Work Location

Almaty

Expected duration

3-6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The Subregional Office for North and Central Asia (SONCA), based in Almaty, Kazakhstan, covers nine members States, namely Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. All of these countries are economies in transition and seven are landlocked. The programme of work focused by SONCA covers analytical and normative work, policy advisory services, as well as capacity building activities. The work of SONCA is expected to contribute to strengthened regional cooperation and integration for sustainable development, in line with the subregional priorities of North and Central Asia, including sustainable connectivity, economic transformation, social inclusion and resilience, and through follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda. The Internship is for a minimum of three months and a maximum of six months. The Subregional Office currently has openings for interns to support the following activities:

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-related research;
SPECA-related research;
Multi-Stakeholder engagement and coordination;
Events support;
General administrative and communication supports. More details are available at: https://www.unescap.org/subregional-office/north-central-asia Main duties and responsibilities: Under the supervision of the Programme Officer and the Associate Economic Affairs Officer, the intern will support research, analytical, coordination, and administrative activities related to ESCAP/SONCA’s programmes, projects, and initiatives. Specifically, the intern will be expected to:
SPECA-related research: Assist in conducting research and analysis, preparing documentation, and supporting stakeholder outreach for activities related to the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA).
SDG-related research: Support research, analysis, documentation, and outreach activities aimed at developing subregional perspectives and policy recommendations for accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Connectivity-related research: Assist in research, analysis, documentation, and stakeholder engagement on regional and subregional connectivity issues, including, but not limited to, energy connectivity, electricity grids, transport connectivity, and information and communications technology (ICT) connectivity.
Multi-stakeholder engagement and coordination: Support the planning, coordination, and organization of meetings, consultations, and collaborative initiatives on sustainable development, regional cooperation, and connectivity priorities in North and Central Asia.
Events support: Provide substantive, logistical, and administrative support for conferences, expert group meetings, capacity-building workshops, and other intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder events.
Administrative and communication support: Assist with day-to-day administrative tasks, draft correspondence and communication materials, maintain records, and support other programme-related activities, as required.

Qualifications/special skills

(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). Have studied macroeconomics, international economics, development economics, political economy, applied econometrics or statistics, finance, climate science, environmental and life sciences, business administration, public policy, social science, engineering/geology/mathematics, or related areas. No working experience is required to apply for the United Nations Internship Programme. A complete online application (Candidate Profile) is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. The Candidate Profile must include:

Title of degree programme (What are you currently studying or what have you studied);
Graduation date (When will you be graduating or when did you graduate from the programme?);
List of IT skills and programmes that you are proficient in;
List of your top three areas of interest;
Explanation about why you are the most suitable candidate;
Explanation of your interest in the ESCAP Internship Programme in North and Central Asia;
Indication of your available period for the internship, i.e. when and how long (note: the minimum duration of an internship is three months and can be extended up to six months);
Indication of interest in relocating to Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Languages

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

Additional Information

The internship is UNPAID, full-time, and may be conducted remotely or in person, subject to the rules of entry of the host country. Interns work five days per week under the supervision of a staff member in SONCA or the section to which they are assigned.

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.

Internship in Economic Affairs to support NCA Forum on SDGs and SPECA activities