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Jobs · Management · New York

Thought Leadership and Content Strategy Internship, Director’s Office, Global Programme Division, New-York HQ, 4 months (On-site / Remote)

UNICEF · New York, United States · 1 mo ago
ManagementInternship

About the role

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 fulfill 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.

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child in all programs and operations, utilizing an equity strategy that prioritizes the most disadvantaged and excluded children to ensure they have equal opportunities to survive and develop without discrimination. This strategic focus is critical because evidence suggests that investing in the health, education, and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens not only fulfills human rights mandates but also leads to the sustained growth and stability of countries.

The PSC Hub supports division-wide performance management, planning, monitoring, reporting, and analytics. As REACH becomes an increasingly important platform for managing and monitoring technical assistance, the Hub requires dedicated junior-level support to develop practical processes, maintain performance information, and prepare the metrics and visual products needed for oversight and reporting.

In this dynamic environment, you will support the Director of the Global Programme Division, helping to drive the thought leadership that influences global policies and partnerships. Contributing your knowledge and ideas will strengthen our team. In return, we offer you the chance to develop your methodical, social, and technical competencies—including proven writing skills—and gain experience in an international environment. This internship is an ideal way to start your career. It allows you to apply the knowledge gained during your studies in a professional setting, while building valuable hands-on experience alongside your academic background.

Responsibilities

  • Digital engagement and external visibility
    • Drive the Director’s digital presence by managing a dynamic pipeline of LinkedIn blogs and articles.
    • Track and analyze LinkedIn performance using already established KPIs to assess reach, engagement, and influence over time.
    • Prepare a monthly LinkedIn KPI performance report, synthesizing insights on page performance, audience engagement, and visibility trends. The report will highlight key takeaways, what is performing well, areas for improvement, and actionable recommendations, and will be shared with the Director to inform strategic communication decisions.
    • Coordinate inputs for external-facing content, including consolidating contributions from internal teams and partners to support timely publication and alignment with strategic messaging.
  • Thought leadership research and analysis
    • Define and contribute to a dedicated research theme, aligned with the strategic priorities of the office and the intern’s areas of interest, and translate research findings into both analytical and public-facing outputs, including a thought piece and a blog or LinkedIn article, highlighting key insights and implications for policy, partnerships, or programming.
    • Carry out targeted research and analysis on emerging issues, partner priorities, and strategic questions within the defined theme to inform the Director’s work and support UNICEF’s mission.
    • Contribute to structured knowledge sharing by supporting the development and organization of thought leadership assets, such as a journal, a series of field notes, or other intellectual products.
  • Information and SharePoint management
    • Maintain and manage SharePoint sites, ensuring content is up to date, accessible, and aligned with agreed structures.
    • Organize and structure document libraries and folders, applying standardized filing systems to support consistency and ease of use.
    • Apply and maintain metadata and standardized naming conventions to improve document traceability, searchability, and knowledge continuity.
    • Manage document version control and archiving, ensuring records are properly stored, retrievable, and compliant with information-management standards.
  • Contracting and recruitment support
    • Support recruitment and contracting processes, including drafting and updating Terms of Reference (ToRs) in coordination with hiring managers.
    • Coordinate outreach to candidates and referees, including initiating reference checks and following up on required documentation.
    • Serve as a coordination focal point with the Common Services Centre (CSC) throughout the recruitment and contracting lifecycle, ensuring smooth communication and timely progression of cases.
    • Track contract documentation, approvals, and timelines, flagging risks or delays and proactively following up on outstanding inputs.
    • Ensure completeness and compliance, including archiving all documentation in SharePoint in line with established information-management standards.

Requirements

  • Strong alignment to UNICEF mandate and values.
  • 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.
  • Exceptionally strong communication skills, with the ability to distill information succinctly and accurately.
  • Strategic thinking and planning skills.
  • Intellectual curiosity and strong analytical and writing skills.
  • Hands-on aptitude, emotional intelligence and self-management skills.
  • Excellent organization and time management skills with a keen eye for detail.
  • Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills, with the ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment.
  • Ability to look beyond the tasks assigned, take ownership of projects and make suggestions on how to improve the role.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines while working independently with different stakeholders across several projects.
  • Experience with SharePoint and the Microsoft Office Suite.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage digital content and information systems, including file organization and version control.
  • Interest in global policy, international development, or UNICEF’s thematic priorities.
  • Fluency in English (required); knowledge of another official UN language (French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian) is an asset.
  • Project management skills is considered an asset.

Qualifications

  • Letter of verification from the college or university that the intern is currently enrolled in an undergraduate school and has completed at least two years of full-time studies at a university or equivalent institution towards the completion of an undergraduate degree (if the candidate is 18 years old, this replaces the two-year bachelor’s completion requirement); or, Graduate Degree Program (i.e., Master’s, PhD). It should also state the expected graduation date. Recent graduates are allowed until 2 years after degree completion.
  • Copy of their most recent official transcript showing excellent academic performance.
  • Copy of Identification Card (ID).
  • One letter of signed recommendation on letterhead or from professional email address.
  • Certification of health insurance covering the full internship duration.

Learning Benefits

  • Build skills across a spectrum of responsibilities.
  • Exposure to and chance to engage with multiple topics and UNICEF’s various programmes.
  • Opportunity to support UNICEF at a high level that translates into impact on on-the-ground operations.
  • Experience a multicultural working environment unique to UNICEF.

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