Internship Opportunities: Humanitarian Affairs & Migration and Forced Displacement (CHEG26-023255)

Are you interested in international affairs and keen to gain first-hand experience of multilateral diplomacy at the heart of Geneva’s humanitarian and migration system?

Who are we?

The UK Mission to the UN & WTO in Geneva represents the interests and policies of the UK at many international organisations in Geneva and is now recruiting two interns to join our team.

The UK Mission in Geneva prioritises dignity and respect at work. We value respect, inclusiveness, empowerment, teamwork and kindness.

Main purpose of job:

Our Humanitarian Intern will focus primarily on humanitarian policy and institutions; and our Migration and Forced Displacement Intern, will focus particularly on migration, refugees and forced displacement, including engagement with IOM and UNHCR.

These are hands-on roles offering the opportunity to work as a full member of the team, contribute to real policy work and gain valuable insight into how the UK operates within the multilateral system.

You could find yourself attending meetings with UN agencies and diplomatic missions, analysing emerging international policy issues, preparing briefing for senior colleagues, supporting high-level visits, or reporting developments back to colleagues in Geneva and London.

While each intern will have a primary portfolio, both will have opportunities to contribute across the Humanitarian and Migration Team’s wider priorities.

Roles and responsibilities:

As an intern, you will support the team’s engagement with international organisations, governments and partners across Geneva. You will have the opportunity to:

Represent and report: Attend meetings with UN agencies, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, NGOs and diplomatic missions. Where appropriate, you will deliver agreed UK messages and produce clear, concise reporting and analysis for colleagues in Geneva and London.

Take ownership of policy work: Develop responsibility for selected humanitarian or migration policy areas and institutional relationships. You will monitor developments, contribute to UK policy objectives and help identify opportunities for UK engagement and influence.

Build relationships and support UK influence: Develop effective working relationships with international organisations, diplomatic partners and UK Government colleagues, helping the team advance UK priorities in Geneva.

Support senior-level engagement: Contribute to Ministerial and senior official visits, UK-hosted meetings and major multilateral events. This could include preparing briefing, coordinating with stakeholders and supporting follow-up.

Respond to emerging priorities: Work flexibly across the team as international developments evolve, contributing to emerging humanitarian, migration and forced displacement priorities and supporting effective team delivery.

Both positions offer the opportunity to broaden your experience beyond your main portfolio and develop an understanding of the connections between humanitarian action, migration, refugees and forced displacement.

This is an opportunity to go beyond observing international diplomacy and actively contribute to it.

Our Ideal Candidate shows:

• Excellent written and spoken English at a C2 level according to the CEFR*, including the ability to analyse complex information and communicate it clearly and concisely;
• A completed university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
• Demonstrable interest in humanitarian affairs, migration, refugees/forced displacement, international relations or multilateral diplomacy;
• Strong research and analytical skills, including the ability to identify key developments and draw out their policy implications;
• Confidence communicating with a wide range of stakeholders and contributing effectively in an international, multicultural environment;
• Strong organisation and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage competing demands and deliver high-quality work to deadlines;
• Digital literacy, including confident use of Microsoft Office applications.

Nice to have:

• Academic, professional or voluntary experience relevant to humanitarian affairs, migration, forced displacement, international relations, development, public policy or multilateral affairs;
• Previous experience in an international, governmental, NGO or multilateral environment;
• Knowledge of the UN and/or Geneva-based humanitarian and migration architecture.

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 XX months.

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

Applicants that have the right to live and work in Geneva and don’t require a visa sponsorship are: Nationals from United Kingdom, European Union and EFTA, along with Nationals of: Brunei Darussalam, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia, Principality of Andorra, Principality of Monaco, San Marino, Singapore and Vatican – these applicants are eligible to live and work in Switzerland as long as holding a full passport valid for at least 12 months.

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 & Development:

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 candidates will each have a generous budget to be used toward training opportunities and to support their development needs in the role. The successful candidates 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 candidates 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.

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.

Interviews will be held remotely (TEAMS).

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 note for more information on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment levels please click on the following link CEFR . Please bear in mind in case you are invited for an interview your language skill is going to be assessed.

Note: We only accept applications through our software. We do not accept Cvs. To apply please go to

https://fco.tal.net/vx/appcentre-ext/brand-0/spa-1/candidate/so/pm/4/pl/1/opp/27823-Internship-Opportunities-Humanitarian-Affairs-Migration-and-Forced-Displacement-CHEG26-023255/en-GB