global Theme: An in-depth exploration of a major global issue affecting children, including analysis and proposed solutions.
• Field Notes: Country-level case studies showcasing effective, evidence-based solutions to drive impactful and at-scale programmes
• E-Journal: A peer-reviewed platform for publishing scalable, field-informed solutions for children’s wellbeing, bridging research and practice.

We are seeking a motivated student with strong research skills and an interest in evidence-based policy related to child outcomes to support this initiative. The intern will provide analytical and coordination support to the Thought Leadership team and contribute to its core activities.

How can you make a difference? 

Staff Book Club:

• Assist in selecting reading materials and discussion themes aligned with UNICEF’s thought leadership agenda.
• Coordinate book club sessions, and support discussion facilitation.

Fellowship Programme:

• Support coordination between UNICEF and partner universities, including support to ongoing research outputs.

Global Theme:

• Conduct literature reviews on emerging global issues affecting children, summarizing key findings.
• Assist in drafting analytical inputs that outline challenges, opportunities and proposed solutions.

Field Notes:

• Assist in gathering and analyzing background documents related to proven solutions, focused on scalability and impact.
• Identify areas of focus to support the field note pipeline. 

E-Journal:

• Provide editorial support in compiling the e-journal series and conduct research to support the development of the preface.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: 250804_Internship Thought Leadership.docx

Benefits to intern:

• Gaining an understanding of key issues under consideration regarding the process of policy impact and scale
• Developing a familiarity with the United Nations system and an awareness and knowledge of issues that are of critical importance to UNICEF, and the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Gaining exposure to the analytical and programmatic related work of UNICEF and gaining an understanding of the potential solutions and innovations that are driving change across the UN system.

Modality: The internship is full-time, remotely, if in an appropriate time zone. Interns may take up to 2.5 days per month off work for any reason, including medical reasons. The stipend will be reduced for any absence beyond this quota.

Tentative start date: 1 September, until 30 December 2025  

Salary/Payment: If the university does not provide a financial stipend, as per UNICEF guidelines, the intern will be paid a monthly stipend. There is no expectancy of employment at the end of the internship.

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

Minimum requirements:

• Be enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or Ph.D. degree programme or have graduated within the past two years.
• Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
• Be proficient in at least one of UNICEF's working languages: English, French or Spanish. Fluency in the working language of the office you are applying to is required.

• Education: Be enrolled, within the past year, in a graduate degree program with a preferred major in Economics, Social Sciences, Political Sciences, Business or a related field
• Excellent research, writing, and analytical skills
• Ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds
• Resourcefulness and creativity in problem-solving
• Advanced computer skills, including sound, hands-on knowledge of MS Office applications; familiarity with ICT tools and a high level of proficiency in Microsoft Excel are desirable
• Demonstrated interest in the policy and research work of UNICEF
• Proactive approach and ability to take initiative
• Strong academic performance, as evidenced by recent university or institutional records
• Proof of medical insurance valid for the duration of the internship at the duty station
• No immediate relatives (e.g., parent, sibling) working in any UNICEF office, and no relatives in the line of authority to which the intern will report
• Fluency in English (required); knowledge of another official UN language (French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, or Russian) is an asset

Desirables:

[Include the position desirables, including complementary education, additional experience, additional language, specific skills, etc]

• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts. (This criteria is essential as a desirable and should be included in all job postings.)

 

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 

[add the 8^th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role]. 

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.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable [Insert candidates from targeted underrepresented groups] are encouraged to apply.

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.

In this role, you will collaborate with colleagues across multiple locations. For effective collaboration, we encourage flexible working hours that accommodate different time zones while prioritizing staff wellbeing.

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.