Work Location

A IIIM internship is unpaid and it is designed to be in-person and full-time (40 hours per week), with possibility of hybrid or remote work modalities to be discussed with the successful candidate. The regular working hours at the IIIM are 8:30-17:30, Monday through Friday.

Expected duration

The internship is expected to be for a period between 3 months minimum and 6 months maximum, starting in September 2026. The specific start dates and duration may be adjusted after discussion with the successful candidate.

Duties and Responsibilities

This position is located within the Office of the Assistant Secretary General (OASG) of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to assist in the investigation and prosecution of persons responsible for the most serious crimes under International Law committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011 (IIIM). The Social Media Intern will report to the Associate Public Information Officer assigned to the OASG. The OASG supports the Head of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) in the strategic, operational, and external implementation of the Mechanism’s mandate. The key responsibilities of the Social Media Intern in OASG will include, but are not limited to:

Assist in managing the IIIM’s social media accounts, including LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and WhatsApp
Schedule social media content aligned with organizational priorities, campaigns, events, and publications
Prepare firsts drafts of social media posts for review by the Associate Public Information Officer and final approval by the Head of Entity
Support the development of multimedia content, including graphics, short videos, infographics, and other visual assets
Conduct daily social media monitoring and prepare summaries of relevant developments and trends
Support the promotion of events, reports, and campaigns through digital channels
Support the measurement and evaluation of digital outreach activities related to the IIIM’s mandate, including campaigns, events, reports, and public information initiatives, and contribute to reporting on communications impact to senior leadership
Prepare regular analytics reports and dashboards, highlighting trends, key performance indicators, and recommendations for improving engagement
Perform other digital communications related tasks as assigned to support the work of the OASG and the IIIM

Qualifications/special skills

Applicants must meet one of the following requirements: (a) be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); (b) be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor's degree or equivalent). Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required. Interested candidates must be pursuing or have pursued their degree in areas related to this Job Opening - e.g. Communications, Marketing, International Relations, Development Studies or related area. The following is also required:

Familiarity with social media platforms and their content formats is required.
Experience with Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar content‑creation tools is required.
Knowledge of social media management tools (e.g., Hootsuite) is required.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English and Arabic are required for the internship. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage.

Additional Information

A complete online application is required. Please include in your application a cover letter in English setting out your motivation and dates of availability. An incomplete application will not be considered. Short-listed candidates may be contacted by the hiring team directly if further information is needed during the review of their application. During the assessment, you may be required to provide letters of recommendation in English, Copies of university/law studies transcripts (including courses taken and grades received), A sample of the applicant's written work in English preferably in a field relevant to the work of the IIIM. Due to the high volume of applications received, candidates who have not been short-listed will not be contacted. Special Notice: Interns must keep confidential any and all unpublished information obtained during the course of the internship and not publish any reports or papers based on such information except with the explicit written authorization of the Head of the IIIM. Interns are bound by the same duties and obligations as staff members, and the information to which an intern has access in the course of the internship must not be divulged to external parties. There should be no expectation of employment by the United Nations or the IIIM upon completion of the internship. IIIM interns are responsible for all internship-related expenses that they incur. The United Nations accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness incurred during an internship. Therefore, upon award of an internship, interns are responsible for securing adequate insurance coverage and are required to sign and return a statement confirming their understanding and acceptance of these conditions of service. For in-person internships, candidates of certain nationalities must obtain a visa authorizing their stay in Switzerland before they depart for Geneva to begin their internship. While this is the overall responsibility of the selected candidate, the IIIM will provide information and supporting documents in this regard. All internship recruitment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits interns regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. A person who is the child or sibling of a staff member shall not be eligible to apply for an internship at the United Nations. An applicant who bears to a staff member any other family relationship may be engaged as an intern, provided that he or she shall not be assigned to the same work unit of the staff member nor placed under the direct or indirect supervision of the staff member. Fulfilment of the responsibilities of this position may necessitate engagement with material and/or information that may be distressing.

Intern Specific text

Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

Social Media Internship