Internship: Advocacy

Job Description

Job Opening ID: 270292
Job Network : -
Job Family : Programme Management
Category and Level : Internship, I-1
Duty Station : Bilbao
Department/Office : United Nations Human Settlements Programme
Date Posted : Jan 14, 2026
Deadline : Jan 20, 2026

Work Location: In-person, Bilbao, Spain

Expected duration: 6 months

Duties and Responsibilities Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. UN-Habitat is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system.

UN-Habitat works with partners to build inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities and communities. UN-Habitat promotes urbanization as a positive transformative force for people and communities, reducing inequality, discrimination and poverty.

This position is located in the Local2030 Coalition Secretariat, within UN-Habitat’s Global Solutions Division.

The Global Solutions Division provides programmatic direction for UN-Habitat and is responsible and accountable for the programmatic delivery of the Strategic Plan. The Division leads the tools and methodology production and the integration of the various substantive competencies towards the effective delivery of the Strategic Plan and the mandate of UN-Habitat. It provides substantive training and supports capacity development of Member States and partners.

The Local 2030 Coalition is the United Nations System platform to accelerate the localization of the 2030 Agenda, enhancing coherence, efficiency, and the impact of UN action. 14 UN entities drive the Coalition, co-chaired by UN-Habitat and FAO, ensuring that the UN system is equipped to articulate global goals and national policies with local contexts, needs, and priorities, while securing a single and powerful UN approach to localization.

Through its five Constituencies - National and Local and Regional Governments, Civil Society and Academia, the Private sector, and Youth – the Local2030 Coalition is also a bridge between the United Nations and local development stakeholders, co-creating solutions for systemic transformation, with a focus on those furthest behind.

Concretely, the Coalition’s members, Constituencies, and partners join forces to:

1. Ensure the continuous engagement of local stakeholders in the design and implementation of development agendas, tailoring global processes to local realities.
2. Build capacities in the UN system and beyond to mainstream localization and accelerate the SDGs.
3. Scale up contextualized innovative actions and financing solutions, increasing local impact for territorial transformation.
4. Enhance data analysis and inform multilevel-multistakeholder dialogue for collective review of sustainable development processes.

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Team Lead for Programme Management and Partnerships of the Local2030 Coalition, the intern will contribute to the Local2030 Coalition Secretariat advocacy working area. This may include working directly with partners and UN members of the Coalition.

The responsibilities are listed below and include, but are not limited to:

• Assist in organizing and planning events and workshops by preparing necessary documentation, including concepts, agendas, talking points, briefing notes for moderators and speakers, and logistical guidelines.
• Aid in the drafting of event descriptions aligned with the Local2030 Coalition’s advocacy strategy and Road(s) to processes.
• Support invitations for events by drafting communications, maintaining tracking spreadsheets, and ensuring accurate follow-up.
• Assist with the development of key messages and briefing materials to support the Local2030 Coalition Secretariat, Co-chairs, members, and partners related to advocacy activities.
• Support the development of presentations and other materials for events and meetings.
• Provide logistical support for events, including setup, speaker coordination, and technical arrangements.
• Assist with travel logistics for the Local2030 Coalition Secretariat and event speakers as needed.
• Aid in taking meeting notes, drafting reports and minutes, and document filing and database management, and track follow-up actions for events and meetings.

Qualifications/special skills

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),
• Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree program (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent),
• Have graduated with Bachelor’s degree, Masters, PhD or equivalent.

Be computer literate in standard software applications (Microsoft Office Suite).

Have demonstrated a keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have 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.

Preferred areas of study: Social Sciences, International Relations, Development Studies, or other relevant area.

Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required.

Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Ph.D. Programme.

Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship position, fluency in oral and written English and Spanish is required. Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.

Additional Information

Do you have any previous UN internship experience? If yes, please indicate the UN entity and the specific dates.

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: January 20, 2026