Org. Setting and Reporting

The internship is located in the External Relations Office in the Mechanism’s Registry in Arusha, reporting to the Public Information Assistant. Applications for internships starting in Arusha, Tanzania, will be valid for 12 months and candidates will be selected on a rolling basis. Please indicate your preferred internship period in your cover letter.

The Mechanism is mandated to perform a number of essential functions previously carried out by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (“ICTR”) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (“ICTY”). In carrying out these essential functions the Mechanism maintains the legacies of these two pioneering ad hoc international criminal courts and strives to reflect best practices in the field of international criminal justice. The IRMCT has two branches one located in The Hague, The Netherlands and another in Arusha, Tanzania.

Responsibilities

Assist in preparing a daily news summary circulated by local mass media (radio and TV, newspapers, press conferences, and interviews), regional press (newspapers, radio and TV, online interviews, etc.). International (Radio and TV, interviews, newspapers, etc);

Assist in public relations and protocol services;

Assist in library activities such as locating online journal articles, responding to reference queries and carrying out circulation tasks.

Assist in the planning and implementation of Mechanism’s public relations activities, including drafting social media messaging and researching archival material for supporting visuals and outreach related to court activity;

Assist in responding to complex information requests and inquiries;

Assist in preparations for official visits;

Researches, compiles and presents basic information for use in the preparation and production of communications products/services;

Other duties as assigned by the Public Information Assistant.

Competencies

Professionalism: Shows pride in work and in achievements. Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter. Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results. Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns. Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges. Remains calm in stressful situations. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work.

Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively. Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately. Asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication. Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience. Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organisational goals. Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others. Places team agenda before personal agenda. Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position. Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services. Offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs. Promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas. Takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”. Takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things. Is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.

Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology. Understands applicability and limitations of technology to the work of the office. Actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks. Shows willingness to learn new technology. thinks “outside the box”. Takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things. Is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.

Education

Candidates for internships in the External Relations section are required to be enrolled in, or have completed in the last 12 months, a relevant diploma/degree programme in communications, journalism, multimedia studies or similar. Knowledge of major social media platforms is required. Knowledge of photography and/or audio-visual production is an asset. Applicants must be computer literate in standard software applications.

Candidates who could not apply earlier due to family responsibilities such as childcare, care for an elderly or sick family member, their own illness or who are attempting a career change or are re-entering the workforce will also be considered.

Work Experience

No working experience is required to apply for the United Nations Internship Programme. Your training, education, advance course work or skills should benefit the United Nations during your internship.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the Mechanism. Fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of French, Kinyarwanda, or Kiswahili will be considered an asset.

Assessment

No assessment method is required for this position.

Short-listed candidates may be contacted by the hiring team directly if further information is needed during the review of their application.

Special Notice

The duration of the internship generally ranges from three months to a maximum of six months. Please indicate your preferred
internship period in your cover letter.

Please note internships are unpaid. IRMCT interns are responsible for all internship-related expenses that they incur. Interns must therefore be able to cover their costs of travel, insurance, accommodation, as well as living expenses during the internship period. External sources of funding may be available please also check our website. 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.

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 Chief of Human Resources of the IRMCT. 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. Each prospective intern must sign the Acceptance and Undertaking Form to indicate their understanding and acceptance of this stipulation.

The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff 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.

There should be no expectation of employment by the United Nations or the IRMCT upon completion of the internship.

ALL of the documents listed below are required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Due to the number of applications, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Interested applicants must attach ALL of the following documents to each UN Careers portal application submitted via https://careers.un.org

1. A cover letter, including an available start and end date for the internship.
2. Two letters of recommendation preferably from academic or professional referees;
3. Copies of university transcripts, or enrolment (including courses taken and grades received.)

United Nations Considerations

According to 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. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.