Devex Career Hub: How to break into the UN

Landing a fixed-term role at the United Nations as a newcomer is no easy feat. Some are able to simply apply and secure a job, but that kind of candidate is seen “as a unicorn”, a media specialist at the United Nations Population Fund, or UNFPA, tells us. More often than not, candidates find other ways to navigate the system. That might be via an internship, recruitment program, or consultancy, depending on the stage they are at in their career.

With the celebration of U.N. day yesterday, Thursday 24, in this edition of Career Hub we looked at some of the routes to breaking into the U.N. as well as how to make sure your applications stand out. Plus, featured job postings from the likes of Tech for All, the African Population and Health Research Center, and more.

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Top jobs this week

1. Senior AI Consultants (x2): Quality Assurance of AI EdTech / Voice AI
   AI-for-Education.org
   Western Europe | United Kingdom | Central Africa | Southern Africa | West Africa | Eastern Africa

1. Researcher (Health Systems Strengthening)
   African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)
   Kenya

2. Global Strategy & Operations Lead - Teach For All’s Global Institute
   Teach For All
   Singapore (Remote)

1. President
   Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF)
   United States 

+ See the full list

Featured opportunity: Devex Talent Solutions, our very own boutique recruitment agency, is assisting the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in its search for a Senior Credit Risk Officer, to be based in Beijing, China. Those interested should apply by Nov. 1.

+ DTS is seeking candidates for a Beijing-based Credit Risk Officer at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, a Director of People & Culture at Global Health Corps with hybrid and remote working options depending on the location, an Information Technology Officer at the Caribbean Development Bank based in Barbados, and a Beijing-based Counsel/Senior Counsel, Public Sector Operations at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, among many others.

In focus: Breaking into the UN — lessons learned from experienced pros

Speaking to Devex, several current and former U.N. workers shared how they were able to come into the U.N.’s employ and lay out the possible paths for potential candidates.

Professional programs. The Junior Professional Officer Programme is a young talent initiative designed to recruit individuals under 32 depending on their nationality, age, diploma, and years of experience. There is also the United Nations Development Programme’s Specialist Development Programme, which targets those under 38, and a Young Professionals Programme, which looks for candidates aged 32 and under with a master’s degree and four years of experience.

U.N. volunteers. Esperance Uwimana, a program specialist for UN Women focused on women’s economic empowerment, started her U.N. career as a U.N. volunteer microfinance specialist in Liberia. After serving as a university lecturer and working in Rwanda’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, she took a second UNV role with UN Women in Rwanda. She credits her UNV experience with securing a staff position.

Consultancies. These short-term roles are often easier to secure than full-time positions and, though temporary, can lead to permanent positions. That’s what happened to Mollin Luta Shaba, a lawyer from Zimbabwe who now works for the U.N.-EU Spotlight Initiative on gender-based violence in Uganda. She took on a gender specialist consultancy on a Malawi electoral cycle program with UNDP in 2018. “The U.N. saw the value of having me on board, and literally invited me to apply [for a fixed-term position],” she said.

Partner organizations. Eddie Wright, now a media specialist at UNFPA, transitioned from a Brussels-based NGO focused on sexual and reproductive rights. His work at the NGO made him an expert on UNFPA’s mandate, helping him secure his U.N. role.

Read the full article: Breaking into the UN — Lessons learned from experienced pros (Career)

Members-only jobs this week

1. Brand Officer (Maternity Cover)
   International sustainability label
   Germany 

1. Individual Consultant: National Analyst on Women’s Economic Empowerment
   United Nations entity
   Jordan 
   

2. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Delegate
   Worldwide humanitarian aid organization
   Morocco
   

3. Resettlement Associate
   United Nations agency
   Rwanda 

+ See the full list

Applying to the UN: 4 tips to stand out

Now that you’ve chosen your targeted entry path, how can you make your Inspira application stand out?

1. Show you have relevant experience. Veronika Ambertson, a coach and human resources consultant who worked in HR at UNDP for over a decade, advises focusing on the specific requirements outlined in job postings. These serve as the screener’s checklist, rather than the general descriptions and functions. Additionally, she suggests prioritizing key information in the application form rather than burying it in a cover letter — the latter is often reviewed later in the process.

2. Demonstrate that you know the U.N. To stand out, an applicant should show within their application that they know the mandate of the U.N. agency they’re applying to, are aware of issues affecting the wider organization, and the challenges it’s navigating, say experts. Elizabeth Villagomez, an economist who has been recruited twice into U.N. staff positions and held multiple consultancy roles, recommends reading up on the Pact for the Future to see where the U.N. is headed.

3. Highlight any specialized skills. Whilst many positions might require a generalist — for example, a project manager, administrative officer, or operations officer — having a specific skill or an area of expertise could make the difference when applying for a role, says Eddie Wright, who has been a media specialist at UNFPA for over a decade.

4. Explain how your core values align. Candidates must take time to understand what the values of the specific U.N. agency they’re applying to mean in practice, says Kate Roberts, a humanitarian coach and staff care and well-being specialist. It’s then important to highlight experiences that demonstrate how your values align.

Read the full article: Applying to the UN: How to Stand Out (Career)

More reading: Link between climate and peace cut from UN Pact for the Future

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Around the watercooler

News and views from around global development worth knowing about.

• New U.N. relief chief introduces himself. Tom Fletcher vows to win the trust of staff members.

• Why the era of quiet philanthropy is over. Rimjhim Dey discusses why philanthropic, development, and humanitarian organizations must be more visible to influence change.

• Key strategies for solving global problems. The Solutions Insights Lab spoke to over 200 global social entrepreneurs about how to solve the world’s problems, revealing three key themes.

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