The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is the UN agency dedicated to human settlements, mandated to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. This internship is located within the Urban Economy Branch, supporting the Planning, Finance and Economy Section (PFS).
The intern will work under the direct supervision of the Chief of Planning, Finance and Economy Section.
Responsibilities and Duties
The intern will undertake the following specific duties:
- Assist in guidance of the PFS by tracking developments and innovations in the field of planning, finance, and inclusion, and conducting reviews of partners and initiatives relevant for the Section.
- Support the Chief of the Urban Planning and Finance Section, and Programme in preparing content and logistics for workshops, surveys, assessments, trainings, and seminars, specifically aimed at steering urban and territorial planning, finance & economy towards climate adaptation and mitigation, and social inclusion goals.
- Assist the Chief in the coordination of the Section teams, such as Urban Lab, Humanitarian Development practice, Public Space, Urban Health, and Urban Regeneration.
- Support research for the development of papers and thinking pieces on urban and territorial planning, finance and economy for Urban Development Policies, Strategies, Plans and Projects.
- Assist in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) localization in urban planning and finance policy frameworks, guidelines, policies, and presentations through identification and review of relevant publications and documents, drafting and commenting on documents, and assisting in producing information materials.
- Support the Section Chief in handling administrative matters, such as organizing and scheduling meetings, taking notes, reviewing various systems such as the filing system, etc.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
Task Opportunities
Participation in the internship offers opportunities for:
- Familiarizing oneself with the United Nations structure and operations.
- Familiarizing oneself with urban planning and finance normative work, climate adaptation and mitigation, social inclusion, migration, urban regeneration, urban-rural linkages, urban health, and urban territorial planning topics.
- Participating in dialogues with UN-Habitat headquarters divisions, branches, sections, units, and regional and country offices, and partners such as UN agencies, regional or local institutes, and NGOs.
Qualifications and Special Skills
Educational Requirements:
Applicants must, at the time of application, meet one of the following requirements:
- Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher), OR
- Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree program (minimum Bachelor's level or equivalent), OR
- Have graduated with a Bachelor's degree, Master's, PhD, or equivalent.
Preferred areas of study: Urban Planning, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture, Urban Policy, Geography, Architecture, Economics, Finance, Urban Finance, Local Economic Development, International development, or related field that is relevant for sustainable urban development.
Essential Skills and Competencies:
- Be computer literate in standard software applications (Microsoft Office Suite).
- Have demonstrated a keen interest in the work of the United Nations and a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter.
- Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which includes a willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.
- Proficiency in GIS and Microsoft Office Suite including Excel is a requirement.
Desirable Assets:
- Strong writing and research skills.
- Previous experience in developing contexts and in urban development.
- Proficiency in graphic software such as Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, AutoCAD, etc.
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