Intern - Administration/Human Resources

Job Description

Work Location
In person in New York or remote, full time or part time modalities would be considered.

Expected duration
Expected duration: 3-6 months.
Desired start date: Spring 2026.

Duties and Responsibilities
This internship is located in the Headquarters Client Support Service (HQCSS), Division of Administration, New York, within the Department of Operational Support (DOS). The intern will report to the Senior Human Resources Officer and Human Resources Officers, DOS.

The Department of Operational Support was established to deliver high-quality operational advisory and support services to entities across the United Nations Secretariat, including departments at Headquarters, offices away from Headquarters, field missions and regional commissions. DOS plays a critical role in enabling the effective functioning of the Organization.

The internship is for a minimum duration of three (3) months, with the possibility of extension up to six (6) months, subject to the needs of the office. Interns are expected to work four to five days per week, either remotely or in person, for a total of 20 to 35 hours per week. Interns are fully integrated into the team and contribute meaningfully to ongoing workstreams, while gaining first-hand exposure to human resources operations within the United Nations. Daily responsibilities will vary based on the interns background, the assigned business unit and the internship period.

HQCSS provides administrative and human resources support to a wide range of offices, including:

• The Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict
• The Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children
• The Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict
• The Ethics Office
• The Global Compact Office
• The Human Security Unit
• The Office of Administration of Justice
• The Office of Information and Communications Technology
• The Office of the United Nations Ombudsman and Mediation Services
• The Office of the Special Envoy for Haiti
• The Office of the Victims Rights Advocate
• The Office of the Special Coordinator on Improving the United Nations Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
• The United Nations Office for Partnerships
• The liaison offices of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in New York

This offers interns broad institutional exposure across diverse UN mandates.

Under the supervision and guidance of a Human Resources Officer, the intern will work as a full member of the team. The internship will focus on the following responsibilities:

• Assist with routine administrative tasks related to the work of the Executive Office HR Section / Non-Staff.
• Support the review of documentation to ensure validity, completeness and accuracy of onboarding and extension requests from client offices, in line with UN staff rules and regulations.
• Draft responses to routine correspondence and support follow-up on pending actions and deadlines.
• Provide information and guidance to hiring managers and candidates on onboarding requirements and processes.
• Assist with the creation, organization and archiving of administrative records in the SharePoint repository.
• Compile statistics and support the preparation of reports, as required.
• Contribute to evaluation, monitoring and reporting on a range of human resources-related matters.
• Develop and maintain an inventory of documentation retained by the office.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the supervisors.

Qualifications/special skills
To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:

• (a) Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or,
• (b) Be enrolled in, or have completed, the FINAL academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s level or equivalent).

• Be computer literate in standard software applications, including Excel.
• Have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter.
• Have demonstrated the ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which includes willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.
• Educational background or exposure to human resources, public administration or related issues is desirable.

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. Enrollment in any of the medical sciences studies, is desirable.

Have you completed an UN Internship before? If yes, please include the UN entity, as well as, assignment dates.

Do you have experience using Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel, and any other tools for data analysis? If so, please describe the types of tasks or projects you have worked on and how you applied these tools.

Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Additional Information
Visa and Work Authorization Mandatory Requirements:
For internships in the United States of America, persons who are not United States citizens, permanent residents or on another non-immigrant (such as F1 or J1 visa) status, will be required to obtain a G4 visa. The selected person will be responsible for ensuring that they have a valid visa, and approved employment authorization (CPT/OPT/AT), allowing them to undertake the internship.

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.

Deadline : Feb 7, 2026