View Vacancy - Migration Internship (CHEG24.122)

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer.  We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.
Other British Government Departments (Partners across Government, including UK Visas)
UKMIS (UK Mission to the United Nations)

Main purpose of job:

The United Kingdom Mission to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva represents the interests and policies of the UK at the UN. Its Humanitarian and Migration Team is recruiting a highly motivated and skilled Migration Intern. 

Working in the Mission’s Humanitarian and Migration Team, the Migration Intern will work under the supervision and guidance of the Second Secretary Humanitarian and Migration. They will participate in the Mission’s multilateral work as an integral part of the UK Mission to the UN, supporting delivery of the UK’s objectives for UN Reform and the UK Government’s migration policy.

This internship is an opportunity to acquire insight into and front-line experience of the work of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. It will also provide the intern with a detailed picture of the forced displacement and migration system and the current debates and developments in forced displacement and migration affairs (UN Reform, Global Compact for Migration, Global Compact on Refugees, IASC IDP Review, International Dialogue on Migration, Climate mobility, etc.,).  

What will you be expected to achieve? 

You will support the team in managing effective relationships with a variety of Geneva-based agencies (UNHCR, IOM, etc.), Non-Governmental Organisations and Permanent Missions. Your main duties and responsibilities will be to: 

  • Attend UN/ NGO hosted meetings on a variety of forced displacement and migration issues (appeals, country briefings, thematic workshops, etc.), support key relationships with humanitarian institutions in Geneva, and learn how to influence others in line with UK Government policy.
  • Deliver key messages as a UK representative; produce write-ups and share them with the relevant teams, etc. 
  • Lead UK Mission efforts and engagement on one or two thematic forced displacement and migration policy areas - for example climate / gender. 
  • Coordinate the logistics of forced displacement and migration events/conferences hosted at the UK Mission. Plan meetings, send invitations, draft agenda, welcome participants, take notes and produce formal and informal write-ups.  
  • Coordinate logistics of forced displacement and migration-related high-level visits to Geneva (in partnership with the Visits & Events Officer and Ambassador’s Executive Assistant). Schedule meetings with heads of agencies, draft the visit programme, liaise regularly with the relevant UK Private Office, register the UK delegation and official speakers to the event, issue UN accreditation requests, etc.  
  • Provide administrative support to the Humanitarian and Migration team on an ad hoc basis as required – including coordination of team meetings, booking meeting rooms, keeping a forward calendar up to date. 

Essential on arrival:  

  • C2 Fluency in English with excellent writing and communication skills; 
  • Strong interest in forced displacement and migration policy, multilateral policy, international relations or other relevant discipline; 
  • Ability to work autonomously and proactively in busy periods; 
  • Strong organisational skills, flexibility and ability to work in a fast-moving environment; 
  • Windows environment computer literacy (Word, Outlook, etc.); 
  • Willingness to undergo a mandatory security check. 

Desirable:  

  • Education: University degree in the field of Migration, International Development, International Relations, or other relevant field; 
  • Work Experience: Prior internship or work experience in the field of migration (UN, NGO, etc), in particular in Geneva; 
  • Language Skills: Strong knowledge of French (B2/C1 level). 
Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Managing a Quality Service, Seeing the Big Picture
9 April 2024
Internship
Full-time, Fixed term, with possibility of renewal, Trainee
40 h/ week
Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia
Switzerland
UK Mission to the Office of the United Nations, Geneva
UK Delegation
1
CHF
The internship allowance is CHF 1,450
1 June 2024

The UK Mission will offer the intern a monthly training allowance of 1,450 CHF. Please note that interns will need to arrange and pay for their own travel and accommodation, as well as any other living costs and are subject to Swiss taxes. This internship will be for a period of 11 months, with a 3-month probation period.

Where applicable, we encourage successful applicants (if from Europe or the UK) to obtain an Insurance Card (EHIC or GHIC) prior to entering Switzerland.  

The Mission offers a contribution to the payment of travel insurance for the duration of internship, in place of Private Swiss Health Insurance that includes health & accident cover for all interns. 

The final appointment and commencement of internship will be dependent upon successful security clearance. 

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

The internship as a whole will be a learning and development opportunity for the successful candidate, giving them a chance to experience life in a busy multilateral mission and to delve deep into the political and technical issues involved in humanitarian and migration business. Continuous on-the-job training, guidance and feedback will be provided by the line manager and other team members. Internship objectives will be agreed between the intern and line manager at the start of the internship, with regular evaluations of progress.

In addition, the successful candidate will have a budget of CHF 600 to be used toward training opportunities and to support their development needs in the role. The successful candidate will also be required to complete some mandatory online training. They will also have access to formal learning opportunities via the intranet, as well as other sources of training offered to the wider Mission.

As well as observing and reporting on debates and negotiations, shadowing experienced members of staff at meetings, and participating in the wider life of the Mission, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to establish relationships with members of the forced displacement and migration community in Geneva and to talk to visiting officials from London about their work. 

All applicants should have permission to live and work in Switzerland.

United Kingdom, European Union and EFTA nationals do not require visa sponsorship along with Nationals of: Brunei Darussalam, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Principality of Andorra, Principality of Monaco, San Marino, Singapore and Vatican. 

Where applicable, we encourage successful applicants (if from Europe or the UK) to obtain an Insurance Card (EHIC or GHIC) prior to entering Switzerland.

The Mission offers a contribution to the payment of travel insurance for the duration of internship, in place of Private Swiss Health Insurance that includes health & accident cover for all interns.

The final appointment and commencement of internship will be dependent upon successful security clearance.

Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”. We advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application, since only applications completed and submitted before the deadline will be considered. 

Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen. 

Please be advised that the UK Mission will not be able to support any cost during the Recruitment and Selection process, Security Check nor the costs connected with relocation if offered a job. 

 

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.

This opportunity is closed to applications.