Background:

UNICEF’s Office of Research Innocenti is looking for 1 intern for four-six months starting in May or June 2022. The internship is full-time and to be done with the Communications Unit of the UNICEF Office of Research. At least part of the internship will be done on-site in Florence, Italy, but can be done partially remotely.

The Office of Research-Innocenti is the dedicated research office of UNICEF. It undertakes and commissions research on emerging or current issues of relevance for children in order to inform the strategic directions, policies and programmes of UNICEF, Governments and their partners. The Office explores emerging issues, identifies research gaps, brings together existing researchers, and supports or undertakes research and data collection to address critical questions and to inform policy dialogue and implementation at country level.

Communication is key to disseminate the research outputs produced by UNICEF Innocenti. The communication unit is responsible for developing and implementing media and communication strategies and tools in support of global research uptake strategies, brand development, external relations, digital engagement and research facilitation for the Office of Research -Innocenti. As the Office of Research works to produce, disseminate, and increase awareness, visibility and uptake of all research outputs, the communication team employs a range of different digital and traditional communication strategies. As the Office’s research outputs have increased, so too has the need to work on outreach, advocacy and uptake through impactful storytelling, social media engagement, multimedia production, event facilitation, and press and media outreach.

Objectives:

The purpose of this internship is to assist the communication team with dissemination of research on all digital channels (website, social media, press, multimedia and events). The intern will contribute to increasing visibility and uptake of research outputs and activities conducted by UNICEF Innocenti. The overall objective of the communication and research dissemination internship is to support the development, production and dissemination of communication content and materials (text/audio/simple video/web seminars and social media posts). The content produced and shared will contribute to wider visibility and increased uptake of UNICEF Innocenti research and knowledge findings and publications. The intern will assist the Communication team in the overall management of social media and website content, its dissemination and organization on multiple online platforms, and in provided detailed data analytics reports on the reach and uptake through digital channels. A more detailed workplan will be agreed and drawn up at the beginning of the internship. The intern must demonstrate good project management and organizational skills. They will develop UNICEF Core Competencies in Communication, Working with People and Driving for Results. They will also develop Functional Competencies in Deciding and Initiating Action (taking responsibility for actions and projects, taking the initiative.)

In addition to development of these competencies, the intern will also increase their understanding of the way that research is conducted in an international UN organization. They will gain broad exposure to the science communication process high-profile events to as well is the launch and distribution of research publications including Best of UNICEF Research and others. They will also get a chance to apply their own technical expertise and/or to develop theoretical expertise in the child rights area. The internship is ideal for an individual considering a career in communication in the UN system or international/development organizations.

Specific activities to be completed to achieve the objectives:

• The intern will work under the supervision of the Communication Specialist/Chief of Communication, a.i., in Florence, Italy. The main responsibilities/tasks will include:

Research dissemination:

• Support the communication unit in disseminating research on digital communication channels. This may involve updates to social media channels, the website, intranet, and e-mail newsletter content.
• Contribute to the production of creative content and written that will contribute to wider visibility and uptake of research. This may include writing and editing web articles, blogs, press releases, as well as creating compelling content for social media to increase awareness of UNICEF Innocenti and disseminate key message of research findings. Multimedia produced may include infographics, videos, and assisting with podcast production.

Minimum Requirements And Competencies:

The candidates should:

• Be enrolled in an undergraduate (final year only), master's or Ph.D. programme at an accredited institution or be a recent graduate (have graduated within the past two years) in communications, journalism or related field to the work of UNICEF.
• Have experience in writing, editing, video production and/or social media.
• Be fluent and have excellent reading and writing skills in English. Knowledge of French, Spanish, Italian or Portuguese would be an advantage.
• Have strong academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records or, if not available, a reference letter from an academic supervisor.
• Have no immediate relatives (father, mother, son, daughter, sister, brother) working in any UNICEF offices in the world.
• Have comprehensive health insurance coverage for the entire duration of the internship (UNICEF does not arrange health insurance for interns).