UNOPS – an operational arm of the United Nations – supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by successfully implementing its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development.
UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management, and human resources.
Working with us
We are proud of our people. With a wealth of knowledge and skills in various disciplines – engineering, finance, human resources, ICT, leadership, project management, procurement, and more – they help tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time. Their work around the world supports progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
At UNOPS, we offer a range of short- and long-term opportunities in various environments and duty stations – from Denmark and Kenya to Mexico, Switzerland, Myanmar, Senegal, Uganda, and many more.
Diversity
With over 5,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,400 personnel recruited on behalf of our partners, spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced and diverse labor force — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs. We continually strive to maintain our gender-balanced workplace. We encourage qualified underrepresented groups as per UNOPS Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy to apply for our vacancies.
Work life harmonization
UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.
Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, the UNOPS Integrated Practice Advice and Support (IPAS) serves all the regions and headquarters, primarily with advice and solutions to everyday implementation challenges. IPAS consists of a diverse team of subject matter experts in the six practice areas of HR, Administration, Legal, Finance, Procurement, Project Management and Infrastructure. IPAS has three main roles:
Support to operations in the field offices: IPAS provides timely advice and supports actively finding of solutions to everyday implementation challenges, based on policy and best practices. It also provides operational support in specific areas.
Business efficiency: IPASrecommends changes to policies, processes and operating standards based on the feedback and experience of the field offices. IPAS also ensures transparent and efficient project implementation, in line with policy and business needs.
Body of knowledge: IPAS contributes to research and coordination within the policy groups and project practitioners. It provides structured knowledge and subject matter expertise which is used across practice areas to provide coherent and tailored advice to the requesting offices.
IPAS HR is a team of 17 colleagues (and 11 different nationalities) offering a 6 months (extendable maximum up to 12 consecutive months, subject to satisfactory performance and funds availability), full-time and hands-on paid internship. The Human Resources Intern will be responsible for providing support in the execution and delivery of HR efficiency projects within IPAS HR. The HR Intern will be entrusted with project tasks that s/he will be able to manage independently and will get a privileged exposure to global HR operations in a UN organization.
The HR Intern will work under the supervision of the IPAS HR Specialist and in close collaboration with the HR Project Analyst and all team members within the IPAS HR team to support their work and ensure consistent service delivery.
We envision that, at the end of this internship, the successful candidate will have gained:
1. Experience through exposure to UNOPS HR processes, standards, and activities;
2. Experience in analysing diverse data and information into meaningful insights;
3. Exposure to HR process improvements and project management activities;
4. Exposure to international personnel in a UN headquarters and through interaction with personnel in field office locations.
We seek a motivated and passionate individual with a background in data analysis or a related function, with some working knowledge of HR as desirable.
However, as internships are designed to be valuable learning experiences, previous work experience is not a requirement.
Summary of Key Functions:
● HR data analytics
● Support to HR projects
● Knowledge building and knowledge sharing
1. Provides support to hr data analytics, focusing on achievement of the following results:
● Assist in the collation, verification, and analysis of recruitment data
● Maintenance and improvement of IPAS HR dashboards in Google data studio
● Assist in the design and analysis of various surveys (on candidate experience, onboarding, etc.)
● Provide support in the development of various tools to enable evidence-based HR decision making and improve IPAS HR operational efficiencies;
2. Ensures efficient support to IPAS HR projects, focusing on achievement of the following results:
● Research on various HR topics (talent attraction, best practices in recruitment, etc.) ● Supports in the enhancement of existing business processes
● Technical and administrative contribution to various IPAS HR projects
3. Ensures facilitation of knowledge building, knowledge sharing and contribution to product/process efficiency, focusing on achievement of the following results:
● Providing support to knowledge management projects
● Providing suggestions for policy improvements
Integrity & Inclusion: Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.
Leading Self & Others: Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.
Partnering: Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).
Results Orientation: Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.
Agility: Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.
Solution Focused: Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.
Effective Communication: Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.
Education/Experience/Language requirements
Education:
- Completion of secondary / high school or equivalent is required.
- Applicants must be enrolled in a university degree such as a Bachelor, Masters or Ph.D., or have graduated within three years prior to the application date of the internship in a relevant area, preferably in HR, project management, mathematics , computer science statistics, business administration or related field.
- Completion of an advanced university degree in the relevant areas is a strong asset.
Experience:
Essential:
- Knowledge of data analysis (e.g. creating charts, pivot tables, advanced functions) using spreadsheet tools such as Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel
- creating documents and presentations using tools such as Google Docs / Slides or Microsoft Word / PowerPoint
- using and creating dashboards in visualization tools such as Data Studio, PowerBI, Tableau
Desirable:
- Experience in an international environment, in HR or project management would be a strong asset.
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (Google Suite/Workspace OR Microsoft Office) and experience in handling web-based systems is desired.
- Strong interest and exposure to data analysis is highly desirable
- Experience with or an interest in learning scripting languages eg. Javascript, SQL, Python etc is highly desirable
Note: Applicants are encouraged to submit a Cover Letter that outlines their motivation for participating in this internship.
Languages:
- Fluency in written and oral English is required.
- Knowledge of French or Spanish would be an asset.
Contract type, level and duration
Contract type: Intern Contract level: Intern Contract duration: 6 months
- Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time.
- Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
- Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
- UNOPS embraces diversity and it is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, or disability.
- UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
- Work life harmonization – UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
- For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
- For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
- The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.
- All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
- It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.
How to apply
https://jobs.unops.org/pages/viewvacancy/VADetails.aspx?id=24827#6