Intern – Administration and Business Operations

Duty Station: Addis Ababa

Department/Office: Resident Coordinator System

Deadline: Oct 19, 2026

Job Description

The DCO Regional Office for Africa (DCO-Africa), established in July 2019 in Addis Ababa, provides strategic support to 53 Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams (UNCTs) across Africa in the integrated implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the African Union Agenda 2063.

This position is located in DCO-ROA in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The intern will work closely with the Regional Administrative Officers and Senior Administrative Assistant / Programme Management Assistant to support administrative and operational activities within DCO-ROA and Resident Coordinator Offices (RCOs) across the Africa region. The intern will report to the Programme Management Officer – Administration, under the overall supervision of the Regional Director and Deputy Regional Director for Africa. The internship is unpaid and full-time for an initial period of three months, with the possibility of extension for up to six months, depending on the needs of the office. Interns work five days per week for a total of 35 hours. The internship offers a valuable opportunity to gain practical experience in administration and business operations and to contribute to initiatives aimed at improving organizational efficiency.

DCO-ROA is seeking a proactive and self-motivated intern with strong problem-solving skills and a keen interest in using technology to improve administrative and business operations processes. Responsibilities: Administration, Human Resources and Procurement Support

• Assist with managing the Regional Director’s schedule, including liaising with the Office of the Assistant Secretary-General and Director of DCO at United Nations Headquarters in New York and facilitating participation in meetings.

• Support office-management activities within the scope of DCO-ROA.

• Assist DCO-ROA staff members with processes related to business visas, residence permits and other official documentation.

• Coordinate with relevant departments to support staff members in obtaining the required administrative documentation.

• Support the organization of workshops, conferences, webinars, meetings and other events organized by DCO-ROA and its partners.

• Support with keeping up-to-date contact lists for Resident Coordinators and Resident Coordinator Office personnel and regularly update the relevant DCO-ROA SharePoint pages.

• Participate in DCO-ROA meetings and assist with follow-up actions.

• Support the administration of contracts between DCO-ROA and external contractors for the provision of goods and services.

• Assist with preparing and sending requests for quotations to vendors.

• Assist with internal procurement files and relevant supporting documentation.

• Assist with market research and the compilation of information on prospective vendors and service providers.

• Work closely with the Regional Human Resources Focal Point and the Human Resources team in New York on relevant projects and initiatives.

• Support administrative tasks, data analysis, reporting and documentation related to human resources activities. Business Operations

• Support the annual reviews of Common Premises (CP) and the Business Operations Strategy (BOS), including data collection, follow-up, analysis and documentation.

• Assist with organizing and participating in webinars, meetings and consultations related to business operations.

• Support the preparation of presentations, meeting minutes, reports, briefing notes and other relevant materials.

• Assist with the preparation and monitoring of budgets, annual workplans and related supporting documentation.

• Support the collection, consolidation and analysis of operational information received from Resident Coordinator Offices.

• Assist with following up on agreed actions and maintaining relevant records, trackers and reporting tools.

Other Duties

• Perform other duties as requested by the Regional Office, such as, but not limited to the organization of webinars and meetings, taking notes, etc.

Qualifications/special skills

Applicants must at the time of application, meet one of the following requirements:

a) Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); b) Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent).
Have demonstrated a keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter.
Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which includes a willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.

Preferred areas of study: Business Administration, Office Management or other relevant areas. However, applicants from a wide range of academic disciplines are welcome to apply.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English is required.

Intern Specific text

Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.