Graphic Design Intern – New York, NY

Background

The Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) is responsible for positioning UNDP as the world’s leading global development network, promoting its global authority and thought leadership on sustainable development and the interconnected issues of poverty, inequality, and climate change. BERA leads and supports UNDP in building and nurturing strategic relationships and alliances essential to achieving its mission.

Creating strong political and financial backing for UNDP by providing partners and supporters with a clear understanding of what UNDP does and how our mission, capabilities and flagship services relate to them. The Bureau leads UNDP’s work on innovative and diversified partnerships and ways of financing the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is also responsible for global campaigns on critical development issues, which aim to inform government policies and build partnerships around high-impact solutions. BERA coordinates and sets corporate standards across the functions of partnerships, marketing and communications within UNDP and leads on internal communications.

BERA is positioned around three service lines; Public Partnership; Advocacy, Marketing and Communications (AMCG); and Private and Finance Partners, all working in close collaboration and coordination under the guidance of the Directorate and with the support of the Management Support Unit and Strategic Analysis and Engagement team.

BERA has a robust network of Representation Offices (Brussels, Copenhagen, Geneva, Tokyo and Washington D.C.) and Regional Teams in five hubs (Africa, Arab States, Asia Pacific, Europe and CIS, and Latin American and the Caribbean) co-led with Regional Bureaux, all of which play a critical role in audience centric communications and management and strengthening of relationships with Public and Private Partners to help build a strong brand for UNDP within the local ecosystem.

Within BERA, the AMCG leads and manages external communications through strategy, media, digital communications, marketing, branding and global storytelling. The Brand and Marketing Team in AMCG manages UNDP’s brand and creates marketing products and resources to promote UNDP and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring that messages resonate and gather support from audiences that span from government decision-makers to the general public. It manages the Marketing Services Hub (MSH) which operates as UNDP’s in-house agency, managing a roster of external experts to produce marketing communications projects for teams and leverage the expertise of the Brand and Marketing team to provide high-quality communication services aligned with the UNDP brand, tone and visual guidelines. The team also manages the online UNDP Shop, a fast-growing initiative that empowers people around the world to promote the SDGs.

Assignment Description:

Reporting to the Graphic Design Specialist and the Team Leader of Brand and Marketing team, the Graphic Design Intern will help ideate and evolve UNDP’s branded design direction in diverse media, including print and digital. The selected candidate will also support planning and managing communications projects for UNDP, collaborating with team members across the AMCG. The selected candidate will also work with the Marketing Services Hub to deliver graphic design projects as needed.

Duties and Responsibilities

The interested candidate will:

• Contribute with creative ideas to reach and engage different audiences;
• Conceptualize and create marketing products for different ongoing projects under the Brand and Marketing team.
• Propose and create designs for Marketing Service Hub projects;
• Provide overall graphic design support to the Brand and Marketing team.

Competencies

Core competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards; 
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP; 
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability; 
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism; 
• Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Functional Competencies:

• Proficient in graphic design and Microsoft Office 365 (Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop and PowerPoint)
• Ability to convert complex and abstract ideas into simple visual infographics and layouts
• Strong organizational skills and ability to multi-task
• Must be able to work in a multicultural environment and be aware of political sensitivities

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications :

Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, visual arts or similar field

Applicants must meet one of the following requirements:

• Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher);
• Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent);
• Have graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation.

Experience:

1. Proven experience in graphic design / communication design (please provide link to portfolio);
2. Experience designing compelling layouts and infographics;
3. Motion graphic knowledge is a plus;
4. Working knowledge of brand principles and marketing is a plus.

Languages:

• Fluent in written and spoken English;
• Knowledge of French or Spanish an asset

Availability:

• Must be available at least three (3) days a week during NY Eastern standard time zone working hours. Candidates who are available for full time (5) days/week are preferred.

Application procedure:

The application should contain:

1. Brief Cover Letter (in English) stating interest in and qualifications for the post;
2. Current and complete CV in English, with link to the candidate’s digital portfolio (provide link if available);

Please group all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.

Upon evaluation/review of the candidates, the candidate who is selected must submit the following documents:

1. Letter from his/her university confirming current enrollment and graduation date;
2. Copy of his/her most recent school transcript;
3. Copy of passport;
4. A copy of US Visa if the intern is not a US Citizen (if applicable);
5. Completed UNDP internship application form;
6. Signed UNDP Internship Agreement;
7. Medical Certificate of Good Health;
8. Proof of medical insurance.

Conditions:

• UNDP will not pay for the internship but will provide a monthly stipend in accordance with the provisions of the UNDP Internship policy. All other expenses connected with it will be borne by the intern or sponsoring Government or institution;
• Where an intern is financially supported by an institution, government or third party, UNDP will pay the intern the difference, if any, between the external financial support provided and the applicable UNDP stipend;
• Except for the stipend, all other expenses connected with the internship will be borne by the intern, sponsoring government or institutions;
• Interns are responsible for securing adequate medical insurance for the duration of their internship with UNDP and must provide a medical certificate of good health prior to starting the internship;
• There is no expectation of employment following the internship;
• The intern is responsible for obtaining necessary visas and arranging travel to and from the duty station where the internship will be performed (if required)