Internship for Public Administration

Job Description

Job Opening ID: 269489
Job Network : -
Job Family : Public Administration
Category and Level : Internship, I-1
Duty Station : NEW YORK
Department/Office : Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Date Posted : Dec 17, 2025
Deadline : Dec 31, 2025

Work Location: DESA

Expected duration: 2 - 6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Org. Setting and Reporting

This internship is located in the Capacity Development Programme Management Office (CDPMO), Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

UN DESA’s Capacity Development Programme Management Office (CDPMO) supports DESA’s divisions/offices in formulating and implementing the capacity development strategy. It promotes coherence and integrated delivery of its capacity development work. Its functions include:

• Providing support for the planning, programming, coordination, and evaluation of capacity development work;
• Supporting knowledge management and communication;
• Facilitating partnerships and resource mobilization;
• Providing human resources and financial management services;
• Managing the Development Account, the United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund, the Department’s Regular Programme of Technical Cooperation component, and the Junior Professional Officer Programme and the Fellowship and Training Programme.

More information about the Office can be found at: https://www.un.org/development/desa/cdpmo/

The location for this internship is at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, however, upon agreement, and in accordance with the needs of the Office, interns may work on a flexible working arrangements (telecommuting).

This internship is designed to be in-person and full-time (35 hours) but can be adjusted based on request by the successful candidate.

Interns work five days per week (35 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in the work unit to which they are assigned.

Responsibilities

Daily responsibilities will depend on the individuals’ background; the intern’s assigned office as well as the internship period. Duties may include but are not limited to:

• Assisting in and contributing to project management and coordination, in the areas of financial for development, public institutions and sustainable development;
• Assisting in research, drafting and preparing analytical documents;
• Assisting in the organization of conferences, workshops, meetings or other collaborative events, including internal documentation preparations;
• Assisting in data and statistics collecting and sorting;
• Other assigned work by the Head of Office.

Qualifications/special skills

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.

Education:

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);
• (b) be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent).

Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work. 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.

Applicants should have good knowledge of standard software applications, especially MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Teams.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the Internship Programme. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an asset.

Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

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: December 31, 2025

About the Organization

The Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat is a vital interface between global policies in the economic, social and environmental spheres and national action. The Department works in three main interlinked areas: it compiles, generates and analyses a wide range of economic, social and environmental data and information on which Member States of the United Nations draw to review common problems and to take stock of policy options; it facilitates the negotiations of Member States in many intergovernmental bodies on joint courses of action to address ongoing or emerging global challenges; and it advises interested Governments on the ways and means of translating policy frameworks developed in United Nations conferences and summits into programmes at the country level and, through technical assistance, helps build national capacities.